So, I am going to Spring Nats this year and started to look for a new tech suit as I've been using the same one since Nationals in San Antonio in 2015. Does anyone else get sticker shock when you see what the going rate is for these suits? I am absolutely flabbergasted that such a flimsy scrap of fabric, that is only intended to last for a few meets, can cost $300-$400+. When full length suits were legal, I can remember paying around $75-$100 for a suit if I was willing to buy a suit from the previous year's line, but ever since knee-length suits have become the only option, the prices continue to climb. Even clearance and previous generation models run $200-$300. As much as I want to be competitive and use swimwear that will help me perform better, I'm thinking that I'm either going to wear my old almost-transparent tech suit or compete in a workout suit.
Speedo has been selling Fastskin LZR Racer Elite for mid $200's. It's an older model, but this suit was $400 in 2013. It has been on sale since they have newer models coming out. I got one last month and with the local swim shop's additional discount of 10% for being a masters swimmer it was even better!
Kristi -- I'd advise you to NOT take up cycling/triathlon. The tech suit equivalent in bicycling is carbon fiber. The price tag to get a quality, well-appointed carbon fiber bicycle for racing might just take you over the edge.
Dan
Kristi -- I'd advise you to NOT take up cycling/triathlon. The tech suit equivalent in bicycling is carbon fiber. The price tag to get a quality, well-appointed carbon fiber bicycle for racing might just take you over the edge.
Dan
Thanks for the tip Dan. I happen to have a very strong dislike for cycling, so thank goodness I don't have to add that to my budget. :)
Speedo has been selling Fastskin LZR Racer Elite for mid $200's. It's an older model, but this suit was $400 in 2013. It has been on sale since they have newer models coming out. I got one last month and with the local swim shop's additional discount of 10% for being a masters swimmer it was even better!
I actually broke down and bough a Speedo. The LZR Elite unfortunately didn't come in my size, but I ordered the Pro X.
So my Speedo, it is the LZR Racer X, showed up in the mail yesterday. Although I picked my size straight from the size chart on the Speedo website, it did not fit. :frustrated Not.Even.Close. I guess that my 6 year old daughter could wear it, but I'm not buying her a $240 swim suit. Now I have to pay yet another shipping fee to return it. If the manufacturers are going to be so ridiculously off on their size charts, I feel like they should be picking up the return shipping fee. Grrr. That's two strikes. One more and I am seriously going to race in a string bikini!!!
I'm in the Uk, and get my suits from www.proswimwear.co.uk. Been using the Arena Powerskin for a while, and quite like it. Less than $100, holds up well, lined in front, comes in colours other than black. It's not a bonded-seamed suit, so won't have quite the compression of the LZR etc, but still has a good tech-suit feel. I'm rather large, and wear a 36-38 for training, and take a 32 in the Powerskin. I could probably go 30 if I really, really tried, but it might not cover all of my top half.
So my Speedo, it is the LZR Racer X, showed up in the mail yesterday. Although I picked my size straight from the size chart on the Speedo website, it did not fit. :frustrated Not.Even.Close. I guess that my 6 year old daughter could wear it, but I'm not buying her a $240 swim suit. Now I have to pay yet another shipping fee to return it. If the manufacturers are going to be so ridiculously off on their size charts, I feel like they should be picking up the return shipping fee. Grrr. That's two strikes. One more and I am seriously going to race in a string bikini!!!
Good luck with the next suit! I know you are joking but FYI you will get disqualified for a two piece suit.
I have tried Yingfa, but it has been several years. I ended up having to send the suit back. The hips of the suit were tiny, and once I finally succeeded in getting the suit all the way up, the chest was baggy. Guess they used Barbie for their pattern.
For the men's Yingfa I'm not that impressed either but it has also been 4 or 5 years. I found they didn't give good compression and was barely covered my butt. The material was also completely different than better racing suits.
