How to Choose a Swimsuit for Serious Swimming

Serious swimmers need serious swimsuits. If you're a competitive swimmer, a lifeguard or a triathlete, you'll need a suit that stands up to the elements, maximizes your movement through the water and keeps you comfortable.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Men's Athletic Swimsuits
• Women's Athletic Swimsuits

1. Dismiss any thoughts of trunks, board shorts or string bikinis. They may make a serious fashion statement, but they're liable to sink any serious swimmer.

2. Optimize your performance, gentlemen, by choosing a tight-fitting brief. Hip cuts vary from a narrow 1 1/2 inches to a wider 4 inches, and nonslip drawstrings are a must for successful dive entries and wall turns.

3. Try on a few one-piece suits, ladies, selecting styles that promise nonslip straps and unencumbered range of motion. Depending on your body type, you may do better with the wider straps of a U-front or the skinny straps of a racer-back.

4. Choose durable nylon models with plenty of spandex. Ask about sophisticated synthetic fibers that resist the harshness of chlorine, sea water and the sun.

5. Look for flat and locked stitches that help prevent drag and skin chaffing in the groin and, for women, around the shoulder area. Stretch the elastic in your hands a few times to ensure it's durable and doesn't stretch without retracting firmly.

Tips & Warnings

• Always try on a suit before you buy. All cuts are different, and not all brands have the same fit. Ideally it should stretch well over the body, but not so much that it pulls or cuts into your skin.
• Serious doesn't mean boring. Check out the bright colors and cool prints of the leading sport swimsuit manufacturers.

[pondripples]

on 3/10/2009 For women, skip the low back tanks. They cause chaffing under the arm when you do lots of laps. Go instead with cross straps or a racer back. For better speed, go with a high neck suit. It won't scoop water as bad.

on 8/8/2006 To know if your new one-piece will fit, haul up on the shoulder straps. If they reach above your ears, it will be comfortable once you get it in the water (even if it feels too tight when you're in the store).

on 11/22/2005 If you are in the market to get a new practice suit, use your old, faded, stretched out, practice suit as your drag suit. Still not enough drag for you? Try a pair of nylons under your suit.

on 11/22/2005 If you're looking for a drag suit, get it a few sizes bigger than your competition suits. A suit that has perforations in the fabric is usually longer lasting.