Kelly Slater's Outerknown vs. Florence: A Surf Gear Review of Boardshorts, Rashguards, and NetPlus

Lately, he's been out of the competitive spotlight and leaning into fatherhood without the pressures of the world tour. Even so, his impact still ripples through his various ventures. Whether turning heads during free surfs on the North Shore, gallivanting golf trips to New Zealand, or a dropping new signature collection from Outerknown, the GOAT is very much still cooking.

Taken together, it's all certainly more low-key than anything bearing a little red flag (not hating here), and honestly, that's part of the appeal. Florence is an incredible brand, albeit a very recognizable one. Some people love that. While Outerknown isn't as easy to recognize, the build quality is impossible to ignore.

When it comes to quality, both Outerknown and Florence represent the top tier of surf brands and don't cut corners when it comes to the environment. The difference mostly comes in styles and materials — OK has more natural fibers throughout their product line and unique NetPlus boardshorts — and slightly in price. OK nails it on casual style. Florence locks in on the technical side.

I've tested items from both lines and find myself gravitating closer to Outerknown in recent years. Aside from living in their field pants and sweats, their surf gear is in regular rotation whenever the water is warm. Their Apex Evolution boardshorts cost about $50 more than Florence's Airtex 2-in-1 boardshort, but I think they would outlast them in the long run. The NetPlus material — made from recycled fishing nets (aka ghost nets) that are pulled from the ocean — is the real differentiator. Some people may not care so much about that. I do. Kelly does. (Florence uses NetPlus in certain products, so yeah, John John does, too.)

The 19" Apex shorts are a bit longer on the leg, just above the knee. Florence Airtex shorts are 18.5". Which I find helpful for keeping the backs of my thighs protected from scorching tropical sun. I haven't tried the Florence leggings yet, but I would if it meant surfing sunburn-free for days on end in Fiji. Outerknown also has a lighter pair, known as the All Time Scallop Trunks, which are super lightweight and easy enough to wear, well, all the time. Those come in at the same price as the Cordura Airtex from Florence. Both are amazing, main difference would be aesthetic.

As for the hooded rashguard, OK is a little late to enter the proverbial chat, but they didn't hold back. On first feel, the fabric felt smoother to the touch than the Florence unit. It's about $40 more. Is it worth it? Depends how much you care about that sort of thing and, ultimately, how you feel about being yet another red flag in the lineup. The OK one is more discreet and just as solid where it counts.

Other goods include pieces you can golf in, which, to me, is a bit of a yawn. But I'm not a golfer. If I were, I'd be into it. Compared to what else is out there, I reckon OK is your best bet to not look like a kook on the links. In my opinion, fashion has never been a strong suit of those with good handicaps. The same goes for cyclists. I think both brands know better than to try and tackle the dumpster-fire of spandex that constitutes for cycling attire. I wonder if anyone told them they could ride just as well in shorts and a tee shirt (sigh). Enough about men in tights, see below for a reminder of how radical things get when it's GOAT vs. Florence, for real.

So, can you dig what the GOAT is cooking? Honestly, my closet doesn't need much these days. But if I'm going to buy a pair of premium boardshorts, I'd rather it be one that pulled abandoned fishing nets out of the ocean to get made — and one I'll still be wearing five years from now. That Kelly's putting his name on work like this, quietly and sustainably, two decades after he stopped needing to, is the kind of thing that keeps raising the bar.