The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: scrubbyfish on May 31, 2016, 12:01:10 AM
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My current one is a few years old, and is suddenly dying per my new 3-5x week swimming (chlorine/salt pools and lakes). I'm perfectly happy to buy at the thrift, but wherever I buy from, I'd prefer the following features:
top doesn't lift off in a big jump
no part bubbles out to four times my size in a hot tub jet
long-lasting
Is a one-piece the solution to both of the first two woes? Or is there some other variable that makes/breaks these?
Anything else to look for in a swimsuit, in terms of versatility, buy-it-for-life, etc? Any tips on care for longer lasting?
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I always rinse out my bathing suit each and every time especially after the pool.
I buy my suits at the mid to end of the season for the sales.
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They just don't last forever when you are using them that often. We had a pool for 17 years, and I think you just have to keep looking, keep trying on, and definitely have more than one, so you can alternate. I think a suit that really looks good and makes you feel confident is one of those things that is worth the money, because they are hard to find. You'll have to do a lot of trying on. I think a one-piece or a bikini would solve your first two problems--tankinis or swim skirts would probably lift up. There is no such thing as a buy it for life swimsuit if you are wearing it regularly. And rinsing out the chlorine is a good idea, but the suit is still only going to last just so long.
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I think a one piece is your best bet.
For me, I prefer tankinis for fit. I am rather self-conscious and in recent years, I started adding a dryfit top over my tankini. I just feel more comfortable with more coverage. In fact, even my skinny kids and DH all do the same for sun coverage and warmth. My stuff is mostly from the thrift store so I don't stress too much when it comes time to replace it.
A few years ago I bought special swimwear laundry detergent - supposed to be better for the delicate materials. I was told to wash my swimsuits with this after every use (immediately). I had planned to bring it with me in my swim bag to wash suits out in the sink. I always forget though so I just rinse immediately with plenty of water. The quicker you get your suits washed and the chlorine out, the longer they will last.
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Speedo Endurance+
They're not "cute," but they're a practical suit that can handle a lot of time in chlorine.
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+1 for speedo endurance +
I was a competitive swimmer for years - if you end up going the one piece route, try a polyester or poly blend suit. They sound awful, but they feel great, dry fast, and last FOREVER. The colors/patterns aren't that exciting, so if you're looking for something really cute, they might not work, but I have a couple of polyester suits that I've worn since college, and I was swimming about 15 hours/week at that point. They don't wear out, they keep their shape, and they're very easy care. I have the speedo endurance like this: http://www.amazon.com/Speedo-Endurance-Polyester-Training-Swimsuit/dp/B000YM7OAS. Something like this might be a good option if you want longer lasting and cuter, but I don't have experience with this exact material, so I can't speak for it. http://www.tyr.com/shop/women-s-solid-twisted-bra-tankini.html
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My current one is a few years old, and is suddenly dying per my new 3-5x week swimming (chlorine/salt pools and lakes). I'm perfectly happy to buy at the thrift, but wherever I buy from, I'd prefer the following features:
top doesn't lift off in a big jump
no part bubbles out to four times my size in a hot tub jet
long-lasting
Is a one-piece the solution to both of the first two woes? Or is there some other variable that makes/breaks these?
Anything else to look for in a swimsuit, in terms of versatility, buy-it-for-life, etc? Any tips on care for longer lasting?
Hm...buy it for life, I don't know. Chlorine is hard on suits.
I think my longest-living swimsuit has been about 8 months. I swim 2x a week. (Plus take the kids to the pool, to swim lessons, etc.)
After about 6-8 months the elastic just goes.
I buy the Speedo 1-piece suits from Costco. $19.99. I wear through 2 of them per year. I try to make sure I have one in "reserve" (because I got caught last year when my last one gave up the ghost and Costco didn't have them).
So right now in my drawer is:
Suit #1: one piece for swimming
Suit #2: 2 piece / tankini for beach and kid swim lessons (easier to get in and out of)
Suit #3: "mom suit" on sale for when the tankini dies
Suit #4: costco speedo suit for when #1 dies
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Speedo Endurance+
They're not "cute," but they're a practical suit that can handle a lot of time in chlorine.
http://www.swimoutlet.com/p/speedo-solid-endurance-+-thin-strap-swimsuit-47561/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google-shopping&color=18011&size=9283&gclid=Cj0KEQjw7LS6BRDo2Iz23au25OQBEiQAQa6hwP2NZPoUKgd4jbF2v1BNwNc0KzxVgGsYKIJgs5vflIgaAuW38P8HAQ
like this?
