So, in the time I've been a member of this forum I have never seen a debate about this, though I feel it could have be rehashed a thousand times.
For practice and regular meets, what are your suit preferences?
For practice: I usually do a brief with a drag suit. If I'm out of shape or my quads are hurting, I'll use a jammer for the extra compression.
For regular meets: I usually do whatever the team suit is, which has varied over the years. I prefer the brief because of more flexibility.
In big competitions*:, I would use a leg skin and if I had the need to buy one today, I'd probably go with a tech jammer.
*Regionals, States, Nationals, etc
For practice I use primarily speedo endurance products. Regular meets I go for the speedo xtra-life or aqua blade.
I used to get a lot of crap for wearing a brief, but now I feel like they're making a comeback. I like to think I converted some people on my high school team. Actually, the only person who really gives me crap anymore are my friends who don't swim and my girlfriend (who does swim). She says the ugliest part of a guy is the upper outside thigh the brief doesn't cover.
Former Member
Geez, the forum has another Dolphin 2. I can completely understand someone new to swimming being nervous about wearing the classic speedo around strangers. So, I don't assume to know someone' s true interest in swimming because of suit choice.
"Geez, the forum has another Dolphin 2".
As Maynard G. Krebbs (the beatnik character in the Dobbie Gillis sitcom) used to say “You rang???”
As to the original comment from Mini Shark, I believe he/she logically concludes that if a kid’s embarrassment about wearing a classic speedo suit is a deterrent to taking up swimming, he’s more concerned about the appearance of his suit than swimming.
The reasoning is quite clear and as the old saying goes "It ain’t rocket science". :agree:
D2
Times are different today than when most of us were kids growing-up in the sport.
Wook, didn't you go to American University? They don't seem to have a problem with briefs!
The reasoning is quite clear and as the old saying goes "It ain’t rocket science".
It sure isn't, most rocket scientists I know are smart enough not to expect (pre-)adolescent boys to be indifferent to their appearance, or blame them for it if they are.
Nowadays I imagine USA-S might be pretty suspicious of an adult who insists that all boys always wear briefs. Simple enough: jammers or briefs, it's the kid's choice and I'm glad they have one.
Former Member
Someone asked where the name “Jammer” (for long tight shorts) came from.
Here’s my experience. Just because they were on sale (not due to preference), I bought a package of jammer style underwear and after wearing them for a while, they should really be called “Jerries” –an acronym for Jock Rash Irritators.
BTW below is a 1965 photo of the Hollywood High School swim team (I was actually on it from 1968 through 1971) and those suits were the standard up until the late 80s.
www.e-yearbook.com/.../Page_58.html
In addition to brief type swim suits, short shorts (about 1/3 down to the knee) were part of the standard gym uniform and none of us had any problem with the “self-consciousness” issue. Why after 60 years of acceptance did the short look become a such a taboo?
Former Member
3Rd post up from here:
Nowadays I imagine USA-S might be pretty suspicious of an adult who insists that all boys always wear briefs. Simple enough: jammers or briefs, it's the kid's choice and I'm glad they have one.
Hey Chris, adults messing around with minors doesn’t involve just swim coaches:
www.sfgate.com/.../article.cgi
Swimwear style seems to be very consistent with underwear, even the recent high waist. It is also acceptable to swim in underwear equivalent, even if your out of style.
Hey Chris, adults messing around with minors doesn’t involve just swim coaches:
www.sfgate.com/.../article.cgi
Not seeing the relevance.
Along with Neill Williams and Tom Patterson. This discussion had turned to age groupers deciding between briefs and jammers, not college swim teams.
Just a joke, I thought it was a funny video (and even on topic, except for the whole age-grouper thing).
Swimwear style seems to be very consistent with underwear, even the recent high waist. It is also acceptable to swim in underwear equivalent, even if your out of style.
Except long underwear hasn't been banned yet. :)
You've seen high waisted underwear for men? Have to say that's a new one to me.
