I am going to buy my 12 year old daughter a high performance swimsuit for christmas. Price is not an issue. Any recommendations on what is the best suit out there right now?
As a female, I'm not sure what the guys are talking about when they say "speedo endurance" as a "tech" suit ... I wear a speed endurance tank to train in, but would never wear that to a champs meet (or any meet, that's just me).
I have tried almost every tech suit on the market. I dislike the B70 nero TX kneeskin because it is cut very narrowly across the chest. This dislike is shared by most other females I know, even those of us that are quite flat chested. IMO the popularity of the full body B70 tech suit has not transferred to its kneeskin.
I like the Arena Carbon Pro and the Arena X-Glide kneeskins. You may have trouble finding the Carbon Pro right now; it seems sold out on most on line stores (try djsports). The Speedo LZR Elite, which seems like the most popular suit among girls participating in champs meet, is also a good suit. I find that the material is thinner and doesn't give as much leg compression as the Arena suits. The Speedo Pro is quite similar to the LZR and a better value. I also know women who like the Finis kneeskin for its fit and price. I haven't tried the one, and so can't comment.
I agree with PWB's advice about trying the suits on. They all fit quite differently. And even if you use the sizing charts as a guide, the suit could feel too big or too small. For example, the Arena suits simply run larger on top than the Speedo suits. This can be a problem if you order suits on line because many tech suits cannot be returned.
Good luck! I'm sure your daughter will be thrilled.
As a female, I'm not sure what the guys are talking about when they say "speedo endurance" as a "tech" suit ... I wear a speed endurance tank to train in, but would never wear that to a champs meet (or any meet, that's just me).
I have tried almost every tech suit on the market. I dislike the B70 nero TX kneeskin because it is cut very narrowly across the chest. This dislike is shared by most other females I know, even those of us that are quite flat chested. IMO the popularity of the full body B70 tech suit has not transferred to its kneeskin.
I like the Arena Carbon Pro and the Arena X-Glide kneeskins. You may have trouble finding the Carbon Pro right now; it seems sold out on most on line stores (try djsports). The Speedo LZR Elite, which seems like the most popular suit among girls participating in champs meet, is also a good suit. I find that the material is thinner and doesn't give as much leg compression as the Arena suits. The Speedo Pro is quite similar to the LZR and a better value. I also know women who like the Finis kneeskin for its fit and price. I haven't tried the one, and so can't comment.
I agree with PWB's advice about trying the suits on. They all fit quite differently. And even if you use the sizing charts as a guide, the suit could feel too big or too small. For example, the Arena suits simply run larger on top than the Speedo suits. This can be a problem if you order suits on line because many tech suits cannot be returned.
Good luck! I'm sure your daughter will be thrilled.
