WS CLIMBING SURF SHORT: For women who want to wear it at the beach, in the mountains, or playing with their kids.

Tomoko Fukutaki, a mother of one who loves mountains, rivers, the sea, snow, and everything in between, and an outdoor writer active in outdoor and winter activity magazines, shared her recommended items for this summer.

Even though I don't surf, I love surf shorts and have several pairs (the reason will be explained later), and with summer just around the corner, I've already been wearing the new 2020 "WS Climbing Surf Short."

At first glance, they look like ordinary surf shorts, but the best feature of this model is that, as the name suggests, they are shorts designed to be suitable for both climbing and surfing.

There are many fashionable items on the market that claim to be "amphibious" and can be used both for surfing and in the city, but it is a little rare to find something that can be used for both the sea and climbing.

Perhaps... I asked the TB staff, and they told me that when they researched what kind of pants their close colleagues, climbers, surfers, and river guides, wanted, they found that the common desires for each activity were "durable," "easy to move in," and "something you can wear long after the activity." In fact, some of my mountain climbing friends say, "They're easy to move in and dry quickly, so surf shorts are the only thing I wear for summer mountain climbing," so there must have been a certain amount of demand beneath the surface for shorts that can be used for both water and mountain activities.

The fact that they're offering a product like this shows that they know what they're doing, and it's impressive. TB is definitely a niche brand that's good at picking up on small voices.

So, which part is climbing?

First, the ingredients.

While other outdoor brands that offer surf shorts often emphasize quick-drying properties after coming out of the water and stretch for easy movement on the water, what sets these shorts apart is that they're made with the highly abrasion-resistant nylon material "Coudura." Cordura is about seven times stronger than regular nylon and is often used in backpacks and shoes, which are prone to rubbing, as well as workwear and military gear that require durability. As the name suggests, these shorts are designed for climbing, and are durable enough to withstand rubbing against rocks.

Moreover, because it is made of stretchy Cordura, it has a slightly tight design for surfing, but it does not restrict movement. In addition, slits on both sides of the hem prevent tightness when lifting your legs, ensuring maximum ROM (range of motion).

Now, back to the story at the beginning, I own several pairs of surf shorts even though I don't surf, but there are two main reasons why I wear surf shorts almost exclusively in the summer.

One reason is that I live on the coast of Kanagawa Prefecture, so one of my favorite summer activities is paddling out to the offshore reefs on a SUP (stand-up paddleboard) and diving around them.

With a quick paddle, you place your SUP on the reef, put on your mask and fins, and swim and dive through the narrow gaps in the rocky shore... Diving gloves rub against the rocks and get torn in no time, so durable gardening gloves that are easy to replace are far more useful in this situation. Therefore, the wear-resistant WS Climbing Surf Short is ideal for SUP and reef use.

Another reason is that I am currently in the middle of raising a young child.

It's a common thing for mothers raising children, but with small children, you're constantly working with water. If they spill food and stain their clothes, you wash them with water, and if they wet themselves, you immediately have to shower. If you let them play outside, not only their shoes and clothes but even the children themselves get covered in mud in no time, and before you know it, mothers chasing them are covered in sweat (tears).

In the end, as a result of living a life constantly in contact with water, I end up only wearing casual and cool surf shorts at home in the summer, which are designed to get wet.If my clothes dry quickly and I can go back to doing housework in them, whether I'm putting my kids in the pool or watering the trees in the garden, there's no reason not to choose them.

What's more, the WS Climbing Surf Shorts use a non-stretch material around the waist to ensure they won't slip off even in rough waves, improving the fit. This means your underwear won't show even when you're bending over to do housework or play with your kids.

Parenting can be a very stressful experience, but this is something we want to protect at all costs. It's important!

By the way, I am 157cm tall and weigh 51kg, which is a size M in TB's sizing.

...However, for this particular product, the M size is a little tight fitting. When I pointed this out to the staff member, he replied, "The waist area is tailored for surfing, so I wear the L for everyday use and the M for surfing." While thinking to myself, "Well, normally you can't buy two of them," I chose the roomy L size. It's comfortable for everyday wear.

The WS Climbing Surf Short is highly recommended for women who enjoy a variety of activities, whether they want to wear it at the beach, in the mountains, or playing with their kids.

Available in four colors. I chose red, which I don't have, but navy blue is also nice, going back to basics...