Are Quiksilver boardshorts worth it?+
For surf and beach use they generally earn their place. As one of the world's largest brands of surfwear, Quiksilver has decades of boardshort design behind it, and the range spans everyday swim shorts up to performance-focused styles. If you actually get in the water, the quick-drying, hard-wearing build tends to outlast cheaper trunks, so the value holds for the right buyer.
How does Quiksilver compare to Billabong?+
They are close rivals and, fittingly, now corporate siblings. Both have strong reputations, with Quiksilver leaning toward a broader surf-snow-skate crossover while Billabong stays closest to pure surf culture. Notably, both brands are owned by Boardriders, which Quiksilver's parent company became in 2017 and which itself acquired Billabong in 2018, so the choice is more about style than quality tier.
Is Quiksilver still a good quality brand?+
It remains a major name in boardsport apparel and equipment, with a deep catalogue of swimwear, clothing, footwear and accessories. Quiksilver also produces the women's lines Roxy and Quiksilver Women, so it covers a wide audience. Quality is well regarded for its core surf pieces, though as with any large apparel brand it pays to match the specific product line to your actual use.
Which Quiksilver product should I buy first?+
Boardshorts are the natural starting point, since they are the brand's heritage product and the most universally useful in its catalogue. From there, Quiksilver's range extends to T-shirts, hoodies, jackets, footwear and accessories like hats and backpacks. Begin with a pair of boardshorts that fit your beach or surf habits, then build out the rest of the wardrobe.
Where is Quiksilver from, and where is it based now?+
Quiksilver was founded in 1969 in Torquay, Victoria, Australia, deep in surf country, but it is now based in Huntington Beach, California. That Australian-born, California-grown arc is core to its surf identity. It grew from those roots into one of the world's largest surfwear and boardsport brands.
When was Quiksilver founded and who co-founded it?+
The brand dates to 1969 in Torquay, Victoria. Bob McKnight is one of its co-founders, and he served as CEO before stepping down on 11 January 2013, later acting as executive chairman until retiring in October 2014. The company's surf-inspired DNA traces directly back to those founding years.
Who owns Quiksilver now?+
Quiksilver's parent changed its name from Quiksilver, Inc. to Boardriders, Inc. in March 2017, the owner of Quiksilver, Roxy and DC Shoes. Boardriders then acquired Billabong International in 2018, and in 2023 Authentic Brands Group bought Boardriders and its brands and intellectual property. So Quiksilver today sits within the Authentic Brands portfolio.
What other brands are part of the same group as Quiksilver?+
Quite a lineup. Under Boardriders, Quiksilver shares ownership with Roxy and DC Shoes, and after the 2018 Billabong acquisition the family also includes Billabong, Element, Von Zipper, RVCA and XCEL. That makes it part of one of the most concentrated stables in boardsport apparel.
Does Quiksilver make clothing for women too?+
Yes. Alongside its core range, Quiksilver produces a line of apparel for young women under the Roxy brand, plus another women's line sold as Quiksilver Women. So the surf aesthetic carries across genders rather than being menswear-only. Roxy in particular is a well-known name in its own right within the group.
Has Quiksilver been through financial trouble?+
It has weathered serious turbulence. The company suffered a multi-year financial slump and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2015, before emerging in early 2016 as a privately held company. More recently, on 2 February 2025, Liberated Brands, which ran Quiksilver and Roxy retail stores in the US, filed for Chapter 11. The brand itself has continued through these corporate shifts.
When is the best time to buy surfwear like Quiksilver?+
Shoulder seasons tend to be kindest, as warm-weather surf gear often eases as summer winds down and new ranges arrive. A reliable evergreen move is to buy the boardshorts or swimwear you need just after peak beach season. Still, fit and the right fabric for your activity should drive the decision, with timing as the bonus.
