Bathing Suit Care

[EBD]

Hi everyone -
I never swam a lap until I started doing tri's, so I am somewhat unfamiliar with the care and feeding of expensive Speedos. My Speedo tank suit purchased last summer only made it through one season - the elastic started to go all over. I bought a shiny new one this summer, and while new stuff is always fun, I'd like it to last as long as possible - even on August clearance, these things ain't cheap! Someone told me that they just don't last that long - is that true? I swim in a pretty chlorinated pool 2-3 times a week, and when I get home I generally rinse the suit out in the sink before hanging it up. That's about the extent of my bathing suit care. Other things I could be doing?

(It would be interesting to know if it's just Speedo brand - but I'll probably keep buying them because they are the only suits I've tried that are ample enough in the chest).

Thanks y'all!

Eva

[KSH]

Well, swimming once a week, my Speedos generally last a good 2+ years.

When I was on the swim team, swimming 5 days a week... our suits would last a few months. We always used the suits that were falling apart, as drag suits. Layer of a few of them up... and you get to work harder in the pool. :D

The best you can do it just rinse with water when you get home and hang it to dry. Unfortunately, the chlorine breaks down the suits material. Not much you can do about it.

I don't know about other brands, as I only wear Speedo.

[Bikingmomof3]

If you swim often, there is not much you can do. I wash mine out with cold water and hang it to dry. They still do not last long, due to the chemicals in the pool. I use the old ones to layer under the new ones.

[mcoleman]

Next time try one of the polyester suits. Speedo's are called Endurance, but TYR and the other brands have them also. They last a lot longer than the regular ones, but they are more expensive. My current one was a grab bag special from swimoutlet.com. A friend at the pool this morning bought 2 on the sale rack at D*ck's Sporting Goods this weekend for $16.99!!

[Eden]

Speedo makes (or at least used to make) a non-lycra swim suit. I have one, its the very plain style (classic one piece racer), but it has lasted forever. The lining which I think was lycra based gave out, but since it is dark blue so you can't see anything through it anyway. I used to swim in a very chlorinated pool (I worked in a hospital and the therapy pool was open for use by employees at night - they kept the water at about 92/93 degrees, it was like the worlds largest hot tub :p ) I did that several nights a week for at least 2 years and I still have the suit now, about 6 years later, and it looks exactly the same as the day I bought it.
I can't remember exactly, but I think that its made of polyester? It certainly is not nearly as stretchy as lycra, but it works just fine. I also used to use a really nice swim suit specific detergent to wash it. It was really good at removing chlorine - I couldn't smell anything at all on the suit after I washed it.

[jsgeneroso]

Hi.

I wash my suit after using with soap and water go remove the chlorine.

[NJBikeGal]

Speedo has come out recently with a new material for practice suits - they have a polyester and a blend. Check out www.DJSports.com great site, quick service. (Look at the Speedo Polyester Training Suit or Flipturns suit - same blend, FUN COLORS!!!) The only warning is that the material does not stretch like typical lyrca, so you may want to get a larger size than you would normally wear (I would go up one size), or squeeze into your typical size and put up with a tight suit (which I do because as a swimmer, I'm used to it!).

As far as after-swimming care. Soak the suit in warm water for 15 minutes or so and then wring it out and let it dry. The Poly suits should hold up better than lyrca, but it all depends on the pool. In college, we called our pool the Acid Bath because it would eat your suit in a few weeks. My friend had short dark brown hair and the hair that stuck out the bottom of her cap actually turned BLEACH BLOND during our swim season...YUCK! :)

[NJBikeGal]

One more thing...don't buy any of the chemicals that they sell to get the chlorine out of your suit. They don't work any better than good old fashioned warm water!

[susanm8048]

I really don't have any clue, but I found that I could still smell the chlorine after I had rinsed the bathers in water.

So I use a little bit of liquid pure soap in lukewarm water and soak them for a few minutes before thoroughly rinsing them in cold water. I'm not sure that it makes a lot of difference, but it doesn't smell like the pool any more.

I agree that the quality of the bathers in the first place makes the most difference. That is what I have found with my kids bathers anyway, and they have been through TONS!

[Tri Girl]

When I swam competitively in hs/college I used to wear (and wear out) Speedos pretty quickly. Granted, that was 5 swim practices a week, and now I'm only doing 3.
Since I've started doing tris, I've been wearing a TYR tri swimsuit (has tri padding in it so I can jump right on the bike and ride- yeah right). It's lasted since January, and is still in perfect condition. I should be able to get another 1-2 seasons out of it. I bought it on e-bay for $10. The material is much thicker than a regular swimsuit, as it's made to wear during a tri. Don't know if that helps or not.

[triflor]

I agree with what the ladies have said about polyester suits. They last a lot longer, and you can often find them on sale.

I used to work at a swimwear shop, and we recommended Zero, cold water, hand wash detergent. I just use a mild soap (or a body wash), rinse, and hang dry. Avoid stretching bathing suits. If you can lay it flat to dry it may help. And if you hang it to dry be careful of clothespins, they often cause the fabric to pile, and the elastic will wear out much faster.

Sitting on the edge of a pool is a sure fire way to destroy the butt of a bathing suit.

I've heard some people say that a Speedo of Lyrca will only last 2 months if you use it 5 days a week.

[susanm8048]

I used to work at a swimwear shop, and we recommended Zero, cold water, hand wash detergent. I just use a mild soap (or a body wash), rinse, and hang dry. .


Triflor, What is Zero?

[triflor]

Sorry, I forgot about the Branding differences, it may be called Woolite in the USA. The idea is a mild, handwash, detergent.

[luv2ride94]

I'm a swimmer and i know it sounds weird but it really does work, my suits last longer than anyone on the team.. If only they would listen to me...

When you rinse it add a few drops of the stuff you buy for fishtank to neutralize the chlorine to the water... It really does work!! and its cheap and last forever

Either that or buy the poly suits, i'm 12 and one of the ones i wear i have had since i was 9 and it looks brand new i've worn it several hundreds of times atleast!