It’s finally summertime, and while it’s sometimes hard to beat the heat, its always fun to make your own. Why spend a long, hot summer day sweating up a storm alone, when you could be doing it with someone else?

Although a few souls usually brave cooler weather, summer is primetime for park cruising. So Capital Xtra took some models to Strathcona Park to scope out the nooks and crannies where chance encounters happen. While you may not be as well dressed as our boys — who are sporting the latest summer wear from Trustfund, Schad and Neon, and underwear from Priape — you can have as much fun as them in Ottawa’s greenspaces.

(be sure to check out what happened behind-the-scenes!)

SMOOTH CRUISING. Will catches some sun while Dan catches his eye.

ON WILL. White dress shirt by Penguin ($88 at Trustfund); skinny jeans by Naked + Famous ($149 at Schad); sunglasses: his own. ON DAN. Waistcoat by Tiger ($169 at Trustfund); laguna swimsuit by Priape ($45 at priape.com); jeans: his own.

TAKING IT OFF. Under the hot sun, the boys to strip down to their underwear.

ON FRANCKO. Hair by Angelo Russo (Lucas Nault Hair Studio); body paint by Matthew Hennebury (wellfedartist.ca.)

ALONE AT LAST. Francko and Paul sneak off to a quiet, woody area for some one-on-one time.

ON FRANCKO. Sunglasses by Marc Jacobs ($109 at Trustfund); yellow graphic tee by Brown Sound ($35 at Neon); board shorts by O’Neill ($55 at Neon); pipeline brief by Priape ($20 at priape.com.) ON PAUL. Graphic tee by Heavy Rotation ($49 at Trustfund); corduroy shorts by O’Neill ($55 at Neon.)

FOREPLAY. Brent hopes to get Ryan between more than just the railings.

ON BRENT. Striped shorts by Energie ($269 at Schad); white tee by Energie ($89 at Schad.) ON RYAN. White and blue striped tank by Diesel ($59 at Schad); white short by Energie ($139 at Schad); Scott slip two-tone brief by Priape ($22 at priape.com.)

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BEHIND-THE-SCENES

PUTTING IT ON TO TAKE OFF. Will grudgingly picks out his clothes for the shoot, but he’d rather just strip down to his underwear already.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS. The models scope out what there is to wear before the shoot.

TAKING A BREATHER. In between photos, the models chat and hang out — Francko kept modelling, though.

DON’T BE SHY, GUYS. (above left) Brent and Ryan can’t be wallflowers if they want to try their hand (or hands) at cruising!

WORST. CHANGEROOM. EVER. (above right) A blanket seemed like the most practical thing in the middle of a park. Some of the models decided to change in the bushes, instead.

WADING IT OUT. Francko, Ryan and Paul brave the cold water for Capital Xtra in front of a bunch of curious onlookers.

Photos by Paul Galipeau, styling and text by MJ Deschamps.