I am in the market for a new wetsuit. I have seen the claims by Orca that their new Apex wetsuit is "25% more buoyant" than their previous wetsuits. I need all the help I can get. Has anyone out there swam in one and truly noticed a difference that justifies the price? Unfortunately there are no Orca dealers near where I live and I unfortunately can't take one for a "test swim."
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I have done some test in a pool with a swimmer (170lbs) face down in different wetsuits.
In order to measure the differences in buoyancy I took 3 static points on the body: the acromion, the greater trochanter and the lateral malleolus. The suits tested were, blue seventy helix, Desoto back pearl and T1, orca apex prototype, 2xu elite and comp and a Zoot Z2. In order to be as accurate as possible I had the swimmer wear a snorkel and breathe out to eliminate buoyancy trough air accumulation in the lungs at the time of measuring. As a tool I used a plum line and a measuring tape. The measurement was taken from the floor to the 3 points I specified above and also from the 3 points to the surface of the water.
The suits that greatly out “floated” others were Desoto T1 and Black Pearl and apex by less then 1cm from the acromion, the greater trochanter and the lateral malleolus to the surface. All other suits had more then 2cm from the surface. Now I understand there are many variables that come to place when measuring buoyancy (swimmers weight, body fat, exc.) but those were the findings I had.
In order to measure the differences in buoyancy I took 3 static points on the body: the acromion, the greater trochanter and the lateral malleolus. The suits tested were, blue seventy helix, Desoto back pearl and T1, orca apex prototype, 2xu elite and comp and a Zoot Z2. In order to be as accurate as possible I had the swimmer wear a snorkel and breathe out to eliminate buoyancy trough air accumulation in the lungs at the time of measuring. As a tool I used a plum line and a measuring tape. The measurement was taken from the floor to the 3 points I specified above and also from the 3 points to the surface of the water.
The suits that greatly out “floated” others were Desoto T1 and Black Pearl and apex by less then 1cm from the acromion, the greater trochanter and the lateral malleolus to the surface. All other suits had more then 2cm from the surface. Now I understand there are many variables that come to place when measuring buoyancy (swimmers weight, body fat, exc.) but those were the findings I had.