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?
Former Member
I don't like the choices in the poll so I won't answer.
I don't think we can go back. The questions in the original post such as was it the right size will go away as these suits become more common.
I wonder if the growing attention, especially at the age group level, on these suits will drive manufacturers to lower the prices and make them more available? If the suits were $100 instead of $500 many of the fairness arguments would go away.
I also believe it would be smart of FINA (etc.) to attempt to moderate the rate of advancement of suit technology. I still want this sport to be about stroke, power, and fitness - not which swimsuit you wear.
I like the idea of retro-racing. Wouldn't have any appeal for age groupers but would be fun for bragging rights with us older folk.
...the Aussie model of having 400's of back, *** and fly and an 800IM...why not an old school suit event?
I am all over an 800 IM and am going to do one at some meet next fall.
Of course, Paul, if you're game, I think we need to get you to join me, Utsch and Dickson to take on any team (of 40-somethings) in a 4 x 800 relay! There's a 3K-ish race I could get into.
If I'm racing a gridge though, I expect the other guy to be wearing the same level of tech as me. If that means they leave the body balloon in the bag then so be it.
I would rather have part of a new titanium hard-tail mountain bike than a tech suit, so I'll continue to go slow in my brief. Especially in gridges with le Stud!
Flawed poll, I don't like the options.
I voted no: you can't put the genie back in the bottle. If they'd wanted to ban innovative swimsuits, they needed to nip it in the bud, not wait until they've been used for years, with scores of records set.
And if you're going to limit suits, why not limit how fast they can make the pools, too? There was a lot of talk about how fast a pool they had in Beijing.
I'm curious if the ski industry had these same debates many years ago when racers were wearing more aerodynamic gear?
How about cyclists...should we get upset when TT racers in the tour have lighter bikes and more aerodynamic helmets?
The suits provide compression, reduce resistance and....I refuse to accept otherwise...a small amount of flotation. All of which we see in many other gravity based sports without all the hoopla.
The bigger issue really comes down to the have's vs. have not's...and this to me is a problem when we start talking about age group swimming, college swimming, etc.
For old, fat masters who have had (until recently) jobs and can usuaully pay and aren't competing to represent the US in next years world championships its just not really that big of deal in my opinion.
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.
I think the value of these suits depends on the wearer.
If you compete in situations where the best times are often determined by split seconds and are working towards a professional swimming career or have the benefit of endorsements ... then sure go for it, the advantage makes sense. Otherwise I can't really understand the cost benefit of them. Why not just swim fast in a reasonably fast suit, enjoy your races and have fun with that money saved.
I'll vote: No,they are the greatest thing since sliced bread
It doesn't float. Really. I tried the float test - put a couple of small rocks in it and it sank straight to the bottom. Right now. :D
Seriously, it doesn't float.
Take it dry and drop it in the water.Also it traps air next to your skin so it makes you more buoyant.It is true if you put it underwater and wring it out,it sinks.
I don't truly care, provided people don't say it's "man" vs the water or "how fast the "human body" can go" because it's really not. It is "man and quasi-buoyancy aid" or "human body encased in repellent suit."
Just like the ludicrous cycling and speedskating helmets.
It's still (wo)man going through the water. Suits don't swim your race for you. And they don't do the training that goes into the racing.
I have yet to try one of the fastest suits, i.e., a B70 (which sounds like it has some "closed cell" foam properties, which makes it float a bit, a la a wet suit-lite), but I have swum in Aquablades, FS1s, a FSPro that got stolen after the first day, and most recently a Tyr Aquapel.
It doesn't float. Really. I tried the float test - put a couple of small rocks in it and it sank straight to the bottom. Right now. :D
Seriously, it doesn't float.
