According to De Soto website, this speedsuit is now also a trisuit! Save time swimming in non-wetsuit races. Save even more time not having to remove it in transition. The new UTB (Ultra Thin Buoyant) tri-pad offers float during the swim, padding on the bike and is unnoticeable on the run. Made of Desoto's very own Liftfoil Skin fabric. The Liftfoil has no pockets, and no lining. It is designed to help you swim faster non-wetsuit swims. Desoto is the first company to make a men's speedsuit with a front zipper (16-inch YKK® zipper) that offers less drag than those speedsuits with zippers in back. Hydrolinear seam lines hug your body while allowing for maximum reach and glide in your stroke, with no friction against your skin. It can now be worn throughout the entire race. It is very breathable.
At speeds below 5 mph (8 kph) the best surface to flow though water is a smooth surface like Liftfoil. Liftfoil is a hydrodynamic fabric designed to be worn very tight. When stretched on a moving body, Liftfoil becomes thinner, so it absorbs less water. Because it compresses against the skin, it reduces passive drag, and acts as a foil to lift the body at the water surface.
Warning: The speedsuit is not designed for repeated use as a swim suit in a chlorinated pool.
My order for the De Soto speedsuit came through, courtesy of the new dealer JMD Pacific Pte Ltd at Peninsula Shopping Center #02-01. The folks at JMD were very nice about it ... I could place the order and try it on arrival with no obligation to purchase if it does not fit. The order is about the US dollar equivalent, but saving on the shipping cost.
When I tried it on, I found size M to be tight fitting, as it should be. Very thin material, even thinner than the 2XU tri suit I had. The pad feels very soft and comfortable. It has no seams, supposedly stretches in all directions, and offers enough padding for comfort on the bike, yet is not felt when swimming or running. I have yet to test the suit for cycling and running.
On the open water swim at Tanjong beach, I could feel that the speedsuit offered less resistance than the 2XU tri suit. The top fitted very snugly without any gap at the back of the neck. The effectiveness of any speedsuit is in the material. Although I can't compare De Soto speedsuit with other speedsuits, it felt more efficient than the normal tri suit. The one thing that I missed is the compression feel in the thighs and upper body that the 2XU offers. I guess the key consideration boils down to tradeoffs.
Will be doing more swims in the speedsuit over the next few weeks to get a better assessment.
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