Silence. Chad removed his sunglasses. He looked at me. He looked at the jet grate. He looked back at me. For three agonizing seconds, I watched the calculation happen behind his eyes. Then, the corners of his mouth twitched.
: If your trunks were "sucked" into a pool or spa floor drain, turn off the pump immediately . Do not try to backwash them out, as this can pull them further in. You may need a pool professional to blow them back out using pressure or specialized tools.
: Competitive swimmers often wear suits one size smaller than their street clothes to ensure they remain snug once they hit the water.
If you've ever emerged from a pool or water slide only to realize your swim trunks are nowhere to be found, you’ve experienced a rite of passage in the world of aquatic mishaps. Whether it's a high-speed dive or a powerful pool drain, water has a way of turning loose clothing into a distant memory. Immediate Damage Control: What to Do My Swimming Trunks Have Been Sucked Off
But here is the truth. In ten years, you won’t remember the perfect cannonball or the good burgers. You will remember this. You will laugh until you cry. You will tell this story at dinner parties. You will become a legend.
You cannot simply dive down and yank. If the suction is strong enough to strip you, it might be strong enough to hold the fabric tight. Panic-yanking can rip the shorts or, worse, create a seal that increases suction.
You are not alone in your aquatic exposure. Community stories range from the hilarious to the "I wish I could disappear": The "One-Toe" Save Silence
So, what can you do if your swimming trunks have been sucked off? Here are a few tips:
If you're swimming in an area with strong currents or waves, it's possible for your swim trunks to get caught in the flow of water and be pulled off your body. This is especially true if you're wearing a loose-fitting pair of trunks or if the material is prone to getting caught in the current.
When they finally opened the filter basket, there they were: my seafoam green swim trunks, wrapped around a dead leaf and a hair scrunchie, looking like a sad, wet flag of surrender. He looked at the jet grate
: Most "accidental removals" occur because the drawstring was not sufficiently tightened. Trunks relying solely on elastic are more susceptible to being "sucked off" by water resistance.
The king of castration. These slides have such a steep pitch that you briefly achieve zero gravity. Your trunks stay at the top of the slide while your body descends. By the time you hit the runoff, you are essentially performing a "reverse striptease" for the lifeguard.