Swimwear is an enormous industry and thousands of swimwear makers are offering the market a wide array of options. Nonetheless, the swimwear market seems to favor women more since there are only very few choices when it comes to men's swimwear.

Conventionally speaking, men are left with the popular brand Speedo for their swimwear, which leaves them with practically no choice at all. In the past, men were used to wearing briefs whenever they went to the sea and the swimming pool. The more daring men years chose to wear thongs and g-strings. G-strings are daring in a sense since they cover minimal part of the men's front and back while thongs are best described as ?posing pouches.?

Conservative men or not-so audacious men have preferred to wear what are called ?board shorts? since the 1980's. Wearing board shorts started in countries where surfing was popular. The surfers didn't want to have to take the time to change from street wear to swimwear nor did they want to have to keep track of any extra items of clothing that could be left behind or lost. Board shorts look like ordinary shorts as the leg length ranges from the mid-thigh to the knee cap. They typically have two front pockets and most have a back pocket, too. The difference between casual dress shorts and board shorts is the nylon mesh inside and the fabric used to make the shorts. Board shorts are typically nylon, like the inner mesh weave, and casual dress shorts are typically made from cotton or linen.

In the 1990's, an advancement in swimwear brought about the creation of Jammers by Speedo. This swimwear looks like spandex bicycle shorts and major brands that sell jammer swim shorts use a patented fabric from Speedo called ?endurance fabric?. This fabric is lighter than nylon and more water-resistant. Swimwear which are made to be water-resistant, have been worn customarily in contests. In competition, the water resistance quality of the swimwear is what separates athletes of equal strength and skill. When two swimmers of equal talent race, the swimmer that is more water-resistant will cross the winning line first because their suit created less drag against the water.

In 2000, there was the creation of another breakthrough swimwear that covers the whole body. This kind of swimwear, which is bodyskin in form, lessens drag when swimming but most swimmers still prefer to wear swimwear that is styled like shorts or briefs.

In the end, the choice of swimwear still lies on the man -- what his preference is when it comes to swimwear and his purpose for buying the swimwear. For men who want to go to the beach and get that perfect tan, briefs are the must-have swimwear. Those who want to show off their body go for g-strings and thongs. For the less daring men who love sports like surfing, board shorts are the way to go. Finally, for athletes, they have the choice between bodysuits, jammers, and can still rely on briefs.