Just curious if anyone had pros/cons with them (excluding the price) ? ....or chafing?  Made in USA, seem built tough...

back in the 70's they used to give your bellybutton area a royal rubbing when surfing , otherwise they were just fine for walking around in .

The only pro is durability.

I know I'll get shit for this- It's nice they are made in the USA, but if there is a superior product that happens to made somewhere else then I'm going to buy it. 

I know you said to disregard it, but for me chafing is the biggest issue. I guess I have sensitve skin.

Then there are all the small things. zip pocket? which way does it face? is it on the back or the side? Key string? Does the string in the waist have a rubber texture on it so it doesn't come untied? How long are they? Is it stretchy material? How fast does it dry? If a pair of boardshorts has everything I want I don't mind spending some money on them. It's not like I'm buying them very often. 

 

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@surferscomposition
Daily (sort of) video reports in my IG stories

Balsa Bird...., Um, Bills.

If you're interested in Birdwells,

You owe it to yourself to check Bills.

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add a signature since I'm here in profile anyway

Todd Snyder Birdwells

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Dora Hates You

For retro and made in the USA (Florida), Balsa Bill is the real deal.  

Birdwell was bought and brought back to life by an early employee of Facebook, or something like that.  They now have modern order fulfillment, custom ordering, whatever.  They've also updated the sizing to be consistent with most of the rest of the boardshort industry, and they got rid of velcro flies, went back to buttons.  They have a polyester stretch model, about the same price ($79) as their non-stretch nylon shorts.  That's a bit less than the tech-heavy models from Hurley, Quik, Billabong, O'Neill, and Patagonia (also here)  Some good Depactus models are still available from Swell and its Australian counterpart (Surfstitch) and its European version (Surfdome).  Prices fluctuate, like at Macy's.  

I have a pair of stretch Birdwells, a non-stretch, and a couple of older nylon models with velcro flies from a promotion, something like $7 each.  Unlike some other old-style nylon shorts, they don't tend to slide off, so they've stayed in the drawer.

With modern shorts, my high-end gray Patagonia shorts (stretch hydro planing, with bonded construction, simple waistband) are great in the water and dry fast.  A couple of other Patagonias are made of heavier cloth and feel more sturdy.

A pair of bonded stretch Billabong shorts, about 3 years old with a kind of stiff waistband, seem as functional as a recent pair of upscale Hurleys with a fancy waistband.  Admittedly the Hurleys feel like nothing in the water.   

Depactuses for around $15 were a bargain.  Great for working in the yard.  

The best looking item in the drawer is a a pair of navy blue shorts with white horizontal stripes at the bottom and a white pocket flap, from Iron & Resin, a Bruce Brown Films Special Edition made in Caliifornia, polyester that feels like nylon.  They won't wrinkle.  Perfect for parties. 

 

Edited: 05/23/2017 at 11:26 PM by ww

no thanks, sticking with my speedo's

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https://www.instagram.com/dj_kaye_/

rockin my new custom patagonia surf-romper!

You can't "Buy Local" anymore than Balsa Bill's. His surf shop is in Satellite Beach. Check it out. Its a good one.

pro: 'Big Wednesday' look and feel

con: 'Big Wednesday' look and feel

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"Don't count the days, make the days count." -Ali
#rydyrstrong

The Birdwell's combat nylon was the bobmb in the sixties!

Birdwell's are The board Shorts that your great great grand Childen will inherit.  That and a classic Yater Spoon. 

I once wore a birdwells for the entire summer of 1979 as a 10 year old boy. I was not alone. Everyone did.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

Dude .... if your Birdwell's were giving you bellybutton rash, maybe you shouldn't have been wearing them with the waist ban just below your arm pits ..... just say'en



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"Most people would die sooner than think; in fact, they do." - Bertrand Russell


"Morality is doing what is right, regardless of what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, regardless of what is right.


If I do not answer you .... nothing personal, I just have you on ignore.

I purchased a pair on super sale last year. I just had purchased a nose rider, so I thought, why not some retro boardshorts!? They are terrible! Super uncomfortable and cut weird. I'm a 100% sure that I will never wear them. I was super disappointed. ...but they were so cheap, it wasn't worth my time to ship them back. 

Sorry hear all the bad reviews. I lived in my Birdwell's throughout high school and college (the entire 70s). My favorite pair was double-lined and when I wore out the outside layer, I ripped them off and wore the inside layer for another 4-5 years. I surfed, swam, played basketball and softball, and probably even wore them on dates. Like Levi's, they were soft and flexible after the break in period. Best baggies I ever wore.

LBLarry , I was a skinny kid back then and they used to slide up when you surfed. My fat ass would probably hold them down if I gave them another go. They were built tough , I'll give them that.

i had a pair when I was a kid-was a hand me down from cousing in Cali, loved them.

Bought a couple of pairs (long model) and I love them...really gets softer after breaking in.... dries fast-no rash issues-but im hairy and never usually get rashes easily

also bought 4 pairs of original 301's(short0 with velcro-whe they were on sale for $8 6months ago.....

All my stretchy Bill-a Bongs stay in closet now...

And being made in USA is important and the lifetime warrantee is also good....

 

expensive $79 but tall the others are getting as expensive and they will not last

 

Balsa Bills here too. Double thick, no speedo required. No chafing, dry quickly. I get 10 years plus out of them so price is not an issue. Just gotta watch the diet

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Need more water time. Plenty of time left to make $$

Thank you everyone for the feedback (and good humor).  I never gave them much thought until I recently noticed they make in 21" now.   I've had a shorter cut cotton pair from Bill's, & still ride the snot out of his pintail he sold me 15+ yrs ago.  The cotton was a bit too heavy for me compared to all the lightweight stuff now, & I forgot he carried nylon...I'll check in with him before looking at the birds.  I always try my best to support locals first, then look for made in USA.    I'll have to ask  'ol Tommy at 13th St next time I see him, he's had the purple ones as long as I can remember.          -Aloha

Edited: 05/24/2017 at 04:17 PM by GaryK