Quiksilver uses compression and taping in shorts
Surf lifestyle brand Quiksilver has examined performance wear of other sports, including football and swimming, and come up with a form-fitting compression garment specially designed for the athletic demands of surfing.
Named the “Reactor Boardshort,” it has the loose and free appearance of a boardshort with a hidden supportive layer underneath, Quiksilver claims.
Surfing demands quick movements that originate from the core part of the body, so the Quiksilver shorts were designed to support the muscle groups that are the most extended. Compression taping has been strategically placed to follow the muscular contours in the upper leg and lower back areas, which support the muscles back into their natural positions after being stretched for a fast trick.
Quiksilver’s Australian design team consulted with Australian physiotherapist Malcolm Brown and his method of taping to support the muscles.
“Malcolm has worked with many of Australia’s top athletes with their recovery from major injuries,” said Luke Watson, marketing director for Quiksilver. “He has been using the same taping method we have, in the short, for several years.”
In 2003 Quiksilver launched the “Superbank” boardshort, which also incorporated an internal compression component. The “Reactor Boardshort” is the first time that the patent-pending Xplosive Technology compression and taping features have been used together.
Like all of Quiksilver’s athletic garments, the “Reactor” shorts are being tried and tested by the company’s team riders.
