Between hiking to desert waterfalls, navigating city labyrinths and putting in plenty of time in the waves, our gear testers had ample time to put this gear to the test in Morocco. If you’re looking for some new board shorts or the right sunblock to beat back the desert sun, you’re in the right place.
Stio Men’s CFS Board Short 16” A Jackson Hole brand that makes board shorts? Yup. Stio’s splashing in the game with the 16” Men’s CFS Board Shorts, a short, river-ready rendition of retro trunks from years past. Our testers rocked these Board Shorts around town, on casual cruiser rides, to outdoor yoga classes as well as on daily surf missions.
Tester Comment: “On the short-short side of the boardie spectrum, I loved wearing the CFS in Morocco. They’re ultra-comfortable, and when I wasn’t surfing or even in the water, I’d often wear them around town. The zip pocket is a great feature for international travelers.”
Best For: Warm-water surfing, cliff-jumping, casual travel
Mountain Hardwear Men’s Right Bank Short Starting at: $62.03 These may be the best all-around adventure shorts we’ve ever worn. The Right Bank from Mountain Hardwear is lightweight, dries quickly after a dip, and is incredibly comfortable. From long plane rides to multi-day minimalist backpacking trips, the Right Bank has been the right pair for our testers thanks to the shorts’ unparalleled versatility.
Tester Comment: “If you’re looking for one pair of shorts to tackle multiple scenarios, this is it. While I didn’t surf in these shorts, I did everything but. Hike, camp, fish, swim, bike, you name it. Awesome, soft fabric feel that has yet to fray, despite endless use in unforgiving locales.”
Best For: Hiking, adventure travel
Smartwool Men's NTS Micro 150 Pattern Boxer Brief Starting at: $47.71 If you’ve never worn Smartwool boxers, $50 may seem expensive for a pair of undies. But the truth is, these boxers will save you space in your bag in the short-term and money in the long-term, as you won’t need to bring or buy as many pairs of subpar briefs. Smartwool’s lightweight, 100% Merino wool Micro 150 pattern doesn’t irritate the skin or collect stink, and it dries quickly, whether you decide to go for an impromptu swim or you end up washing them in the hostel sink.
Tester Comment: “Bringing a pair of Smartwool briefs along on an international trip is among the best advice I can give to any traveler.”
Best For: International travel, moderate-output activities, hand-washing on-the-go
Beyond Coastal Sunscreen Stick Whether or not you’re surfing in Morocco, traveling with a sunscreen stick on hand is a high-IQ move. Beyond Coastal’s easy-application stick kept us from getting obliterated by the subtropical sun. When surfing, we used the 30-SPF sun-stick, which seemed to last longer than the 40-minute reapplication suggestion.
Tester Comment: “Sunscreen is a must in Morocco. Beyond Coastal kept us protected every time we were in the water, and we minimized burns as needed. Simple as that.”