I've had good luck with swimoutlet, FYI. My current suit is getting close to 8 months old and still going strong, and it's this one:
http://www.swimoutlet.com/p/ocean-racing-by-dolfin-solid-performance-back-8435/?color=10904
Though I had to order a size bigger than my measurements suggested. (So I had to return the first one I got and get a bigger one.)
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Competitive swimmer for years, had suits last a whole year when using them every.single.day.. get 100%polyester!
SwimOutlet has great polyester suits for pretty cheap. If you don't care about color/print, I recommend their grab bag option for polyester suits. If you don't want a one piece they do have workout two pieces, a sports bra-like top and a bottom with a draw string. I liked those too but I also don't have a large chest so I can't attest to the use on larger chests!
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This is amazing stuff! Thank you all. I had no idea there was so much to know about swimsuits. This one was more decorative than functional and when it started to crumble, I could only tilt my head, look at it, and say cavewoman like, "Uhr? swimsuit crumbly?" You guys are giving me solid info, none of which I had. Thank you!!
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For anyone who cares, Victoria's Secret is discontinuing their swim line. Almost everything is 40% off, and an additional 40% on top of that with the code SAVE40SWIM.
Their stuff is pretty good quality and lasts awhile. Biggest thing (IMO) is rinsing them out with cold water right after you use them.
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Ditto the advice to get a polyester suit. I only have to replace mine when I stupidly leave them behind in the change room and they disappear.
Avoid anything made with Lycra. It gets eaten by the chlorine, the suit becomes transparent (which you don't realize) and if you keep using it, it will disintegrate.
Poly suits aren't as stretchy as lycra ones though, so be sure to try on before you buy. Then come in more sizes for a reason.
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People swear by Lands End but I haven't tried. I like Panache bc they are bra sized and have underwires. They don't move. You need to know your real bra size, not the American system though. You would end up with a giant band and too small cup. I usually buy the top on Amazon on sale and then a solid bottom to match in a store.
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People swear by Lands End but I haven't tried. I like Panache bc they are bra sized and have underwires. They don't move. You need to know your real bra size, not the American system though. You would end up with a giant band and too small cup. I usually buy the top on Amazon on sale and then a solid bottom to match in a store.
Lands End and LL Bean typically have decent quality, and they both have very generous return policies if you're unhappy with them: https://business.landsend.com/guarantee (https://business.landsend.com/guarantee) http://www.llbean.com/customerService/aboutLLBean/guarantee.html?nav=ftlink (http://www.llbean.com/customerService/aboutLLBean/guarantee.html?nav=ftlink)
You could sew your own if you're inclined http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2014/08/how-to-sew-a-swimsuit/ (http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2014/08/how-to-sew-a-swimsuit/)
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I always used Lands End for a basic tank suit over the years--then would buy my other ones from local brick and mortar stores. Would start at the cheapest places (Marshall's, etc.), and if I couldn't find anything, would work my way up to a store like Macy's. But I wore suits almost daily for four months out of the year, so didn't beat myself up about the cost. I just figured I got the wear out of them. I never tried second-hand...for something like a swimsuit, that is next to your skin like your knickers would be, I would not be comfortable with second-hand. But that's just me...maybe too finicky.
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For typical fashion swimsuits, hot tub use will destroy the elastic in short order, making it crumbly. To keep the top from lifting off, you will want a one-piece. Two piece swimsuits are designed to look pretty, but they aren't really practical. Speedo swimsuits tend to be tighter and more durable, so they don't have the bubbling issue as much. (Hold up a Speedo swimsuit and a fashion swimsuit of similar cut and the same size, and see how much smaller the Speedo is. It is much tighter.) Whatever you buy, do follow the advice of others and rinse it well in clean, cool water after every swim in chlorinated water. UV rays will also take a toll, long-term, on the fabric of fashion swimsuits (I can't speak for Speedo suits here).
Thanks, everyone, for the polyester advice! I don't swim often, but I am sick of only getting a few seasons (and five uses) out of a swimsuit, even with proper care.
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Continuing to take notes... When I first got my swimsuit, I was only jumping into lake or river water once in a blue moon, so it lasted several years. Now I seem to be all into swimming. (Walking today, I could feel muscles in the back of my shoulders/arms. Exciting!)
