Lots Of Speedos On Swimmers.

[California Dolphin]

Are jammers really faster?

Take a close look at this video and it doesn't look like there's a dime's worth of difference between speedo and jammer wearers .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKk2h9ZoidA

[Torchwatch]

Lycra jammers create more drag than human skin so wearing Lycra speedos will allow you to swim faster.
Jammers made from the sharkskin fabrics have less drag then human skin and will allow you to swim faster the more skin you cover. Sharkskin fabrics are very expensive, don't last long and difficult to get on and off.
Most student swimmers can't afford sharkskin for minor meets so have to choose between Lycra jammers or speedos.
Wearing Lycra jammers will at first glance confuse opponents into thinking you have sharkskin, but really nobody is fooled, so if you can't afford sharkskin you might as well wear speedos.

The Austin Allegro car was supposed to be a sporty saloon but the designers had an interior heater unit thrust upon them that was so large it forced them to raise the bonnet to accommodate it, changing the cars looks from sleek to frumpy. Since most cars in this class were already hatchbacks at the time the Allegro was launched the frumpy looking saloon with a small boot (trunk) was not popular.
In an attempt to salvage their honour Austin fitted the Vanden Plas version of the car with a Rolls Royce style radiator grill, it seems not many people wanted their already unpopular frumpy looking small car with a tiny boot to look like a Rolls Royce.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Allegro

So if you can't afford the really expensive option go for something small and sleek with good rear access

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_F...rst_generation)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Golf_Mk1

[speedobilly]

The use of jammers for racing since the demise of those full body suits speedo and other companies developed has left me a bit puzzled. I occassionally see national and local swim events, and during warm ups and cool downs pretty much all the guys are in speedos. The variety of styles and colours is amazing to see these days. But come the events they all put on jammers, clearly not any special fabric, so there's more drag with the consequence of slightly reduced speed. Is this the "herd" mentality, or is there something else going on here?

[nacnimaj]

Tech suits that guys race in are not the same as lycra jammers. They have less drag and provide a ton of compression, both of which make you faster. Most guys only really use them for major meets.

[PSDave]

You hit the nail on the head. Jammers are just long legged lycra suits. The knee length competition suits are specially designed and constructed out of special materials that can actually improve a swimmers performance. The problem - all that technology is cost. Those suits can cost 4 times what the brief cut suits cost. Most schools or swim teams don't have it in the budget. They seem to only show up at events like the Olympics where the makers can get world wide recognition of their suits so they donate them. (subliminal commercials)

[California Dolphin]

"Suit Technology" is just one form of mechanically assisted swimming, so in addition to suits, why not allow flippers, webbed gloves, and snorkels?

Or is suit technology just an excuse to have men cover their upper legs - especially in swimming meets that are held in public view?

Furthermore, women swimmers don't wear jammers and their legs are fully exposed as they have been for over 60 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJcWQ3jBGIU

I'm not buying the "Faster" excuse and jammers are just a streamlined version of knee length board shorts that men always wear in public and they are the equivalent of "Leg Veils" or a "Male Burqua".

[midlifeswimmer]

At the high end races where the men are warring tech suits down to the knees, the women are as well.

[Mollyk]

The X and Y back suits for women made swimming much easier.

I have occasionally swam in a guys jammer with a rashguard. No big deal.