Speedo LZR Racers

The Speedo LZR Racer is a competitive race suit that was used by the USA swim team during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Use of the suit has broken multiple world records in the first week of its released. Eighty-nine percent of the all of the medals at the Beijing Olympics were won in this suit. Twenty-three of the twenty-five world records have been broken by competitors in the suit. It has also been worn by every winner of the men’s events at the Beijing 2008 olympics including fourteen-time gold medalist, Michael Phelps.

The performance of the Speedo LZR Racer was so impressive that the coach of Japan’s Olympic team demand that the swimmers have to wear the Speedo LZR Racer or else they can’t compete in the olympics. This put the Japanese swimmers in trouble because some of them had exclusive contracts with companies to wear their suits. Due to the reason that some swimmers had exclusive contracts, the Japanese Swimming Federation denied the coaches request and allowed the swimmers to chose their own suit.

The earlier Speedo LZR Racers were outlawed by FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation) due to the fact that once the suit was on, it would trap air inside and create a buoyant force. Some swimmers would wear two of the Speedo LZR Racers to increase the buoyant effect. People noticed that swimmers were doing this and then thought that if that is what swimming is now; who ever has the best suits, goggles, and gear, is the best. FINA thought that the sport of swimming should still be based on ones ability and not how much one is willing to fork over for a single race.

After the ban of the Speedo LZR Racers, FINA had also agreed that full length suits should also be banned and that they should revert to just the old policy of jammers only for men and suits that only go from the shoulders to the waist for women. Now only the competition, or jammer, versions are allowed in mens swim meets. For women, their suits can only go from their shoulder to the waist.

When buying a Speedo LZR Racer, you should consider what your going to use the suit for. The suit is made of a special material that reduces drag and improves the performance and increases the hydrodynamic properties of the swimmer. This material only reduces drag with the special coating on it which only lasts about one or two swim meets. If the suit is maintained the coating will last a maximum of approximately five swim meets the suit was kept in perfect condition.

The new LZR Racers are made of woven elastane-nylon and polyurethane while original suits were composed of nylon and a material called lycra. Nylon and lycra are used in normal suits while elastane-nylon and polyurethane are used for LZR Racers because they create less resistance while swimming than the traditional nylon and lycra combo.

There are two versions of the Speedo LZR Racer. These include the Speedo LZR Racer Pro and the Speedo LZR Racer Elite. The difference between the two suits is that the fabric used to make the Elite version is sewn together with bonded seems to create the least drag possible which decreases a swimmers time. The LZR Racer Pro is the less expensive version of the Elite. Although the LZR Racer Pro is the cheaper version, it is the more durable one because the non-bonded seams will hold up longer than the LZR Racer Elite’s ultrasonically welded seams.

Prices of these suits vary depending on where you buy them and which one you buy. The cost of the Speedo LZR Racer Pro is approximately $130 if you find it at the right place but it is $180 at the official Speedo site. The LZR Racer Elite is the more expensive version and usually costs $260 but can be found for cheaper in the right places.

When buying Speedo LZR Racers, along with any other technical suit, always buy from a place where you know that it’s in good condition. Sometimes when new people are buying suits, they check online and then the end up not getting what they paid for. People have tried selling their suits that they have used up and do not preform at peak performance because they have been all used up and the speed enhancing effects of the suit.

Sizing of technical suits is not important. It’s more of a personal preference based on the swimmer. Usually, swimmers tend to pick two sizes smaller than they normally are but with an expensive suit, they might even go four sizes smaller because of the compression on the muscles force them to work harder thus swimming faster. Buyers may want to know that if the suit is too large, it will cause water in the suit which will weigh you down and if it’s too large it will create more drag.

The Speedo LZR Racers may be purchased at just about any store that sells swimsuits. Sports stores like Dick’s Sporing Goods, Sports Authority, and your local swim stores. If none of you local stores sell LZR Racers, you can always order one from online from websites such as Amazon.com, eBay.com, or craigslist.com. Just be sure that it is not used if you are looking for full performance of the suit.