Four of you rent boards for the morning, figuring surfing can't be that different from everything else you've tried on past trips. It turns out standing up is the easy part to imagine and the hard part to do. Between falls you're back on the boat, then back in the water, then stretched out on a flat rock waiting your turn again. One pair of shorts goes through all of it, from boat to water to rocks and back.

From the boat to the water and back again

The boat ride out takes longer than expected, engine idling while someone untangles a leash. He's wearing swim shorts made from a polyamide-elastane blend, built for a second-skin feel and stretch. A mesh inner lining adds extra support underneath. The water here is clearer than any of them expected, and someone keeps pointing out fish from the board.

Waiting your turn on the rocks

Not everyone can surf at once, so there's a rotation, and the guys not in the water stretch out on flat rocks drying off between turns. The shorts are made from a sneldrogende stof, so nobody's sitting around in something heavy and wet for long. A drawstring at the waist keeps the comfortable, non-constricting fit adjustable. Someone's brought snacks in a dry bag, passed around while they wait.

Pockets that actually hold things

Phones stay on the boat, but keys and a bit of cash still need somewhere to go. The shorts have practical pockets, including a closable back pocket. One of the guys learns this the hard way on day one, searching the shallows for a hotel key card that didn't make it into the zipped pocket. After that everyone starts checking their pockets before paddling out.

Back on land for the evening

By late afternoon the boards go back to the rental shop and the group walks into town still salty, hunting for a table with a view of the water. He's changed into a shirt made from Tencel, a material also known as plant-based silk, cut in a straight, close-fitting style with a crew neck. It's four times more absorbent than cotton and resists wrinkles. The shirt is also OEKO-TEX certified. Someone mentions it over dinner.

The last swim of the day

After dinner a couple of them can't resist one more dip, bags left on the sand and shoes kicked off near a beach bar still playing music. The same swim shorts go back in the water, made from a quick-drying fabric. Someone's phone flashlight bobs in the dark as they wade out past the first breakers. The waves keep rolling in as the group heads back toward the sand.