My Favorite Y2K Boardshorts for Summer 2025

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Green Day headlining Coachella, Timothée Chalamet wearing True Religion jeans, a looming recession… The Oughts are so back. And boardshort brands are following (bathing)suit. This summer, I’ve been seeing Y2K-inspired long boardshorts popping back up everywhere.

“The Y2K era represents perhaps one of the most dramatic periods of change for [surfing]. Style — both in and out of the water — was completely rescripted. Styles were unapologetic: attitude-first, graphically aggressive, and expressively long,” says Josh February, Global GM at Quiksilver, one of the brands nailing Oughts style this summer. “Quiksilver’s current roster of performers — like Griffin Colapinto, Mikey Wright, and Al Cleland — have been rifling through the archives with our design team to reimagine some of these silhouettes for our Mercury Collection, in hopes of harnessing a bit of the magic (and brashness) of that defining era.”

Other classic surf brands, like Hurley, O’Neill, Rip Curl, and Billabong, are also going all-in on the Y2K trend. Recently, Hurley tapped Blink-182 drummer (and bona fide Oughts expert) Travis Barker to help design a capsule collection.

Of course, these new Y2K-inspired long boardshorts are not exactly like the ones worn by Andy Irons and young Kelly Slater. They’re much more high-performance, utilizing stretchier, faster-drying materials and fits that actually stay on your waist while duck-diving.

The Best Long Boardshorts of 2025

If you’re looking to shop some of the best boardshorts of 2025, read on. As a California native who grew up surfing in the Oughts, I’m stoked about the current trend of Y2K summer trunks, and I’ve been obsessively shopping for the perfect long boardshorts. Ahead, I’ve rounded up some of the best pairs to wear this summer — whether you’re surfing, playing beach games, or just lounging.

Quiksilver’s new Mercury line offers some of the best examples of tastefully modernized long boardshorts. They come in a few colors, but I’m especially into this black and red colorway. They’re very long and baggy, but also stretchy and lightweight. If you’ve been wearing slim, shorter trunks, consider going one size down from your normal waist.

These Rip Curl Mirage Archive shorts’ punk-inspired look seems to be a hit: half the sizes are sold out. I love the side panels and long 22-inch length, but I’m obsessed with the stylized Rip Curl logo printed across the butt.

O’Neill is another classic brand hopping on the Oughts boardshorts trend. Their best offering is these Superfreak 22-inch Reissue trunks. They showcase one of the most quintessential Y2K looks: The swooping horseshoe over the butt and down the side of the legs.

Billabong was arguably the most iconic surfwear brand during the Nineties/Oughts, largely thanks to signed surfers like Andy Irons and Shane Dorian. Now, they’re cashing in some of the cache with pieces like these Fluid 2K Pro boardshorts, featuring side stripes and branding just like the originals.

Volcom is also looking to its past right now. These J Robinson Mod boardshorts are proof. They’ve got the brand’s diamond on the leg and some bold color blocking action on the waistband.

Boardshorts are very cool right now, but some are also very pricey. If you’re looking for something more budget-friendly (but still Oughts vibe), check out these Phantom Eco Weekender shorts from Hurley. They’re currently on sale at Zappos for just $33.77, and they come in some fun patterns.

If going longer than 20 inches sounds too regressive, grab these 19-inch Rip Curl Mirage shorts. They have the throwback colorblock look, but the fit is more similar to modern boardshorts.

Another pair of more tame long boardshorts are these Hurley One & Onlys. They’re nice and long, but a bit slimmer, and they come in a huge assortment of colors for every style. Make sure to go a size or two up, though, especially if you have a bigger rear: they’re a bit tight in the hips.