If you’re purchasing a quality swimsuit for training, you naturally expect it to last longer than a cheap item picked up from a beachfront shop. But don’t assume that all ‘serious’ swimsuits are the same. Just as different swimsuit styles are appropriate for different body types and swimming styles, different fabrics are appropriate for different patterns of use.
The lifespan of a swimsuit depends on three main factors: frequency of use, the chlorine concentration in the pool water, and care and maintenance.
Frequency of use
Obviously, the more you wear any piece of clothing, the sooner it will wear out, but swimsuits face the added challenge of dealing with chlorine, which can break down certain fibres, most notably elastane (also known as spandex or Lycra).
For this reason, swimmers who train more than three times a week or even daily are best off choosing swimwear in MaxLife, an innovative polyester-based fabric made of 54 per cent polyester and 46 per cent polyester PBT (polybutylene terephthalate). Max Life is popular among frequent swimmers because it’s extremely resistant to chlorine (it contains no elastane), and it also resists abrasions and pilling. At the same time, a Max Life suit is highly elastic and will mould to the body,…
