I have zero experience with swim skins/ speed suits so i thought i would ask the all knowing ST. My Ironman 70.3 is already at 78 and will only climb. Question A. Is it worth the purchase? Question B. Whats the best and why?
Thanks,
Sam.
Blue seventy PZ3TX. Yes it’s worth it. Make sure you get a VERY tight suit, that is the only way it works!!!
Gotcha. Looks like ill have to find one that really works for my body type. (6’ and 145-150)
I have zero experience with swim skins/ speed suits so i thought i would ask the all knowing ST. My Ironman 70.3 is already at 78 and will only climb. Question A. Is it worth the purchase? Question B. Whats the best and why?
Thanks,
Sam.
as to questin A, that’s a personal decision. you will be the one spending the money. is it worth it to you? how much is it worth? is spending 2-300 bucks on a speed suit to save 1, 2 or up to 5 minutes in a 4-7 hr race worth it? what will that do for you and what else could you do with the money?
good luck in the decision and the 70.3
How much better is a swimskin versus a good singlet style suit like the kiwami amphibian or desoto liftfoil?
good points.
The fastest option would probably be a Kiwami Amphibian, ZeroD O Suit (I think there called) or the Desoto Liftfoil, whilst not as fast in the water (yet still pretty good, Faris, Terenzo, Rachel Joyce and Pete Jacobs all swam pretty well using the Amphibian as their swimskin in Kona) if you wear the suit for the whole race then you wont have to spend 10-30s in T1 taking the damn thing off.
I know rear-zip one piece suits arent everyone’s cup of tea for HIM distance, I am slowly coming around to the idea and am very close to wearing one. They are more comfortable on the swim and bike as there is no zip pushing against your chest and being able to undo it on the bike is actually quite effective, r.e. cooling. I found it took a few races to get used to wearing rear zip on the run but now it doesnt bother me. BTW the reasoning behind going two-peice for toilet reasons is really rubbish, shouldnt be going to a toilet in HIM and if you do then it will cost you maybe 5s max.
If you do decide to go for a swimskin I think the two pre-eminent ones out there are the Tyr Torque and the Blueseventy one.
Yea, as i look at the options im thinking the tyr torque is my front runner right now.
Blue seventy PZ3TX. Yes it’s worth it. Make sure you get a VERY tight suit, that is the only way it works!!!
very good advice. i havent seen any other legal swim skin in person, but you cant go wrong with blue seventy. i havent purchased one thing from them that was less than exceptional.
Amphibian for sure! 1st woman at Kona as well. It is the fastest suit in the water that you can wear for the entire race, eliminating the time spent taking it off.
No pads tho?
yes Pads. Some are already in with pads, and more to follow.
Those are nice if i could find them with some padding.
There are some coming any day now, and we have a few already. There are women’s suits with pads as well.
Is that something new with the Amphiban? The ones on their website say no pad.
jaretj
Yes, very new. We have a few now, with a much wider range on the way from France. Beautiful stuff. There is some 2 piece Primas available too, which is the Amphibian made into a 2 piece with a very nice and small pad. E-mail for availability for the pad Amphibians, but i will tell you they are amazing.
can you pm me your email?
Sure. I raced Florida in the Prima 2 piece, and it was so thin and cool. Exceptional suit! A buddy used an Amphibian w/pad fr the first time and didn’t want to take it off after the race…had it on for hours!
can you pm me your email?
Hmmm. I am actually looking for a swimskin/speed suit as well. I didn’t want to drop $250 on something I could not wear besides non-wetsuit events so I was looking to get something I could wear for the whole event too. I will have to take a look at your site a bit more, I was looking at the Liftfoil because I wear De Soto stuff for my races. I have also never worn a one piece so I am leaning towards using it over my top/shorts during an HIM but probably the whole race for an Oly.
Yea, it’s tough to justify the cost of a swim only skin. We have one and 2 piece models with the same fabric, paper thin, repels water, and extremely comfortable, plus we can put any and all logos or names on the suits.