The Board Short Problem Nobody Talks About (And How We Fixed It)
19/03/26 11:35
The Board Short Problem Nobody Talks About (And How We Fixed It)
You've been there. You paddle for a wave, take off and somewhere between standing up and the bottom turn your boardshorts have made a break for your ankles. Or even worse — you're paddling out behind some guy and you catch a look up as he duck dives an all you see is his hairy butt crack staring at you..
It's the boardshort problem the big brands have somehow ignored for decades. We decided to fix it.
Why Do Boardshorts Fall Down?
Standard boardies basically rely on a drawstring to stay up. That's it. The same technology used since the 1960s. Pull the string, tie a bow, hope for the best.
The problems with this:
Introducing S.H.I.T.: Silicone Hold It Technology
Yes, we named it S.H.I.T. No, we're not sorry.
S.H.I.T. — Silicone Hold It Technology — is a silicone grip strip built into the internal waistband of every pair of Not Sponsored board shorts and Going Out Boardies. It's a simple concept that’s been used in those terrible m.a.m.i.l. (Middle Aged Man In Lycra) bike pants for “performance” cycling gear, we were the first to simply adapted it to work in our surfwear (yes even our bikini range way back in 2012) when we were doing them).
Here's how it works: the silicone strip creates resistance between the shorts waistband and your skin. Not a tight grip — just enough resistance to keep everything in place through paddle-outs, wipeouts, and anything else the ocean throws at you. This mixed with the drawstring gives you that extra security.
No more adjusting your shorts mid-surf. No more plumber's crack. No more awkward beach moments.
What Makes It Different From Just Tightening the Drawstring?
A lot of people ask this. The difference is that S.H.I.T. works with the natural movement of your body rather than against it.
A tight drawstring creates a fixed circumference. When you move — bend your knees, twist, paddle — that fixed point either digs in uncomfortably or the shorts ride down anyway because the movement goes somewhere.
The silicone grip distributes hold across the entire waistband. The shorts can flex and move with you without losing their position. You can squat, duck-dive, do a barrel roll — they stay put.
It also means the shorts sit more comfortably at a looser drawstring tension, which is better for circulation and just feels less like wearing a tourniquet around your waist.
Who Will Love Our Tech The Most-Surfer, Golfer,Gym Enthusiast?
We expected surfers to be the main fans of S.H.I.T. What surprised us was the gym crowd.
Squats. Box jumps. Lunges. These are the death of regular shorts. Our silicone waistband boardshorts have become genuine gym favourites because they handle the full range of motion without budging. Multiple customers have told us they've thrown out every other pair of shorts they own after switching.
Kylie from one of our reviews put it best: her partner will only wear Not Sponsored shorts now and she threw out all his others. High praise and a slightly terrifying level of brand loyalty.
Paired With Recycled Fabric That Actually Performs
The S.H.I.T. waistband is one part of the story. The other is the fabric.
Our boardshorts are made from recycled plastic bottles — Roughly about 13 per pair — spun into performance fabric that quick-dries faster than a lot of traditional boardshort materials. The combination means you get shorts that stay up, dry fast, and are made from recycled materials that would otherwise end up in landfill.
We figure we need to repurpose as many bottles as possible and every bit of recycling helps minimise the “virgin plastic” being produced. Yes we know it’s not “solving” the problem, but at least it’s repurposing the stuff that’s already been made - That means less new bottles being made and less potential waste. At least it’s helping until some people much smarter than us can come up with a better solution.
Form, function, and a conscience. It's not that complicated — it just took someone to actually do it.
Try Them Risk-Free
We're so confident in how these shorts fit and perform that we'll let the product speak for itself. Read the reviews, pick your size, and try them.
If you've ever had a boardshort let you down at the wrong moment, these are for you.
Free shipping on Australian orders over $120. Check them out in the shop at notsponsored.com.au.
notsponsored.com.au | @notsponsoredsurf | Sunshine Coast, QLD 🏄
You've been there. You paddle for a wave, take off and somewhere between standing up and the bottom turn your boardshorts have made a break for your ankles. Or even worse — you're paddling out behind some guy and you catch a look up as he duck dives an all you see is his hairy butt crack staring at you..
