Thursday, December 1, 2011

The FS3 Combo Pack



It's been a couple of years now since polyurethane was banned from suits and length restrictions freed our calves, forearms and man-boobs from captivity, but I am starting to worry that we might be opening that door again with the new Speedo gear.  I fear that this new tech could set off a chain of events that could have us all arguing once again about technology cheapening the sport as we head into the 2012 Olympics.


Some of the biggest arguments against tech suits were:

-They cost too much
-Some swimmers got more advantage than others
-Compression wards off fatigue
-We could no longer compare to historical records

So now with the whole 3 pack and the suit that gives you 11% advantage this way and 16% advantage that way, the cap that fills in the natural line of your neck to reduce drag, and the goggles that make you look like Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD-- do we need to revisit this whole thing again?  Methinks those arguments against the tech suits really haven't been solved.

Kabukiman? If you don't know who he is, you need a little TROMA in your life.

After the plastic was banned and suits were supposed to be deemed "permeable," of course Speedo tried to sneak this one by us, which was thankfully recalled-- but with FS3 they aren't even trying to hide that the new tech is as close to the old plastic monsters we banished all to hell as possible.

Seriously... watch the video and tell me that we aren't right back to 2008:



Of course, like every comedian on Earth breathed a sigh of relief when George W was re-elected, a blogger like me should probably just shut up and be glad that we might have this wonderful topic out there to argue about once again. 

My guess is that after Phelps retires, we will be back to plastic and full length suits in 2013 and this stuff will be downgraded to a practice suit anyway.  

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8 comments:

  1. It's only a matter of time before it all comes back. The biggest benefactor of the suit ban was Speedo, and so long as the technology they develop doesn't get into the hands of others and threaten their monopoly (as was the case in 2008-2009) they're gonna keep right on rollin'.

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  2. I feel like this whole thing has always been about Speedo, anyway. Speedo's suits fell behind in '09*, which is coincidentally exactly when the suits just got too fast for anyone's good. But now they can go back to marketing their superior NASA-fueled technology, so these suits are OK.

    *Which is funny, because the fastest rubber suits just seemed so simply designed and developed in comparison to even the FSI.

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  3. I just went on the web to "pre-order"..

    Women's top of the line get-up will run you $765, Men is $535 without the $30 hair net. Free shipping of course...

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  4. "I will say that next year (2010) swimming will be swimming again. You're going to have to do all the work and there's not going to be a suit that does it for you."-Michael Phelps

    just sayin'.......

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  5. Those goggles are ridiculous, Im sorry but i dont buy it... they look like skuba goggles... In my opinion a waste of money.
    and those percentage of advantage and drag and what not, are they comparing the suit to swimming without a suit or in comparison with the previous fast skin LZR/PRO?

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  6. the suit companies had everything to gain by the demise of "tech" suits. They were costing a lot to produce and bring sales down. they were so pricey that Speedo wound up providing 'lender' for kids, at the "fast" meets, who didn't get one for free. Now they charge nearly half as much for suit that cost pennies to make. Lot less seams means a lot le$$ to produce, ask any Chinese Speedo sweat shop worker.

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  7. the goggles are a joke ...but Natalie makes everything look awesome.

    ummm... pretty sure this exact system has been used since the 1980's ...maybe mid 70's.

    What exactly is new on the table?

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  8. This ad makes me want to coach dodgeball! I know I come of sounding old and stodgy, but I long for the old days when you didn't have to shell out the better part of a month's mortgage in order to have a "racing system".

    swedish goggles - $4.99
    really tight lycra suit - $30
    shaved head - $0
    being able to afford to let your swimming do the talking - priceless!

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