With This Herring, your signature lines are hilarious! lol
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All I know is Good Luck! I hate bathing suit shopping :P
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HydroChic swimsuits--not cheap by any means, but they do last and have chlorine-proof suits.
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Avoid anything made with Lycra. It gets eaten by the chlorine, the suit becomes transparent (which you don't realize) and if you keep using it, it will disintegrate.
Yup. Once had one go at the pool with a rip in the butt. Fabric gets very thin, then you sit on the cement edge of the pool which abrades it further ... Next thing you know you are swimming with something flapping back there.
The club I'm at now has a salt water pool, which still has some chlorine but not as much. Also their bathing suit dryer has a long slow cycle that doesn't put as much pull pressure on the suit. My suits last at least 6 months now, and then they get baggy but not transparent.
I use Speedo Learn to Swim because they are comfortable and I know what size I am. Now I am going to try Ocean Racing by Dolfin Solid Performance Back (thanks for that mm1970) I can afford a $21 risk. The Speedos are about $30 on sale.
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Last night I looked at my two-piece for a tag with the material content. It didn't have a tag (anymore?) so I checked the bottoms and realized those are still in excellent shape. So now I can get just a top, or a top for this prettier set + a poly one piece for the pool (also salt for lower chlorine, yes). I wish my pool had a dryer! Great idea! I do rinse and hang to dry, but I need to change that to rinsing well in cool water.
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I was happy with the options on http://www.sierratradingpost.com/womens-swimwear~d~274/ when I was looking for shorts and a swimsuit for a trip to Mexico in October (it was really hard to find some!)
But IIRC you're in Canada so I'm not sure how helpful that is.
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Possible life hack? I always shower after swimming to get chlorine/salt water/sunblock off my skin and out of my hair so I just wear the suit into the shower and take it off there. That way you don't have to remember an extra step. Not helpful if you change before you get home of course.
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It sounds like a one-piece (or a couple of them) would be your best bet. If you rinse them after each use and hang them to dry, they should last a while.
No matter how well you care for them, the elasticity will start to go after a few years and then one day it'll crack and be done. But, the health benefits you're getting--both mental and physical--WAY more than outweigh the cost of a new suit every year. Good for you!
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*snip*
With This Herring, your signature lines are hilarious! lol
Haha, I'm glad! Seriously, though, black bean suggestions? *grin*
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This is amazing stuff! Thank you all. I had no idea there was so much to know about swimsuits.
+1!
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I saved and invested for a long time. When I swim I don't need no stinking bathing suit.
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I saved and invested for a long time. When I swim I don't need no stinking bathing suit.
:) There are many places I don't need one...including some sessions at public pools, hoorah!
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I saved and invested for a long time. When I swim I don't need no stinking bathing suit.
:) There are many places I don't need one...including some sessions at public pools, hoorah!
Wait, what?? Where do you live??
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BC :) If you Google nude swim BC, lots comes up: ocean beaches, lake beaches, and specially scheduled times in some public pools. I happily go to all of the above.
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I saved and invested for a long time. When I swim I don't need no stinking bathing suit.
:) There are many places I don't need one...including some sessions at public pools, hoorah!
And where is that, may I ask? :)
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Just a quick check-in to say THANK YOU to all who replied with tips! On my second thrift shop visit, I found a swimsuit that seems good for now, just in time to replace the one I was confident, after Monday's swim, I should not use even once more.
One piece, Speedo, comfy, shoulder straps stay on: $5. Not polyester (nylon) but $5 is a great price to last me my next many swims and gives me a chance to shop around for the subsequent one.
So, thanks for all your help!
Going forward I'll apply the care tips as best I can.
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The best deals I've been able to get have been at large swim meets.
Often the vendors show up with swim suits that are last years models and discount them significantly.
We were in Toronto for the Canadian Nationals a few weeks ago and I purchased a lined Arena suit for $30 CAN that was marked $120 CAN originally.
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Great find!!
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I've had good luck at Ross, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls. The suits there are usually $25 or under and you can still find the name brands (TYR, Speedo, etc.)
I've been rinsing in the shower recently, but my suit still smells like chlorine the next day. Maybe I need to do an extra rinse after my shower.
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I usually rinse in the shower in my suit. Then I rinse in the sink and wring them out in a towel. Even then I still smell chlorine after. I just can't seem to wash it as well as the washing machine. I do pop it into a mesh laundry bag for the washing machine and hang to dry.
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