It's the boardshort problem the big brands have somehow ignored for decades. We decided to fix it.
Why Do Boardshorts Fall Down?
Standard boardies basically rely on a drawstring to stay up. That's it. The same technology used since the 1960s. Pull the string, tie a bow, hope for the best.
The problems with this:
- Drawstrings loosen in the water as they get wet and the fabric stretches
- They rely on you tying them tight enough — which cuts off circulation if you actually do it right
- They don't account for the fact that surfing involves constant movement, water resistance, and wipeouts
- If you're a bit like the rest of us and your waist is a different size depending on the day, drawstrings either cut in or fail entirely
Introducing S.H.I.T.: Silicone Hold It Technology
Yes, we named it S.H.I.T. No, we're not sorry.
S.H.I.T. — Silicone Hold It Technology — is a silicone grip strip built into the internal waistband of every pair of Not Sponsored board shorts and Going Out Boardies. It's a simple concept that’s been used in those terrible m.a.m.i.l. (Middle Aged Man In Lycra) bike pants for “performance” cycling gear, we were the first to simply adapted it to work in our surfwear (yes even our bikini range way back in 2012) when we were doing them).
Here's how it works: the silicone strip creates resistance between the shorts waistband and your skin. Not a tight grip — just enough resistance to keep everything in place through paddle-outs, wipeouts, and anything else the ocean throws at you. This mixed with the drawstring gives you that extra security.
No more adjusting your shorts mid-surf. No more plumber's crack. No more awkward beach moments.
What Makes It Different From Just Tightening the Drawstring?
A lot of people ask this. The difference is that S.H.I.T. works with the natural movement of your body rather than against it.
A tight drawstring creates a fixed circumference. When you move — bend your knees, twist, paddle — that fixed point either digs in uncomfortably or the shorts ride down anyway because the movement goes somewhere.
The silicone grip distributes hold across the entire waistband. The shorts can flex and move with you without losing their position. You can squat, duck-dive, do a barrel roll — they stay put.
It also means the shorts sit more comfortably at a looser drawstring tension, which is better for circulation and just feels less like wearing a tourniquet around your waist.
Who Will Love Our Tech The Most-Surfer, Golfer,Gym Enthusiast?
We expected surfers to be the main fans of S.H.I.T. What surprised us was the gym crowd.
Squats. Box jumps. Lunges. These are the death of regular shorts. Our silicone waistband boardshorts have become genuine gym favourites because they handle the full range of motion without budging. Multiple customers have told us they've thrown out every other pair of shorts they own after switching.
Kylie from one of our reviews put it best: her partner will only wear Not Sponsored shorts now and she threw out all his others. High praise and a slightly terrifying level of brand loyalty.
Paired With Recycled Fabric That Actually Performs
The S.H.I.T. waistband is one part of the story. The other is the fabric.
Our boardshorts are made from recycled plastic bottles — Roughly about 13 per pair — spun into performance fabric that quick-dries faster than a lot of traditional boardshort materials. The combination means you get shorts that stay up, dry fast, and are made from recycled materials that would otherwise end up in landfill.
We figure we need to repurpose as many bottles as possible and every bit of recycling helps minimise the “virgin plastic” being produced. Yes we know it’s not “solving” the problem, but at least it’s repurposing the stuff that’s already been made - That means less new bottles being made and less potential waste. At least it’s helping until some people much smarter than us can come up with a better solution.
Form, function, and a conscience. It's not that complicated — it just took someone to actually do it.
Try Them Risk-Free
We're so confident in how these shorts fit and perform that we'll let the product speak for itself. Read the reviews, pick your size, and try them.
If you've ever had a boardshort let you down at the wrong moment, these are for you.
Free shipping on Australian orders over $120. Check them out in the shop at notsponsored.com.au.
notsponsored.com.au | @notsponsoredsurf | Sunshine Coast, QLD 🏄
