The Surfing Blog

The Surf Sleeve is a new, patent pending idea that will save you from rash caused by your board shorts chaffing your inner thighs. This chaffing often happens to surfers who wear wetsuits all year, and then once summer or a warm water surf trip comes up, they switch to boardshorts and the shorts rub their inner thighs raw. The rash is super unpleasant and will often cause you to walk funny and be in a lot of pain the next time you surf.

The Surf Sleeve consists of two sleeves, made of a mixture of lycra and nylon, that fit over your thighs. They are similar to wearing biker shorts, without having the feeling of wearing tight shorts under your boardshorts because they only cover your thighs. Since they are separate sleeves, you can carry them in your pocket and put them on or take them off out in the lineup. They truly are a simple idea that work really well.

I recently tried them out while surfing down in Waikiki on one of those 12’ foam boards. Every time I surf a large foam board I get the rash really bad because of the chaffing that occurs when sitting up on the board. I surfed for a good 3 hours and had no rash. Not even a little. They worked great. I was worried they would bunch up after awhile out on the water, but the sleeves have a couple rings on the inside made of a grippy material that keeps them in place. It is also important to measure your thighs before purchasing them so that you buy the right size. Having the correct size allows them to fit snug and work like they are supposed to.

The Surf Sleeve isn’t just for surfing large foam boards though. It is made for anytime you surf. A great time for them is for the cold-water surfer who is going on a surf trip to a warm water destination. Imagine being on an Indo boat trip and getting bad short rash on the first day. The next couple days of 6-10 hours or surfing are going to hurt. If you pack the Surf Sleeve, your rash problems will be solved and you will be able to surf all day and make the most of your trip.

I have been told other methods for avoiding the killer inner thigh rash. I have tried them all and let me tell you why they don’t work as well as the Surf Sleeve.

Vaseline- This method involves buying Vaseline and rubbing it on your inner thighs before you paddle out. This kind of prevents the rash but I consider it a failed idea because you have to rub up your thighs with slimy Vaseline. Not only do you have to cover your thighs in petroleum jelly, but it starts to ruin your boardshorts and it makes your hand super slimy while you are out surfing, which can cause you to fall sometimes when you are trying to push yourself up.

Shaving- This method requires you to shave either your inner thighs or your legs completely depending on your preference. Preference or not, having shaved patches on your inner thighs most likely will cause your friends to harass you non-stop and I doubt it will go over well with the ladies. On the other option, shaving your legs completely will most likely cause cross dressers to look twice when you are walking down the street. This method also doesn’t always completely avoid rash. You can still rash with no hair on your inner thighs.

Wear two pairs of shorts- When I heard this idea I didn’t even try it. Wear two pairs of boardshorts? Companies spend tons of money to make boardshorts that weigh less, stretch more and allow the surfer to feel les constricted while surfing. Throwing on an extra pair of boardshorts means you’ll feel nice and bulky while surfing, look like a kook, and have to spend more money. Not a good idea. Wearing biker shorts might be for some people, but just isn’t my cup of tea. I don’t like the feeling of super tight shorts.

No Rash boardshorts- I have tried a couple of these trunks and some work and some don’t. Whether they work or not, they are super expensive at around $70. If you buy the Surf Sleeve you can wear them with any and all the boardshorts you own.

So if you suffer from inner thigh rash, pick up The Surf Sleeve to solve your problems. They only cost $20 and will save you from walking funny all summer long. If you know of any other methods that keep you rash free, let us know.

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