Safe swimming: How to choose a swimsuit for sports and recreation
The variety of swimsuits today is so great that the right one can be found literally in any store - from the mass market and sports supermarkets to showrooms of designers and specialized brands. However, there is always a risk to buy a model of poor quality or not suitable for your purposes, and also to be mistaken with the size. We decided to ask the experts what to look for when choosing a swimsuit, whether fabric can cause allergies and how much a quality model costs.
The quality of a swimsuit is determined by three factors: the design of the model, the fabric from which it is made, and the tailoring (here we are talking primarily about the seams and elastic). As for the fabric, there are many options on the market: from polyamide and microfiber to cotton and even velvet popular this season. But velvet models, of course, exist solely for beauty, you should not swim in them.
Most brands make polyamide swimsuits - this is really a very functional material. Models from it soft and elastic, quickly dry and keep a form. The composition also must be elastane, and in a quality swimsuit - at least 10%. It happens that polyester is used instead of polyamide: such swimsuits are usually cheaper, but you need to remember that they dry longer. Also pay attention to the lining fabric, because it will be adjacent to the body.
If the fabric is of poor quality, then after a few washes the swimsuit will stretch and lose its shape. With coloring in recent times has become much easier. Previously, swimsuits burned out, and now manufacturers use special color fixers, due to which the colors remain bright despite the effects of chlorine or salty sea water. In any case, after the sea or the pool is better to rinse a swimsuit under the tap - so the thing will last longer.
Another important point: the swimsuit should keep its shape, but not rub it - this is affected by the quality of the seams; in a good way they should be linen. When fitting in the store, stretch the model and check the seams, just by running them over by hand. If you feel a sharp cut or cutting sensation, then you should not buy: in hot weather, such a swimsuit will bring a lot of trouble. In addition, to rest on the beach in a wet thing can be unpleasant - so you can take a "shift" with you and change into a dry one after bathing.
Look for a swimsuit is in the clothing brands and sports brands - they always pay attention to the design of cups and shorts. In the question of which swimsuit is more suitable for the pool, and which - for the beach, there are no hard and fast rules. Rather, it is necessary to proceed from considerations of comfort: it can be just uncomfortable to train in a bikini; another thing is a tankini or a one-piece swimsuit. By the way, sports swimsuits from underwear brands and sports brands are always more dense - thanks to this, they support the chest better and it is easier to move in them.
In my opinion, a good swimsuit cannot be cheap just because of the quality requirements: fabric, tailoring, accessories, design - all this implies costs for the manufacturer. The prices of mass-market brands are quite justified. Say, one thousand three hundred - one thousand eight hundred rubles for the bottom, two and a half - three thousand rubles for the top, and three and a half - four thousand - for a one-piece swimsuit - this is normal.
First of all, you should pay attention to the quality of the material from which the model is made. Swimsuits are sewn, as a rule, from polyester - it absorbs moisture worse and dries quickly. In high-quality models, soft polyester is used: on the skin, it feels almost like cotton. For better elasticity and wear resistance, a combination of polyester and spandex is used.
Quality swimsuits protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation: the fabric does not heat up in the sun, even if it is black, and does not let the rays through. On each swimsuit the period of fading is indicated, the shape and elasticity are preserved - this is especially important for models with bright colors with a pattern. My swimsuit, for example, is made of UPF 50+ Protection material with UV protection, is marked with Durafast Elite 300+, which means that it will last more than three hundred hours in chlorinated water without loss of shape and color.
Polyester is harmless by itself, but paint can cause allergies. In low-quality swimsuits use cheaper, more reactive synthetic paint, which is less safe for humans. Inexpensive, not breathing swimsuits do not allow sweat, and this leads to skin irritation. I swim in TYR, their models have an antibacterial lining, which minimizes any skin reactions to external influences. It is sewn from treated porous polyester with a high coefficient of evaporation.
It is important to remember that when wet, the fabric will become more elastic, which means that during the fitting the swimsuit should sit tight, and the straps should not be too tight and bump into the skin. I recommend to swing your arms in different directions to feel the swimsuit "in motion." If it is not possible to try on a model, it is necessary to measure the circumference of the body, the volume of the hips and the volume of the chest and, when choosing, to be guided by these indicators.
For intensive swimming more suitable swimsuits, tailored in such a way that it was convenient to constantly raise hands, straps did not rub the clavicle and did not cut into the shoulder blades, and the water is not poured inside, creating obstacles to hydrodynamics. Therefore, in my wardrobe there are two types of swimsuits: for relaxing in a lounge chair and for training. Once I was sunbathing in a separate Agent Provocateur swimsuit and decided to dive from a side into a cool pool - melting ended up on the surface of the water. Since then, in swimsuits "for beauty" I do not dive.
A quality swimsuit should be made from lightweight, flexible and quick-drying material. It should not stretch, not subside with the active swimming and surfing, not fade and long to lose shape. And of course, he should sit on the figure.
Surfers have skin irritation due to friction on the board: while riding in a swimsuit, you can "wipe" the stomach. Therefore, I advise you to wear a gidromayku or "lykra", special leggings or just a wetsuit for those who only get on the surf. Plus, I always take two models with me to the beach to change into a dry one right after swimming or surfing.
As for the size, then all this is very individual. Someone likes the bikini to be tight, and someone, on the contrary, the swimsuit to be exactly the size or even slightly larger. For example, I often select the top and bottom of different sizes, and this is absolutely normal. The most important thing - the swimsuit must be measured to find the most comfortable option.
In order not to be mistaken, it is better to start with proven brands: from sports it is Arena, Speedo, TYR, Head Swimming. Sports brands like adidas and Nike also make nice swimsuits - they are more suitable for fitness, not sports swimming, which is also great, especially if you are just starting to swim. Fabric and threads in the lines should be well dragged, swimsuit - to be pleasant to the touch and sit well.
If you have never bought sports swimsuits, then it is better not to do it on the Internet, but go to a specialty store and try on. First of all, a thing should not hang on you, otherwise it will create resistance, and secondly, it will stick into the body, otherwise it will be rubbed, especially at sea. In principle, if you try on a swimsuit once in a store, then you can order online models of the same size without measuring.
In the pool it is more convenient to swim in a sports, as a rule, one-piece swimsuit. Such models create minimal resistance in water, and the material itself is lighter, therefore it dries faster. A separate swimsuit is easy to lose in training, you will constantly correct it. It is more convenient if the back is not fully open: in sports models, the straps are usually crossed.
Swimsuits tend to stretch, especially sports - but rather not because of the quality, but from the effects of bleach, salt water, frequent use, and so on. Swimsuits of any specialized brand will serve approximately the same. Sports can cost two to three thousand rubles. You can find for five thousand, if you really want, but there will not be a noticeable difference in quality, if we are talking about profile marks. As practice shows, swimsuits from a sports shop like "Decathlon" will also suit beginners. The main thing is to figure out whether you like swimming in principle, and not rush to buy expensive equipment.
Photo: Paloma Wool (1, 2), Marieyat, Her Line, Either and