Board Shorts

[thager]

Logic says that if your goal is to keep a ski moving reduced parasite drag would certainly help, therefore nothing flapping in the breeze is better. What effect if any, do you feel the parachute boardshorts have??

[robscholl-OF]

Minimal.......OF

[Andre]

Like MS say ...

"Speedo rocks!"

Me think my technique is more a drag then my O'Neil Gooru shorts...

[RichardDoane]

I used to ski in neoprene shorts, and a couple of years ago I "transitioned" to boardshorts. The hardest part can be the deepwater start, if the darned things "balloon". But this season, I'm staying in my drysuit all season if possible !

[Jean B]

HAHAHA I will believe it when I see it Zippy especially on 80+ degree days.

[Ed_Obermeier]

Richard, we've all gotten in the habit of just hiking the legs of the board shorts up as high as possible before pull up.  They end up there anyway, or balloon like crazy if they don't.  Just figure that's easier than letting them balloon.  I just try to make sure they're pulled back down in time for the pullout...

Ed

[Gern Blanston]

My problem with board shorts is the lack of an inner liner to hold your junk in place.  I end up having to wear a swim suit underneath.  Do most people go commando?

[DW]

Actually, board shorts flapping in the breeze will add more than insignificant levels of drag.  Look at how much effort (and $) has been invested in speed suits, low drag bicycle suits, etc.. for those athletic endevours.  Loose clothing on the human body adds substantial drag levels documented in a wind tunnel.  The drag of the ski / fin / wing (angle) will be substantially greater than the shorts particularly since ropes loads will easily be in the hundreds of pounds.

Part 2:  a buddy of mine actually tweaked his back due to added water load when getting out of the water with a pair of ballooned shorts.  Took him a few weeks to get back on the water.

[Old MS Accout]

There are good shorts and bad shorts. Not all should be used for slalom skiing.

Mike Morgan wears the tight shorts and it works for him.

Gern,

Buy some Nylon unda pants and use those. They dry quick and will keep the junk happy.

[baja]

Neoprene shorts for me (Eagle has great ones) while skiing and I just pull board shorts on afterwards so I don't look like a dork. I prefer to avoid the additional load of ballooning board shorts when I'm skiing the course since 3 sets times 6 passes with drops at each end equals an additional cumulative load I don't need. When free skiing board shorts get the call.

[Jean B]

I think you guys should all just start wearing speedos. Tight fitting and no drag. You wouldn't lose them either in a crash.

[lpskier]

Apply a little extra pressure to your front foot on the way up and your shorts won't balloon. And lets face it, a Speedo or rubber shorts don't give the satisfying "thwack" on the ball. The turn ball, that is.

[454SS]

O'neill Superfreaks commando or cali style as my friend likes to call it cause apparently everyone in cali goes commando with there boardshorts.

[thager]

Started this thread after watching Drew Ross' video clip where the camera is on the ski tip looking back. The flapping doesn't look like a very big deal but at each turn I was amazed at how his board shorts ballooned up. In short, a small parachute. It's got to have some effect against keeping the ski moving especially In a sport where some people think a couple thousandth of an inch is a big deal with their fin or a few ounces might make a difference with their skis weight not to mention having a vest that doesn't retain water weight! I think I'm going to wear neo shorts this year. What could it hurt?? I sure hope MS doesn't wear his speedos though!

[h2odawg79]

Walmart has a really Light pair of "Golds" neo work out shorts for $10.00. Light, cheap, fit great under board shorts, they help protect the junk AND keep the upper legs warm with slight compression... (in the sporting goods dept. with the w/o stuff..) 

[Tuney]

I have a few pairs of Oakley board shorts I like to wear when I ski. I've found they are pretty good for deep water starts, at least compared to my collection of O'Neill shorts. When I am wearing the O'Neill shorts I slide the material up against my hamstring and it gets a little better. Commando.

[eleeski]

Spandex rules!

I was wearing some boardshorts and a bee flew up the leg. That was painful! No more flappy shorts for me.

Several years ago Don Parsons made bat wings for his vest. He could spread his arms to get an automatic headwind. I don't think his buoy count went up and he no longer uses that vest but he claimed he liked the feel. Maybe the right boardshorts can mimic this feel.

Horton will probably censor this, but for tricks I use a cup under the spandex. It helps the mechanics of reverse toes and protects against my dusty flip landings. Not relevant for slalom unless you are attacked by bees.

Eric

[454SS]

If boardshorts really have that much affect on keeping the ski moving Marcus Brown would cut his dreadlocks they have to have some wind resistance.

[HO 410]

We are missing the number one rule of being a water skier.

Thou shalt look good whilst on the water.

 

I think I have to trust the mob rule on this one. If there was a significant advantage to wearing neoprene shorts or a speedo, you would see almost no skiers wearing a normal swimsuit. Under that assumption, I would expect the biggest way boardshorts effect skiing is if you are aware of how they fit or how they move during a pass. If your shorts distract you, find something different.

[baja]

I don't notice any difference while skiing, only the extra drag some board shorts cause during the 18 deepwater starts in a practice session at the lake. I just can't wait till the water is warm enough to consider a cali commando run. All men are created equal... in cold water

[ForrestGump]

All I know is I don't want to see MS in a speedo. :)

[Old MS Accout]

 Shane,

Only because the chicks would quit looking at your boat and start looking at my junk.

Baja,

I WAS IN TH POOL!!!!! George Castanza

   

[Steven]

Yeah, you know, when you wash your sweater and your sweater shrinks? Shrinkage!  another George-ism

[ForrestGump]

Yeah, they'd be laughing, MS!

[Jim Neely]

Just have someone reduce the legs of your board shorts. No one notices the difference and the drag is much less on starts.

[thager]

Didn't MB win Moomba with short hair? Maybe we should all shave our heads, arms ,legs and torso like swimmers. Never mind I can't get that image of MS in a speedo out of my head. Medic!!!

[lpskier]

In the Fall of 2008, Chris Parrish was skiing in a full swim racing speed suit, the same that Michael Phelps wore to reduce friction in the 2008 Summer Olympics. The suit was designed to slip through the water, which would reduce leg / water friction, but would also have eliminated and board short drag. He didn't wear it last year as far as I know. He wore board shorts. Conclusions?

[thager]

Yup, The monza was so bad he was forced to dress like a diva!

[robscholl-OF]

Oakley boardshorts and comando....quick on, fast dry, look cool and comfortable.  I have 101 other things to improve in my skiing before I worry about drag.  When I get to 39off (Probably never in this life time) I will re-evaluate.  Until then, boardshorts.  As far as Speedos, I thought we want to grow the sport and bring people in, looking at most of us, Speedos are not going to do it......Heck, if Speedos became the norm for slalom, I would have to take up wakeboarding.  (I thought I would never ever say that)  OF  

[DW]

Since we like to ski in a head wind, which really is just increasing body drag, the goal would be to increase drag on the body not decrease it.