I am going to try an experiment and would be curious to hear your experiences as well. According to the mileage in my FLOG, my first Speedo Endurance (50% poly/50% PBT) suit lasted for 297 miles (mostly in saline pools), before the stitching gave way and I had to retire the suit. My second Speedo Endurance suit has lasted for 242 miles (also mostly in saline pools), however, the stitching has started to come out in the neckline. Remembering what happened to my previous suit after getting out of the pool on a cruise ship ( :mooning: :blush: ), I have ordered another suit to have ready for when my Speedo falls apart. (I will be watching the stitching in the bottom carefully, as to avoid a repeat of the unintended mooning I gave the other cruise ship passengers...)
This time, I have ordered the "Blue Streak" (second one down):
www.swimdownhill.com/id54.html
After hearing so many great things about George Park and his Yingfa suits, I thought I would give one a try. Not only was the price right ($28); it included shipping! And, George replied to my e-mails immediately, when I had questions about sizing. He even offered to send me two suits with a return envelope, so I could return the one that didn't fit. George's customer service can't be beat!
I will keep track of my mileage on this suit and report back when it takes a dump. (Stretching out doesn't count; I only retire a suit when it gets to this point: :afraid:)
Meanwhile, has anybody else out there kept track of the durability of their suits? I would be curious to know how long your suits have lasted (mileage, if known, to compare fairly). How do the various brands compare?
The Speedo Endurance suits will last as long as the stitching holds. The material itself is very durable, but like most things, it's the seams that start to give way.
I rotate 4 suits, and they are still going strong. I lost one before it wore out, so these suits seem to have an indefinate life.
This is what I found with mine. The fabric is still like new in my first suit, however, the stitching gave way everywhere at once! :afraid:
I have a Speedo endurance poly suit that I bought the summer of '08. Still going strong. My TYR durafast poly suit was purchased in spring of '09. It is starting to show some wear, and I haven't worn it as much as the speedo one. My dolfin ugly poly suit only lasted one season!
I have a Speedo endurance poly suit that I bought the summer of '08. Still going strong. My TYR durafast poly suit was purchased in spring of '09. It is starting to show some wear, and I haven't worn it as much as the speedo one. My dolfin ugly poly suit only lasted one season!
Thanks for your input on this, as I was also looking at TYR suits and was curious how they compared to Speedo Endurance suits.
Thanks for your input on this, as I was also looking at TYR suits and was curious how they compared to Speedo Endurance suits.
The main problem is that the stitching is coming undone (I seem to have this problem with ALL of my TYR suits that I have ever worn) and there are patches of the suit that have deteriorated. Luckily there is still lining in place! It still fits well, not stretched out, but just not as durable as the Speedo ones. I would say that you get what you pay for, but I think that they are about the same in price, maybe the TYR is a bit less.
How many of you race in these polyester suits. Do you set best times in them?
Although I raced in my polyester Speedo Endurance in my first USMS meets as a newbie, I bought a Speedo Endurance lycra suit to use just for competitions. Now that I have purchased one of your Yingfa suit, I will probably use it at Auburn Nationals, if it fits well and is as comfortable as my Speedo. As for posting best times, I have never raced in a tech suit or any type of kneeskin, so I can't make that comparison. But, I haven't had a PB since last September... :afraid:
I love the Speedo endurance & Nike endurance the most - but I have no problems fixing torn stitching! What retires my suits is when the strap elastic becomes brittle & nasty - usually after about 18-24 months. The TYR suits do NOT hold up as long for me.
I am not sure the distance I have swam with my endurance suits but i love them. They have lasted me 3 to 4 times longer than regular suits. I recently bought a endurance flipturn suit i have no experience with them. The material does not seem as sturdy but we will see how it lasts.
How many of you race in these polyester suits. Do you set best times in them?
When I first got back into competing, I raced in the poly suits for regular meets. When I got to a taper meet, I would switch to the faster suit. I have set best times in both suits.
The Speedo Endurance suits will last as long as the stitching holds. The material itself is very durable, but like most things, it's the seams that start to give way.
I rotate 4 suits, and they are still going strong. I lost one before it wore out, so these suits seem to have an indefinate life.
