Fair Harbor Mens Swim Trunks Review
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Ever since moving to Los Angeles, swimsuits have become more of a staple in our house than a seasonal item. We live about 3 miles from the coast and make it to the beach at least once a week. While I typically choose to stay on the sand, Nick enjoys going swimming in the ocean and being a bit more active. From surfing to skim boarding, he does it all. Beach volleyball has become another favorite past time and it is usually followed by a dip in the Pacific. That being said, after playing more sand volleyball, Nick mentioned wanting to get more stretchy swim shorts, as that would up his game and be more comfortable. Sure he could wear athletic shorts, but would then want to change prior to swimming. Why not just have swim trunks that work for both? Thatās where Fair Harbor comes in to play.
Keep reading to learn more about the brand and what Nick (and I!) think of them.
As I mentioned above, Nick said several times to me about desiring a swimsuit that he could both sweat and swim in. It was on my radar, but it wasnāt something I was actively looking for. To be honest, I hadnāt found the time to look yet, as I was / am pregnant with twins. Between the nausea and naps, I barely had enough energy to do my own work, let alone search for what I thought was either a very non-existent or a pretty pricey suit. I was minding my own business when I came across an Instagram ad by the brand Fair Harbor. They advertised swimming trunks that were not only made for the water, but made for an active lifestyle. Fair Harbor appeared to be a brand that was stylish, but also comfortable, as they have a āno netā / comfortable liner policy. Or no liner if you prefer ;) I couldnāt believe my luck, so I ordered a couple for Nick to try out. Spoiler alert, because he ended up keeping both pairs and is obsessed with them.
Before I get into the why, Iāll set the scene and answer some basic questions.
HISTORY OF FAIR HARBOR CLOTHING
Founded by Jake Danehy and his sister Caroline in 2014, Fair Harbor has become synonymous with comfortable yet stylish swimwear. Named because they grew up vacationing in Fair Harbor, New York, the brother and sister duo began the business with a 20k grant that they won. While fashion is known for being a very dirty business, Fair Harbor was born out of caring for the ocean and our waterways. They work to keep oceans clean by recycling plastic bottles and making them into fabric for their suits. Each swim trunk has a different amount of recycled plastic bottles incorporated and they inform you of the specifics in each category. They also practice what they preach regarding recycling and offer a swimwear recycle program. If you contact them, they will take back any swimsuit you are done with and give you $5 off your next Fair Harbor purchase, up to $25! They donate the used suits to 2ReWear, which uses them for insulation and rugs. While they work to be eco-friendly and sustainable, they also consider the fair trade aspect. Designed and headquartered in NYC, Fair Harbor currently manufactures their goods in the United States, China, Peru and Pakistan. Through those partners, they prioritize quality, compliance to workerās safety, fair wages and benefits, all while furthering their mission to minimizing environmental impacts (things like water waste and air emissions). Honestly Iām so impressed by them in general (they have sold over 18M), but am even more-so because they are both under 30!
WHY WE LIKE FAIR HARBOR SWIMMING SUITS
4 way stretch fabric (good for diving both at the pool and on the sand playing volleyball!)
Dries quickly (thanks to Durable Water Repellent)
BreezeKnit liner (feels like underwear / not uncomfortable mesh and doesnāt cause chaffing. Can buy styles without a liner as well.)
Upcycles plastic water bottles to make fabric (each swimsuit is made of almost 90% of these! Fair Harbor has removed over 7M plastic bottles from the ocean and used them for good.)
Meant to wear from beach to boardwalk (aka not ugly or blatantly a swim suit)
Working side pockets and a hidden zipper pocket in the back
Recycle program (so they donāt wind up in trash or a landfill and continue the upcycle)
WHICH SWIMSUITS DOES NICK HAVE?
The Anchor (lined with 8ā inseam, 88% Recycled plastic bottles made from 12 plastic bottles, 12% spandex) in blue / grey floral with a flat drawstring and The Bayberry (lined with 7ā inseam, 80% Recycled Polyester made from 11 plastic bottles, 12% Cotton, 8% Spandex) in red mini floral with a round drawstring.
They also offer these:
Ozone (lined or unlined with 8ā inseam / has a performance back band for HIIT / FH website exclusive)
Nautilus Boardshort (unlined with 8ā inseam / for swimming, etc)
One Short (lined or unlined with 8ā inseam / not really for swimming / FH website exclusive)
Sextant Trunk (lined with 6ā inseam / for swimming, etc)
HOW DO THEY SIZE
They are available in sizes S - 3XL. Nick wears an XL in other swimsuits and athletic shorts and these fit true to his size. Note these fit more American than European, so if you wear really slim swimsuits you will likely prefer to size down.
HOW WE CARE FOR THEM
The instructions say to machine wash cold and tumble dry low. We machine wash cold and hang to try, as line drying makes clothing last longer. I also donāt trust my LA community dryers and have ruined many things in them.
WHERE TO PURCHASE
You can purchase from the Fair Harbor website; however, I prefer Nordstrom since it has free shipping. Fair Harbor does offer free shipping if you spend over $75 which is at least two swimsuits. I will say that the Fair Harbor website has a wider selection and is less likely to be sold out, so there is a pro from ordering directly from them. Both vendors offer free returns.
ARE FAIR HARBOR SWIMSUITS WORTH THE MONEY
In our opinion 100% yes! I literally donāt have a negative thing to say about them. Because I saw them on an Instagram ad and then a Facebook ad, I did go and read the comments. The only bad thing people had to say about them was the price. Ringing in at $68 I could see how that is a higher price than a lot of people want to spend. I am am very pro sustainability and ethically conscious and aware that those two features often come with a higher price tagā¦ one that I am willing to pay. Itās a little different for our situation since Nick wears one at least once a week, but Iād still point out that the quality is there. Not only are these the nicest swimsuits Nick owns, but they are also his favorite AND they hold up. He wears his clothing pretty hard, so to say I am impressed is an understatement. You can also think of these are a two-in-one as they are versatile and can be worn for really any athletic activity. Three-in-one perhaps since they are also cute enough to be worn on the street! I think they are fairly priced and we will definitely buy more in the future.
Overall, we cannot recommend them enough. Once baby boy gets here and is big enough to wear a swimsuit, we will for sure get him a Fair Harbor one. They have kids product line, as well as a couple other mens options. Think pants and tees. We havenāt tried any of those yet, but are of course open to them, since we love the swim shorts so much. Such a great brand to support and purchase from!
Want more? I made a YouTube video of everything of the above, plus a word from Nick. Enjoy!
P.S. If you like Fair Harbor swimsuits, you might like Nickās favorite underwear. He pretty much refuses to wear anything else. Hah! They typically go on sale during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, Black Friday, and sometimes the day after Christmas.
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