Thursday, June 12, 2008

More on: "Longevity and quality issues with the 'Speedo LZR' documented in the press" from an 'anonymous poster'

I wish I could say I wrote this but I didn't. I don't know who did; perhaps a writer from Swim Network? I would be very flattered if it were for it contains valuable info if your were thinking of throwing down $550 hoping a Speedo LZR would last a season or two. This individual provides a link to Swim Network, who has video to back up his opinions.

"... Here are two scenes at the recent Omaha Swimvitational and the LZR effect ???

7:45 a.m. each morning and swimmers are lined up 30-40 deep waiting on the Speedo reps to arrive with their pile of LZR's. Some are nearly asleep, many are lying down, etc. Meet starts at 9:30 a.m. each morning. Why weren't the Speedo reps there much earlier so these athletes did not have to sit around. Ridiculous. I guess since prelims at Trials starts later they will sleep in even more. Bottom line on this issue... All the swimsuit companies should have their employees covering the warm-up pool and venue whenever the pools are open to the athletes. Surely at $550 a suit these they can find some flunkie in a Speedo shirt find a way to crawl out of bed and be at the pool when the athletes hit the door.

Next issue, a very high profile national level swimmer was seen at the warmup pool wrestling with what appeared to be a broken zipper/seam on the back of their LZR about 10 minutes before their prelim swim. Multiple coaches and swimmers were helping try and figure out a solution. I could not hang around to see the resolution, however when that person swam the prelim their suit was WIDE OPEN down the back from the neck to their hips. This swimmer was to say the least, seriously ticked off.

Care to guess who that swimmer was...??? [Alex, I will take, Erik Vendt, for $100, please!]

Here is the link to that swim courtesy of SwimNetwork.com To bad you can't see the look on their face after the swim. That tells the whole story. Look in Lane 4. [Link]

Come on Speedo (and others. ... You gotta get your act together immediately. ..."

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

If that article in swimnetwork is true and the blueseventy lasts for 25 wears AND is less expensive, then by all rights they should eat Speedo for lunch. It's what they deserve, and what Speedo deserves.

Tony Austin said...

The blueseventy works best in open water, to people who raced in them told me that after their swim meet races

Anonymous said...

The fabric does seem thin. Since they are supposed to be so tight, probably the zipper will break first or the seam holding the zipper.

I am a pretty big guy and my LZR size is small long. The rule of thumb is that if you can get into it in around 15 minutes, it fits. I was worried that the thing would tear just trying it on.

The suit does seem a little on the fragile side, but with anything that tight, the life will not be long. Either it will tear or be stretched to a point that obviates its purpose of being really really tight.

Tony Austin said...

The photo of Phelps with his "$1.50" showing through in the L.A. Times along with the photo I posted where you can practically see his chest hairs give the appearance that putting on a LZR is like putting on a fabric made of glass spiderwebs.

Anonymous said...

Tony -- What would make the blueseventy better for open water than in a pool? Does it limit mobility on turns? What about that kid described in the swimnetwork article who went from a 51 to a 49 in the 100 fly? Is it possible that the two yoiu spoke to were wearing different makes of suit? Which blueseventy suit is supposed to be best for pool competition, do you know? Thanks in advance.

Tony Austin said...

When I did the UCLA meet, just before the 50 free I saw a girl wearing one and I asked her what she thought of it. She replied, that is it was the first time she was ever wearing it. She asked me about my Nike Hydra and I said the same thing. Her heat was before mine and when she got out I asked her how she liked it. She pointed to the small of her back and she said there was to much air back there and the flip furn was effected. She said the suit would be great for open water.

E.H. told me after a swimming a blistering way sub 1:00 LCM free said it felt wide in the hips for his body but would be a great open water suit.

That is what they said. I don't know how you can swim a sprint in a pool and figure that out but that is what I was told.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Tony. You don't happen to remember which models they were wearing, do you? I'm going to need a fast suit for next year and am trying to avoid shelling out $550 for a LAZR which would only be good for a few wears. Also, do you have any opinion on the TYR Tracer Rise vs. these two?

Tony Austin said...

I myself am going to to get the TYR Tracer Light instead of the Rise. Anything that has panels is all about sprinting. It costs 320 also. and appears durable and will last me a couple seasons.

The Speedo Fastskin II Pro could be an option for you if you like SPeedo. Then there is the pointzero blueseventy. The best thing to do is drive all over creation and try them on.

Anonymous said...

Thanks again Tony.

Anonymous said...

Thanks again Tony.