While swimming times continue to decrease, the actual amount of material that the athletes are wearing has started to increase. Over the years, a gradual transition has taken place from the traditional “speedo” brief style swimsuit, to the “jammer” shorts, or even the full body suit, As the style has evolved, as have the materials that make up these high-tech suits.
The first brand of high-technology suit was the Speedo Aquablade. The suit is sprayed with a Teflon coat, and has a series of alternating smooth and rough ridges, which are designed for optimal resistance. The dominating fabric material is comprised of 80% polyester, and 20% Lycra Spandex.

The latest technology to hit the world of swimming is known as Fastskin. This suit is designed to mimic real sharkskin, and provide less resistance than the traditional suit. To accomplish this, new materials known as “Denticles” were embedded into the fabric of the suit. The majority of the suit is made up of “super-stretch” fabric, which is designed to provide an optimum fit. The composition of this fabric is 74% polyester, and 26% Lycra Spandex. Also, this material helps reduce muscle vibrations, which can lead to muscle fatigue. As any swimmer knows, one of the most important aspects of the sport is the “feel” of the water. One of the problems the initial materials had was the loss of the “feel” for the water. To combat this problem, special “gripper” materials were developed, which added back just enough resistance to help an athlete regain his touch.
I have personally used both suits, and the suit you decide to use depends on the situation. One of the things to keep in mind when deciding on a suit, is that they don’t last forever. These new high-technology suits will only be at peak performance for 4-5 meets. The chlorine breaks down the outer Teflon coating, as well as the internal fibers. To prolong the life of your suit, be sure to rinse out all of the chlorine after use.

Facts about Fastskin Performance:
28 of 33 Gold Medals at Sydney
84% of current World Champions
More than 90% of medalists at USA Swimming Nationals
14 of 14 Canadian Records at Sydney

How effective are the new material technologies? A prime example is the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. This was one of the first meets where Fastskin technology was being used on a large scale. Athletes responded by breaking World and Olympic Records in many events. Athletics provide an arena to demonstrate the power and influence of emerging materials on the sport, and swimming is no exception.