O'Neill is one of the original creators the wetsuit, starting back in 1952 in Santa Cruz, CA. They have passed that knowledge into their boardshorts. O'neill's shorts get better each year and they have a solid track record to draw upon when developing new products. Their signature Hyperfreak shorts are among the favorite for many surfers.
O'NEILL HYPERFREAK XT2
They're here!!! I have been waiting to my hands on a pair of these since my boy P-Dog told me about them during the winter. I present to you, O'neill's creme de la creme of boardshorts! The O'Neill Hyperfreak XT2. The Hyperfreak line is my favorite line of boardshorts because they are one of the few boardshorts that have no inseam. So after sitting on my board for hours in the water I know I won't have any chaffing or rash from my shorts. But these are a step above the rest. They are so light and stretchy I may sleep in them. Like previous freaks these have no inseam, they are light, and dry unbelievably fast. The XT2 fabric (made with pure silver according to O'neill) resists odors and bacteria. And if your one of those guys who leaves his wet shorts in his car trunk all day and forgets to air them out, then these are your shorts. Some details i noticed right away were the welded drawstring eyelets (no more hard metal on the waist), and the drawstring tabs are reinforced by Kevlar. Now I don't know why you need bulletproof shorts, but I guess these things are super durable. The only downer is that they are expensive, retail is $99. But that's why I'm here, to let you know if these bad boys are worth it. If you're hardcore (or just dirty) and only wear 1 pair of shorts all weekend, then yes, they are worth it.
Pros: Best pair of freaks yet, no inseam, amazing stretch factor, carbon fiber-like graphics, resist odor
Cons: Tend to wear faster than other shorts because if the thinner fast drying fabric, expensive (look for online sales and you can usually pick up a pair for 15-20% off)
Pros: Best pair of freaks yet, no inseam, amazing stretch factor, carbon fiber-like graphics, resist odor
Cons: Tend to wear faster than other shorts because if the thinner fast drying fabric, expensive (look for online sales and you can usually pick up a pair for 15-20% off)
O'NEILL HYPERFREAK 2.0
The Hyperfreak 2.0 boardshorts are supposed to stretch even more, and dry faster than regular Hyperfreaks, but I found differences to be very small. The taped seams on the 2010 version (shown at left) are lined with a thin neoprene layer. The 2011/12 Hyperfreak 2.0's do away with the neoprene taping for even fewer seams. There are very few differences between the 2010 and 2011/12 versions, except graphics and number of seams. I still wear the 2010 version shown here, and they can still be found at a nice discount on some online retailers.
Pros: No inner seam, dry super fast, neoprene reinforced seams (2010 version only), unqiue graphics
Cons: Expensive, retail is around $85, taller guys may find them a little too short
Pros: No inner seam, dry super fast, neoprene reinforced seams (2010 version only), unqiue graphics
Cons: Expensive, retail is around $85, taller guys may find them a little too short
O'NEILL HYPERFREAK
These are my go to shorts on any given day of surfing. I love these shorts. The Hyperfreak stretch fabric is light, smooth, and comfortable. Like all Hyperfreaks, these have no inseam, making them super comfortable without having to worry about any rashes or chaffing. The cut of the Hyperfreaks have remained the same for the past few years but the graphics change year to year. Last year was the year of the box graphic, 2012 seems to be the year of the cross hatch pattern. I like the bright red color because they're unique and stand out in a crowd. But there are other gray, blue, green patterns to choose from. These are a little cheaper than the Hyperfreak 2.0's, these retail for $69.
Pros: No inseam, dry fast, super stretchy, many color choices
Cons: None really, taller guys may find them a little too short, popular sizes and colors will sell out fast
Pros: No inseam, dry fast, super stretchy, many color choices
Cons: None really, taller guys may find them a little too short, popular sizes and colors will sell out fast