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?
pot stirring time:
two more topics for poll/discussion relating to this subject.
1. at what point do the tech suits become unreasonable?
a- $500 suit = (-).5 sec pre 100 yds
b- $1,000 suit = (-)1 second per 100 yds
c- $5,000 suit = (-) 2 seconds per 100 yards
you get the idea. so i would love to hear from the pro suits here.
2. how many folks on this forum in favor of the tech suits are in fact not paying for them? come on.... full disclosure here.
1- a is about the limit for me this year, it would have been a little more several years ago but then again, I paid only $290 of my B70
2 - I definately pay for mine.
pot stirring time:
two more topics for poll/discussion relating to this subject.
1. at what point do the tech suits become unreasonable?
a- $500 suit = (-).5 sec pre 100 yds
b- $1,000 suit = (-)1 second per 100 yds
c- $5,000 suit = (-) 2 seconds per 100 yards
you get the idea. so i would love to hear from the pro suits here.
2. how many folks on this forum in favor of the tech suits are in fact not paying for them? come on.... full disclosure here.
1- a is about the limit for me this year, it would have been a little more several years ago but then again, I paid only $290 of my B70
2 - I definately pay for mine.
