I could write a book about the life I led when these trunks were in their prime. I guess I was too. These were my primary trunks for 9 years - literally they were the only surf trunks I owned! Made from nylon, they were and are bombproof. I didn't go to Hawaii during this period (everybody else did), and the durability was helped by the need for wetsuits in cold water climates, but I wore these in every hot tub, swimming pool, Montana hot spring, Sierra lake, Red Rock swimming hole, the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, Mexico. The exterior faded a bit, and the bottom grew soft from wear, and there are a couple of stains - but that's it.
Eventually I outgrew the waist. Not bad for nine years. I squeezed into them one more time for the tenth year statisitic and retired them. The sad thing is this kind of wear is bad for business for the people who make them. Current society is so fashion driven that clothing is treated with the respect of Kleenex tissues. Sundek was run by a guy named Bill Yerkes, who now creates what are no doubt similar quality goods under the Balsa Bill label in Florida. |
