Hi-tech swimwear fabrics
Encyclopedia
High-technology swimwear fabrics are scientifically advanced materials used for swimwear in competitive water sports such as swimming
and triathlon
. Materials of this type are normally lycra and nylon
composite fabrics with features to reduce drag
against the water. The fabrics include features that increase the swimmer's glide through the water (said to mimic marine animal skin) and reduce the absorption of water by the suit as opposed to regular swimsuits.
Some companies claim that their fabrics reduce drag even more than the water's normal friction against the skin. To do this they design high-end lines of competitive swimwear
that cover the arms and legs.
High-tech fabric lines by swimwear manufacturer:
Whether high-tech fabric lines such as these give substantial advantages to swimmers is heavily debated. For example, Speedo
claims their lineup will increase one's swimming velocity
by 3–7%. Their most popular suit, the Fastskin, is worn by most Olympic swimmers and increases speed by reducing drag by up to 4%. It is meant to resemble shark's skin; therefore, it has tiny triangular projections that point backward so that the water spirals off the athlete's body. A 2000 study, by Joel Stager of Indiana University
's Counsilman Center for the Science of Swimming, reportedly found an increase of only 0.34%. Most of the manufacturers counter with their own studies though touting the advantages of their own individual lines overall and against their competitors.
The materials are sometimes very expensive ($300–$600 US for a full suit), limiting their use to highly competitive and professional levels of the sport. However, in recent years with the advance of technology the most basic 'high-technology swimwear' can be purchased for approximately $100.
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and triathlon
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
. Materials of this type are normally lycra and nylon
Nylon
Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides, first produced on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station...
composite fabrics with features to reduce drag
Drag (physics)
In fluid dynamics, drag refers to forces which act on a solid object in the direction of the relative fluid flow velocity...
against the water. The fabrics include features that increase the swimmer's glide through the water (said to mimic marine animal skin) and reduce the absorption of water by the suit as opposed to regular swimsuits.
Some companies claim that their fabrics reduce drag even more than the water's normal friction against the skin. To do this they design high-end lines of competitive swimwear
Competitive swimwear
Competitive swimwear generally refers to the Swimsuit, apparel, equipment and accessories used in the aquatic sports of swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, triathlon and water polo.- Brands :Female Swimsuits*Racerback*Kneeskin*Bodyskin*LZR Racer...
that cover the arms and legs.
High-tech fabric lines by swimwear manufacturer:
- SpeedoSpeedoSpeedo International Ltd. is a manufacturer and distributor of swimwear and swim-related accessories. Founded in Australia in 1914, the industry leading company is now a subsidiary of Pentland Group Plc. Today, the Speedo brand can be found on products ranging from swimsuits and goggles to wrist...
- Aquablade, Fastskin, Fastskin 2, Fastskin PRO and LZR RacerLZR RacerThe LZR Racer Suit is a line of high-end swimsuits manufactured by Speedo using a high-technology swimwear fabric composed of woven elastane-nylon and polyurethane. The line was launched on 13 February 2008... - Nike - LiftSuit
- DianaDiana (swimwear)Diana is an Italian manufacturer of swimwear established in 1947....
- Submarine - ArenaArena (swimwear)Arena is a brand of competitive swimwear created in 1973 at Adidas France, by its president Horst Dassler. Sold by Adidas in 1990, the brand now represents two unrelated product lines....
- Powerskin ST, Powerskin XP and Powerskin R-EVO, Arena X-GlideArena X-GlideArena X-Glide is a swimsuit made of pure polyurethane that causes a swimmer to slide through water faster when swimming. One notable example of the efficacy of this suit design is that of Paul Biedermann of Germany who wore the suit in the 2009 World Championships, breaking two world records... - AdidasAdidasAdidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
- JetConcept, Hydrofoil - TyrTyr Sports, Inc.TYR Sport, Inc. is an American manufacturer of recreational and competitive swimwear, swim caps and goggles. It was co-founded in 1985 by Olympic medalist and former USA Swimming Co-Captain Steve Furniss. TYR is based in Huntington Beach, California. Contrary to popular belief, its name is not an...
- Fusion, AquapelAquapelAquapel is a technical racing swimsuit designed by Tyr. It has a unique creation process which gives it a high-speed design, turbulence reduction and advanced compression biochemics. The suit fits snuggly and uniformly across all parts of the body. The suit also sports strangely placed seams,...
, AquashiftAquashiftAquashift is a high-end swim suit made by American swim suit maker Tyr which was released in early 2004. It incorporates years of research that TYR performed with the Center for Research and Education in Special Environments, or CRESE, at the University at Buffalo...
and TracerTracerTracer may refer to:* Histochemical tracer, a substance used for tracing purposes in histochemistry, the study of the composition of cells and tissues... - Jaked - 01
Whether high-tech fabric lines such as these give substantial advantages to swimmers is heavily debated. For example, Speedo
Speedo
Speedo International Ltd. is a manufacturer and distributor of swimwear and swim-related accessories. Founded in Australia in 1914, the industry leading company is now a subsidiary of Pentland Group Plc. Today, the Speedo brand can be found on products ranging from swimsuits and goggles to wrist...
claims their lineup will increase one's swimming velocity
Velocity
In physics, velocity is speed in a given direction. Speed describes only how fast an object is moving, whereas velocity gives both the speed and direction of the object's motion. To have a constant velocity, an object must have a constant speed and motion in a constant direction. Constant ...
by 3–7%. Their most popular suit, the Fastskin, is worn by most Olympic swimmers and increases speed by reducing drag by up to 4%. It is meant to resemble shark's skin; therefore, it has tiny triangular projections that point backward so that the water spirals off the athlete's body. A 2000 study, by Joel Stager of Indiana University
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
's Counsilman Center for the Science of Swimming, reportedly found an increase of only 0.34%. Most of the manufacturers counter with their own studies though touting the advantages of their own individual lines overall and against their competitors.
The materials are sometimes very expensive ($300–$600 US for a full suit), limiting their use to highly competitive and professional levels of the sport. However, in recent years with the advance of technology the most basic 'high-technology swimwear' can be purchased for approximately $100.