Lycra at the Core of Speedo’s Fastskin Suits
Speedo’s latest Fastskin collection features three “tiers of technology” designed to meet swimmers’ needs—and all three feature Invista’s Lycra fiber.
The “Fastskin Super Elite” suit is made with Hydro-K Zone 3-D fabric, which features Xtra Life Lycra fibers in a range of densities. The various decitexes, or deniers, used in the Super Elite suit help create graduated compression across different parts of the body.
Speedo also has created an “Arm-Hole Entry” system for women’s suits, which make the suits easier to put on and take off without sacrificing coverage and hydrodynamic performance. The high Lycra content enables the extreme stretch and recovery needed to maintain the fit of the armhole.
Lycra is also featured in Speedo’s cap and goggles, designed to work with the Fastskin suit as a complete “Racing System.” According to Invista, swimmers who used the entire Fastskin Racing System experienced an 11 percent improvement in oxygen economy over a standard suit, goggle and flat silicone cap. The company also reports swimmers saw a 5.2 percent reduction in active drag, up to 16.6 percent reduction in passive drag and a 3 percent improvement in starts over a standard suit, goggle and cap.—A.A.N.
