Why you should wear pants in the water

One of the things we love most about surfing is how blissfully simple it is: throw on a bikini and a little zinc on the nose and we’re good to go, right? But while paddling out may not require much in the way of wardrobe, these days we’re wising up to the benefits of wearing a little more fabric into the water. That’s right, we’re talking about pants.

And not just any pants. Meet the surf legging, a stylish hybrid of yoga pants and a quick-dry bathing suit that protects your stems from sunburn, jellyfish stings, and embarrassing, butt-bearing wipeouts—think of it as a rashguard, only for the bottom half of your body. Sound unnecessary? Tell that to an ever-growing troupe of surfers sporting them in the lineup, as well as the hikers and bikers who tout the leggings’ stretchy fit and rapidly drying materials back on land (they can banish butt sweat just as fast as they shed salt water). Convinced? We are, too, which is why we rounded up some of our favorite new iterations just in time to make pants in the water an integral part of your workout wardrobe before summer’s gone for good.

The top pic is my favorite (if I could wear these! lol)