Cargo shorts would definitely slow you down. At that pace, there's not much difference between jammers / speedos. I'd wear what you find more comfortable.

The nice advantage I've found of using Speedo's over jammers is that jammers tend to become baggy as they wear out. The bagginess get's in the way and catches water. I haven't noticed that with speedos though.

Figuring out flip turns would probably net you like 5-10s though!

You can’t learn to swim properly in cargo shorts. Wear a speedo or a speedo style jammer so you can learn proper body position. It’s pretty much impossible in a board short to do that.

I'd say ditch the cargo pants and go for the speed. Even at your pace. By getting used to swimming at the faster speeds, you won't lollygag as much as you would if you're used to swimming at cargo-pants speed.

The cargo pants probably add +5sec/100, maybe +7 at your 2:00/100 pace. You can still get perfectly good swim training with them, but I think you're better served getting in the habit of shaving all the seconds you can get, rather than having an 'out' to blame the cargo pants for.

I did a bunch of experiments myself with slowing myself down with clothing so I could get more to the slow avg speed of the YMCA that I swim in (busy circle swim during the summer) - a short sleeve T-shirt was +4sec/100, nylon sweatpants +4sec/100, both T shirt+pants +7 sec/100, baggy swim pants +3-4/100. Interestingly, I had zero problems with my stroke or technique with all that stuff on - I had heard 'it'll affect your stroke' but it didn't affect my stroke whatsoever, and there was no chafing despite the flappy stuff in the water. Still, I prefer going as fast as possible in the water to stay in the fast mindset, so I rarely swim with the clothing unless I absolutely have to (4 slow people in a lane, for example)

But it’s cool if I swim in my steel toe boots, right?

as long as you keep the rat tail untucked from the cap.

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Alright alright alright

Ditto above... old school swim trunks slowmyou down 5 - 10 sec/100. I upgraded myself to jammers at around a 2:00 pace, and I think I gained nearly 10 sec.

Cargo pants have to be 15+/- slower. Regular swim shorts are about 10 seconds slower than jammers.

Train in cargo shorts and race in jammers. Forget about doing flip turns unless you are doing any races in the pool.

Find yourself some tight little budgy smugglers and show the world what you got. You'll go faster, but more importantly you'll look faster.

Also the fact that swimming at 1:40 tends to be quite different to swimming at 2:00. The water has quite a different feel at higher speeds and you end up modifying your stroke accordingly. You can't replicate that at slow speed.

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'It never gets easier, you just get crazier.'

I disagree. I used to think that way, but I was forced during the summer to find as many drag-inducing clothing I could find since the average speed at my noon YMCA swim (the only time I can go) is around a 1:50 in the FAST lane. It's mainly because it's senior citizen hour, I think nobody except me that has a job can go swimming at noon!

I tried and wore everything. Baggy long sleeve T-shirt, towel between legs, cargo shorts, baggy shorts, parachute, short sleeve T-shirt, etc.

I found the cargo shorts were worth about 3-4s/100 at 1:30ish pace, and will slow you even more if you're slower, prob around 6-7 sec/100 if you're at 2:00/100. But not once did I feel that any of the clothing I was wearing inhibited my swim stroke (to my surprise).

Floating was no problem and there was no restriction or limitations on my stroke. I just went slower, but otherwise swam the exact same technique/stroke I normally did. Seriously, fins feel like they change your stroke wayyy more than drag stuff does in the water.

I still wouldn't recommend 2:00/100 swimmers to wear the baggy stuff to begin with though just because it's demoralizing to swim that slowly or slower when you're working hard. At 1:30ish pace though, it's great to be able to put on all this drag stuff and not totally disrupt the 3-4 others in the lane swimming slower. (The annoying part however is dealing with all that sopping wet drag clothing aftewards in your swim bag!)

get yourself some nuthuggers about one size too small. you will instantly start trying harder. this is coming from another crappy swimmer.
as a courtesy to everybody i usually wear some surf shorts to the pool and only disrobe once submerged. there is a tacit but palpable level of appreciation from the guards.