Ban the tech suits?

I am just back from the SPMA meet where all the top finisher were wearing the latest generation tech suits,mostly B-70s(or were named Jeff Commings.)I have here to for been in favor of the suits,but now I am not so sure.First,they eliminate the old bench marks.I went my fastest 100m BR in 5 yr in my LZR,but it was only .3 sec faster than I did untapered 5 wk earlier in my first swim in the LZR.So was my swim good or not,I'm not sure.Also,instead of focusing on technique or pace I found myself ruminating over aspects of the suits,how many more swims did the suit have,is it the right size,was the reason I didn't get better results from my B-70 because it was too big?etc.The B-70 has somewhat mitigated the "too expensive,not durable" problem,but for how long. Lets say a company comes up with a suit that is much faster,say 4 sec/100.Further that it is very expensive(say $1000) lasts 4 swims and is very hard to make so that quantities are always limited and the fastest way to get one is to bid up to $3000 on ebay. Now lets say your nemesis has one,or that getting one is your best chance to get TT or AA or a ZR or WR,or that your child is close to making JO cuts,or finally beating his/her nemesis etc. Is it worth it and where does it stop?
Parents
  • Hey The Fortress You're missing my point. Fastest will still be the fastest. So ceteris paribus it is just a waste of $ and efort to delude people into thinking they are faster than they are sans suits. Are you doing a Dolphin 2 imitation here? lol Nope, don't agree, I still think it's (wo)man vs the water. No one's ever swum naked. Tech suits have always been around. It's still (wo)man trying to go through the water as fast as possible. I frankly don't care if I ever have another official race time without a technical suit. I race tech clad and fast (or at least attempt to), and have no interest in doing otherwise. I don't feel less of a swimmer if my bare legs aren't showing and see no reason whatsoever to race that way. But to each his own, as I've always said. Some like feel; I like speed.
Reply
  • Hey The Fortress You're missing my point. Fastest will still be the fastest. So ceteris paribus it is just a waste of $ and efort to delude people into thinking they are faster than they are sans suits. Are you doing a Dolphin 2 imitation here? lol Nope, don't agree, I still think it's (wo)man vs the water. No one's ever swum naked. Tech suits have always been around. It's still (wo)man trying to go through the water as fast as possible. I frankly don't care if I ever have another official race time without a technical suit. I race tech clad and fast (or at least attempt to), and have no interest in doing otherwise. I don't feel less of a swimmer if my bare legs aren't showing and see no reason whatsoever to race that way. But to each his own, as I've always said. Some like feel; I like speed.
Children
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