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?
Most people that I have seen don't think they are worth the cost for the performance gain.
Have you been to a well attended USMS meet in the last 5 years? I would hazard a guess that at least 50% of the participants think they are worth the cost for the performance gain. Nationals meets, well over 75% I'd say.
Your reference to these suits being more time consuming than say golf of biking is bologna. It takes forever to pack up the bike, the gear, mount the thing, drive to the starting point. In that time even the slowest amongst us can put in 3 or 4 heavy swim workouts and take on and off the tech suits 3 or 4 times. Golf is even worse. I have to have a checklist for biking and golf.
If you take your competing and training seriously you buy a nice suit, end of story, stop the whining.
Most people that I have seen don't think they are worth the cost for the performance gain.
Have you been to a well attended USMS meet in the last 5 years? I would hazard a guess that at least 50% of the participants think they are worth the cost for the performance gain. Nationals meets, well over 75% I'd say.
Your reference to these suits being more time consuming than say golf of biking is bologna. It takes forever to pack up the bike, the gear, mount the thing, drive to the starting point. In that time even the slowest amongst us can put in 3 or 4 heavy swim workouts and take on and off the tech suits 3 or 4 times. Golf is even worse. I have to have a checklist for biking and golf.
If you take your competing and training seriously you buy a nice suit, end of story, stop the whining.
