303: Surfnyl, Navy Blue, 34"
Birdwell Beach Britches fascinates me. The company has a great story, they make great products, have a cool logo, they have a super old school web site (which worked fine for me), and I won't buy any beach shorts from anywhere else.
I've got three pairs, and when I lose weight I'll probably get another two more pairs hopefully at size 32". What makes them great shorts: they're fitted and comfortable, the Surfnyl material dries fast (like 5 minutes tops), they're lined, and they feel and look well made (in terms of the stitching and materials used).
What I've been finding is that there are many small companies like Birdwell Beach Britches that makes great products, at a high quality, at a great price, and with personality. Getting emails back from the owners is normal and a web site only matters in that it's up and running and more/less functional. Berkshire Hathaway's web site is a perfect example.
The other piece that interests me is the notion of maximizer and satisficer. I'm a maximizer (unfortunately): I want the best of things, the best value, the best price, and products that last. It's borderline obsessive/compulsive but really I'm just super cheap. A satisficer (who's generally happier, less stressed, less compulsive) could go to Target or Walmart or anywhere and get a pair of swim trunks.
I had to go online, mostly because swim trunks at stores always have dumb prints on them and I wanted something basic. I could have only found these shorts being a maximizer and being one is probably a good thing when buying a house, car, or other big ticket items.