As for telling someone their suit is getting ... um ... transparent... maybe the best thing is simply to tell them. A woman took me aside once in the locker room much earlier in my swimming days and told me that my suit was essentially see-through. (It was a white suit... and I got a good deal on it... hah! what did I know back then!) Very embarrassing, but thanks to her, I got a new suit before I swam again. Even though the woman seemed maybe a little too proud of herself for announcing to me that my suit was transparent, I figure she did me a favor no matter.
AquaFeisty--Maybe something general to your class, to the effect that chlorine really eats suits and so it's wise to check your suit periodically, especially if you've had it for a while, to make sure it's not become too transparent. Without actually saying to any individual that their suit is ... blowing their cover. Just a thought.
I use the Endurance under the Poly Drag suit. It's my first Endurance suit but has lasted a year already and shows no signs of deterioration. The Poly suit lasts me 4-5 years and its always the stitching that goes but even then I don't worry about it much as I have the Endurance underneath and the drag suit is a drag suit. Ultimately, the elastic around the top crumbles and then its time for a new one. I tried the Endurance without the drag suit but found it traps air and then you have a bubble moving around when you swim. That was a bit unnerving.
I have a Speedo Lycra suit that completely faded out in two swims. I am training in a Nylon Speedo suit that isn't fading but it stretches out during the workout and bunches up. I have the Speedo endurance for racing (Tris) and haven't had any "movement" problems during swim/bike/run. I use it for sprints when a pad isn't needed for the bike. I think the Endurance is very comfortable.
As for telling someone their suit is getting ... um ... transparent... maybe the best thing is simply to tell them.
Stop me if you've heard these before...
Once as I was walking on the pool deck to the showers a high school boy saw me and his eyes bugged out staring at my chest and his jaw banged against his sternum. Probably scorched his retinas. I got the message ...
We had one Masters swimmer doing backstroke in her daughter's faded out yellow suit. The funniest thing was when she saw me on the deck and started waving "hi" while exposing herself. A male age group coach's remark was "Yeah, we all noticed that right away but I'm not sayin' nuthing." A female coach nicely clued her in.
Another time a male Masters guy got out during practice to use the bathroom and his suit completely tore down the back seam. He didn't notice in the lockerroom. One of the women in my group discretely told him when he came back on deck, "HEY !! RANDY !! Your suit's completely ripped out in the butt". Great fun for all.
Remember my original post? Well 3 months have passed and my pants morphed from pitch black to white now. Don't believe me? take a look at the before and after shots:
Before -
www.youtube.com/watch
After -
www.youtube.com/watch
Thanks for the ideas, InnerFish and Nancy. Seriously framing it as, "Watch your suits, the chlorine levels at this pool can be vicious to lycra," is a great idea... especially since it is very true at our pool!!
I will probably NOT, however, yell out across the pool to the older ladies in my classes that their suit is completely ripped in the butt!
I have been wearing a lycra EQ suit for over 8 months at least once a week now and it still looks good. It's faded but not in bad shape at all. I love the EQ suits. I buy the grab bag and enjoy the funky styles.
http://www.eqswimwear.com/
Alison
I swim outside year-round and I wear a Keifer mesh nylon drag suit with an Arena nylon suit under it. The drag suits last 2-3 years, I replaced one last year and I could feel the added drag after I did. I could wear the drag suit longer, but the stitching starts falling apart then.
Unfortunately, Arena doesn't make the same nylon suit anymore, I don't know when I bought it, back in 2002 or so. I do have some Endurance suits, but they aren't quite as good as nylon. Since I'm wearing them under the drag suit, I'll sometimes wear a worn lycra suit anyway since no one can see it.
