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?
Geek,
If you are commenting that I might not be a swimmer - any time, any distance, any stroke. Bring it on. Wear whatever suit you want. I think I might be able to hang with you or at least I will try.
I don't care what you drink or wear. I just think it is wrong to call people idiots for making rational economic decisions based on their own values and it seems like that is what this thread has come to. I would venture to guess that a majority of registered masters swimmers don't own a tech suit. According to multiple "techie" posters, either you are a competitive swimmer who does everything possible to minimize your time or you are an idiot. When you put it is that context, yes, it sounds like you are worshiping the tech suits to me.
I am totally o.k. with you spending as much as you want on alcoholic beverages and tech suits. I don't think there is a competitive problem with suits either. I think the suits are good for the sport in general. I just don't think they are a prerequisite to competitive swimming except, perhaps, at the very highest levels and even then there are exceptions. You can spend your money however you want and I am fine with it.
Don't call non-tech suit wearers idiots and you won't hear from me again on this subject.
I think masters swimmers making such statements may make people that want to join masters hesitate because it makes us sound like an overly-competitive group rather then the ambassadors to swimming. I also don't think we want to make tech suits sound like some financial hurdle/prerequisite that you need to have before you can attend a meet or nationals because it is far from that.
Tim
Geek,
If you are commenting that I might not be a swimmer - any time, any distance, any stroke. Bring it on. Wear whatever suit you want. I think I might be able to hang with you or at least I will try.
I don't care what you drink or wear. I just think it is wrong to call people idiots for making rational economic decisions based on their own values and it seems like that is what this thread has come to. I would venture to guess that a majority of registered masters swimmers don't own a tech suit. According to multiple "techie" posters, either you are a competitive swimmer who does everything possible to minimize your time or you are an idiot. When you put it is that context, yes, it sounds like you are worshiping the tech suits to me.
I am totally o.k. with you spending as much as you want on alcoholic beverages and tech suits. I don't think there is a competitive problem with suits either. I think the suits are good for the sport in general. I just don't think they are a prerequisite to competitive swimming except, perhaps, at the very highest levels and even then there are exceptions. You can spend your money however you want and I am fine with it.
Don't call non-tech suit wearers idiots and you won't hear from me again on this subject.
I think masters swimmers making such statements may make people that want to join masters hesitate because it makes us sound like an overly-competitive group rather then the ambassadors to swimming. I also don't think we want to make tech suits sound like some financial hurdle/prerequisite that you need to have before you can attend a meet or nationals because it is far from that.
Tim
