The Freak...

Photo from the TYR website

As a swimmer, I am naturally more intrigued by new developments in swim gear than the average triathlete. And, with the Olympics just around the corner, there is no doubt that developers at the many swim companies have been working tirelessly to create a new batch of 'Super-Suits.'  One most recent development is TYR's new luxury speed suit, the Hurricane Freak of Nature, which is designed specifically for Triathletes (the suit was created in 2010 but has only recently been made publicly available.)

Imagining what I would look like wearing  it

I admit, I have never raced in a wetsuit myself. Why? Because (1) I have never raced in waters so cold that I needed to have one (Well, I couldn't feel my arms during the freezing swim at the March 2010 Miami International Triathlon, but I still finished) and (2) because I'm a snobby "swimmer" that is mentally convinced that a wetsuit is going to mess with my stroke.

But, if I WAS in need of a wetsuit, one could only dream that I would be able to get my hands on TYR's new wetsuit of perfection. If only I could afford it....


The Item:    
TYR Hurricane Freak of Nature Wetsuit

The Claim:
"The entire wetsuit is built with Yamamoto #40 neoprene—the most flexible wetsuit rubber—and, as expected, the arms are extremely mobile. While it isn’t the only high-end suit with flexible arms, the Freak of Nature’s ability to flex and move with the entire body (not just with the shoulders) is completely unique."

The Pro Opinion:
Lance Armstrong said it “felt the most natural” of the suits he had tried.

The Down Side:
Swimming in this suit is likely to give you such an advantage that it might as well be tantamount to cheating.

The Price Tag:
At $1200 it's by FAR the most expensive wetsuit on the market