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The last two boardshorts we reviewed, the Florence Marine X Weld and the Outerknown Apex 2.0, are performance-based and incorporate elements like welding and bonding. The Boatman trunks from Roark, however, are built for durability — namely resisting the wear-and-tear that comes with intensive surf travel. I put the Boatman trunks through a solid thrashing during a recent ten-day boat trip through the Mentawais. I wore them all day, every day, for every surf. Here’s what I uncovered from my coverage:

Says Roark about the Boatman:

“ The ideal combination of 4-Way stretch body paneling with non-stretch durable Nylon in the back and through the waistband. Nylon Cordura adds durability for extended wear. The Boatman exceeds the demands for any abrasive situation in the surf without sacrificing mobility.”

  The Boatman is the weird, reverse mullet of boardshorts — the party up front with T400 stretch and the business in the back with Cordura paneling. It’s this balance of materials that allows the Boatman to take a beating yet still move with your body while surfing. 

T400 is an elastic elastomultiester polyester fiber that keeps its shape and provides moisture-wicking properties. Cordura is a synthetic material with high tensile strength fibers that can withstand long-term wear — like the kind that come from multiple encounters with a reef. It’s highly abrasive and, in most cases, extremely water-repellent. The Boatman is also covered in a DWR treatment that helps repel water from the material. I don’t know if they’re using C0 DWR, which doesn’t expel harmful fluorocarbons, or the more traditional C0 option. Hopefully, it’s the latter.

  A couple of neat design elements I picked up on include the forward-angled side seam, which helps thwart that twisting, sleeping bag effect and keeps comfort on point. And like the Outerknown Apex, they can be packed into their own back pocket for easy storage. The waistband isn’t some flashy, bonded, super-light piece of material mastery, but more of a traditional waistband: triple-stitched material around the waist and closure system. It’s familiar and reliable. After multiple beat-downs, getting washed in and bounced over the reef, these trunks remained securely fastened around my waist.

  Two improvements I’d love to see, though: 1. The cord used in the closure system. It came undone regularly and felt like it could do with some silicone covering for grip, or a new cord altogether that remained closed or tied off; and 2. The utility pocket on the left side. Its placement for intended use is great (one small thing on the fly for wax, cash, etc.), but it needs better drainage. It flooded whenever I duck-dove and got really annoying.

Aesthetically, the Boatman boardshorts are easy-on-the-eye and a textbook example of color blocking. They’re just a good-looking pair of trunks available in single colors or complementary block colors, with some pattern options, too.

  I’m 5’9”, 185 pounds and generally wear 34s, and I was happy with the fit of the Boatman. There’s two available length options, 17” or 18”, and they run a standard fit — not slim and trim, but not relaxed, either. Personally, I prefer the 18” over the 17”. I don’t mind showing off my knees, but no one needs to see my thighs. Plus, the 17’s got caught and needed more adjustment on the fly.

  The Boatman sat securely around my waist thanks to the waistband construction and closure system, and there was no excess fabric hanging and twisting around my legs and private parts. The triple-stitched seams posed some chafing problems early in my trip, but after four or five days of constantly wearing them, my skin had gotten used to the materials.

If you’re coming from performance trunks, you will sacrifice some comfort, which should be expected. Overall, though, these are comfortable enough to surf in, then laze around in. You can cover ‘em in sunscreen, wax and zinc, drag them over coral, sit on the rocks… They’ll take any punishment. I’d actually feel confident buying these online, rather than adhering to my normal philosophy of trying them on first at a retailer.

Fit & Comfort Rating: 8 out of 10 

  As I mentioned earlier, the Boatman are not performance trunks. They are last-longer-than-humans-live trunks designed for months on the road, exploring the outdoors, and bumping and banging into things. But they do perform quite well.

The Cordura gives them a high level of durability, and the T400 stretch provides enough movement and stretch to combat any stiffness the Cordura imposes. I did notice some restrictions when surfing in them, mostly related to having to constantly readjust my shorts. Whenever I went from sitting on my board to laying down, or vice versa, or whenever I finished off a wave and laid down to paddle, I noticed a distinct lack of flexibility in the crotch area. I wouldn’t recommend wearing these for a day spent doing runarounds at a pointbreak. You will get a rash.

  The Roark Boatman boardshorts come in at $80 US, $120 Australia, which puts them at the average price tag for a good pair of boardshorts in 2022. But you’re getting sustainable material usage and Fair Trade Certification, two factors many of us are looking for when shopping for new surfing gear these days. Add in the lifetime warranty for the Boatman series and you’re getting great value out of these shorts.

I haven’t read the fine print, but I’m getting Patagonia Ironclad vibes with Roark here, and I love that. I think you could get several seasons out of these (provided you don’t go up a size or two over winter).

If you want super-light, Formula 1-style, high-performance-focused trunks that sit at the top of technical tree, you don’t wanna buy these. You wanna buy these if you’re on the road for months at a time and need trunks that will handle a flogging but can also pull double-duty as normal shorts if necessary.

The author, testing in the Mentawais

Sure, I’d like to see a different cord material in the closure system, better drainage in the utility pocket, and some stretch panelling in the crotch/gusset region. But for what you’re spending and what you’re getting, the Boatman boardshorts are a solid purchase, and you’ll get a long life out of them. Compared to the level of care leading performance shorts often need, these can go without the constant washing.

If you’re hitting the road for an extended surf trip and want to minimize your luggage — or you’re going anywhere and can only take one pair on the road, the Boatman boardshorts will serve you well. And survive to be worn another day.

ABOUT SURFLINE’S GEAR REVIEWS

We all get psyched to find the perfect board, trunks, leash or whatever that helps us do what we love best — surf. And before you shell out your hard-earned cash, Surfline’s here to help in your decision making process by creating features that share honest, thoughtful feedback on the products we test, to give you a more informed choice before spending.

I personally fell into writing reviews through exploring my own curiosity around surf products. It was never meant to be a ‘career’. I wanted to know more about surfboards, wetsuits and boardshorts. What made them amazing, why they sucked and who was providing great value. From there it evolved into a site called Empire Ave and a ten-year run evaluating products that enhance our surfing experience. Now I’m here, on Surfline to share those insights, thoughts and feedback earned through a decade of testing.

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