The 1.5 inch swim brief
 

The swim brief with 1.5 inch (4 cm) sides. Who would dare to wear one?
Normally Speedo have manufactured briefs with 2 inch sides, but more recently they've widened them. But according to Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swim_briefs

'The most common racing suit styles are 1.5 inch to 3 inch paneled briefs (as measured by the height and length of the suit's side panel).'

And it's not that they're difficult to find. In the Swim Brief section of Figleaves, for example, nearly half of the suits are that width.

http://www.figleaves.com/uk/men/swim...SP3_swimbriefs

Of course, if you trawl the internet you can find much briefer suits, but who wears these? It's possible you might see this at a beach resort, but not a public indoor pool where the dress code is stricter.

It would seem that the 1.5 inch swim brief is the minimum you can wear while still maintaining respectability.

Thanks for the post Bede - I had never been to the Figleaves website. There's really a good selection of styles and colors. I fully agree that 1.5 is the minimum to wear at a public pool and that may be pushing it a bit.

D67

Be reasonable guys!
 

If you want to be comfortable in your own skin doing laps at a public pool you WILL get looks if you wear less that 2.5 sides. My Caussies are about that and maybe a smitchen less. (an old Vermont) word! But only just a "smitchen"

Dorcas3,

That hasn't been my experience at all at my Y in Maine. I only wear suits which have 2" sides (Sportis, Nikes, Tyrs, Turbos) which I am very comfortable in, and I get no disparaging looks from anyone. But I wouldn't wear anything less than 2". I have noticed a couple of older women who are waiting for their swim class in the pool lobby have smiled at this old guy as I pass through on my way to the locker room.

D67

I've always worn suits with 2" sides and didn't have any problems. During the last 6 months my suits have been 1.7" and slightly lower rise, but there have been no issues there either. A year ago I had a few outings in Aussiebum 1.5 Classic and was really surprised that there were no problems.

There again, I've only worn the really brief suits at my local pool. I feel that as they allow women to wear tiny bikinis there, then they can't object to men with brief suits. Anyway, away from my local pool I tend to stick to the 2" ones. I wore them on a recent holiday to Turkey, for example.

Sorry
 

I take it all back! Wore my flag Sportis today I'll settle for 1 1/2!

All is forgiven, especially because you wore your flag Sportis today...lol

D67

I find that the side doesn't determine modesty as much as the front. Up until this season most of the Speedos I found in stores were 4" sides. This season 2" seems to be more common and I like it. I went into sports authority yesterday to get a black string bikini (obviously not in men's) and walked out with a quite conservative grey speedo with 2" sides... I'm comfortable with sides as little as 1/2" around everybody but the support or lack of it isn't the front can change how modest I feel and look.

1 inch sides...
 

I have wore my Intymen suits which had 1 inch sides and I didn't get any werid looks.

In fact I was checking out the MateGear website to see if they had something comparable.

My biggest thing is that the suit better hold up very well in chlorinated pools, hate to spend so much money and then have the colors fade and then the fabric break down as well.

Any of you fellow guys have opinions about MateGear suits? Made in Korea :o

i wear nothing but seobean swimsuits usually which have about 1inch side with no issues at my local Y :)