The most exciting day for me is when I walk into practice with a new and vibrant suit. The one suit that everybody is soooo jealous of, and that they wish they had (well at least I think). Now that we have come upon this topic, there are two main types of suits: practice suits and game suits. Then, there are all the categories that fall under them. Game suits are usually chosen by the team manager or coach, so you don't have very much say when it comes to choosing those. It makes sense to talk about practice suits since there is one for any individual! Since I have been splashing around in the water for a decade by now, I feel like I have something to share. I will be covering the different materials, colors, shapes, prices, and basically the overall appearance.
Practice suits are the one thing that you can be creative with. They range from a wide price range and types. First, the materials that make up a practice suit are important to consider. Lycra is a type of material that is soft and comfortable with a great stretch. A suit with this material lasts about 6 months if taken care of properly, something that a certain person by the name of Blaire might need working on. Contrasting from lycra, polyester last years with proper care, but isn't quite as comfortable. It's itchier and not as stretchy, but is a money saver. The last material that I will be covering is nylon. This is a very strong material but has incredible comfort at the same time! It's lightweight and dries very quickly which is helpful for days when you have a double practice. It lacks elasticity and the ability to hold color which may be a problem for certain people.
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| Lycra Suit (notice the shiny, stretchy looking material) |
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| Nylon Suit (notice the shiny material, but not as stretchy) |
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| Polyester Suit (not as shiny or comfortable, but durable) |
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| Thin Strap, Medium Back |
For water polo games, you want suits that have the tightest and most coverage possible. With more keyholes and straps, there is a bigger chance that you will get pulled under. Those people will grab anything they can get their hands on, and I mean anything. Practice suits come in many shapes and sizes which is great for all different types of people! The back of a suit tends to vary the most. There are high backs, medium backs, or low backs. I personally like suits with low backs and thin straps because I find them most comfortable. Thin straps tend to have more elasticity than thick straps which allows for more movement which is probably better when playing water polo. You want as much rotation of the arms and torso as possible for better shots, passes, and the stroke of the player.
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| Thick Strap, Low Back |
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| Thick Strap, High Back |
Prices range anywhere from $25-$80. Different brands have various price ranges. I say that any practice suit over $60 is outrageous, no matter the quality or pattern. Dolfin, a popular swimsuit brand, tends to have cheaper prices, most suits made up of polyester with not as many color patterns. Nike and Speedo, also popular brands, are usually more expensive, but they have a wide range of patterns. Overall, the best brand that I would recommend is TYR which has the best prices for the patterns and fits that they provide. TYR is usually made up of lycra, as well, which is a good material.
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Patterned Color (contrasts with skin-
tone : good!) |
You never want to choose a color that is close to your skin tone because then you look unattractive and naked. I tend to choose colors that contrast with my skin tone, but also don't make me look to white (especially in the winter when I look like a zombie).
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| Nudish Color (blends in with skin-tone : bad! |
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| Solid Color (for the more serious) |
Well, I hope that you learned something from this, as information or help. To the side of this post there is a pic of my current practice suit. It can be found
here. Stay tuned for more posts coming soon!
(All photos courtesy of
All American Swim)
