Wellen Performance-Lined Swim Trunks, Reviewed by a Swim Trunk Skeptic

It never goes well for me. I order trunks, and they’re either too baggy, too bulky, or too bunchy. Admittedly, I have been called “overly particular” by family and friends—a nice way of saying I have high standards, surely. So when the Wellen Performance Lined Swim Trunks arrived from Huckberry, I tried not to get my hopes up. Their hype preceded their delivery date.  

Would they live up to their reviews? To my expectations?   

Would they be the trunks to end all my swimwear complaints?  

A bit of an aside, but relevant information, before answering. My wife and I moved into a new place a year ago. It’s across the street from a major body of water. This is the first time in my life I’ve lived near such a gift. Until now, I could handle hating my swimwear a few weeks out of the year on vacations, the odd pool party, and such. But over the past year, my hunt for the right swim shorts has slingshotted to the top of my closet priorities.  

I’m happy to report that the search is over.  

The Wellens felt different immediately. In my hands, before I stripped down and tried them on, they felt both more comfortable and more durable than any previous trunk I’ve handled. Explain that. They feel like your go-to performance workout shorts, just with a little more slickness to them.

Then, I slid them on. And—how can I put this delicately?—the built-in boxer brief is like a couple of clouds ever so gently cupping your stuff with just the right amount of support. Delicate enough? I’ve been bopping around town in them, have worked out in them, gotten wet in them, and have even tested them under the most groin-grueling circumstances of all—sitting at my desk writing all day—and something about the performance mesh of this liner just keeps things situated down there. Plus, they don’t bunch up and create weird shapes you feel the need to swat down in public. Bonus points for that.  

Let’s talk strings attached. This is a small detail, but I admitted my guilt to being particular at the top, so please allow me to be me. The drawstrings around the waist are capped with solid ends. Not that crispy plastic nonsense that frays out after two washes.  

Next, the shape. My favorite part about them.  

When I evaluate the look of any outfit, the first thing I see is shape. And with other trunks, all it takes is phone, keys, wallet to turn them into blocky, bulky, thigh-extending nightmares. But not the Wellens. The pockets fit deep, not wide.  

Plus, the liner has a built-in phone pouch. And the right hip pocket has a mesh pouch perfect for AirPods. The back pocket snaps shut and has a cable for keys. These features not only keep your silhouette in slim form, they also make these trunks the perfect everyday shorts, too. Double whammy. They effortlessly go from water activities to workouts to sunny-afternoon-errand-hopping. I speak from experience.  

Sidenote: I opted for the 5-inch inseam, the “gentleman’s length,” as one of my editors calls it. But they also come in a 7-inch.  

Finally, the color. I ordered the Sonic Blue Wave pattern. Because I liked the design. It’s as subjective as that. But after putting them to the test, confirming they are indeed the shorts/swimwear to end all my complaints, I’ll be ordering the solid Black and solid Kettlebell Yellow versions as well. Because they’re 2 for $125 right now. And because these will be the last shorts/swim trunks I buy for a while.  

I assure you, once you have these, whenever you need shorts, you’ll reach for your Wellens.