Eco-friendly wetsuits kill performance? Wrong! Find out why here.
Introduction
Hardly a day goes by without some environmental issue attracting our attention. The erosion of the ozone layer and global warming are front and center of Al Gore's frequent podcasts and discussions. Entire, once arable land tracts are wilting under the sudden impact of severe droughts. No less important is the topic of air pollution from carbon emissions. Then, loading landfills with non-biodegradable materials and general waste are in our faces 24/7. They also broadcast how plastics are destroying marine life and natural underwater reefs. The symptoms of Earth's environmental deterioration are undeniable. Fast-melting icebergs in the arctic regions, escalating grade four and five hurricanes, tornados, and flooding are all around us in every country. Climate control is on every concerned country's radar.
And the solution to environmental threats lies where?
The solutions lie with us, the people. Sure, politicians and thought-leaders can stir our interest, but in the end, it's up to the public at large to stand up and do their bit. It means developing environmental consciousness, recycling, using energy resources wisely, and buying sensibly.
Now, as a triathlete training and competing in the Ironman and other events in the US and internationally, you have a special connection to the environment. Cleaner air and water and less turbulent weather are integral to your sport and enjoying the planet's natural resources. It brings me to the subject of your wetsuit and how its selection can help create a healthy environment without negatively impacting your performance by an iota. Indeed, we'll demonstrate here how you can get this equipment - dedicated as it is to a better swimming experience - to improve your times and be environmentally friendly simultaneously.
The secret to a triathlete's winning wetsuit that's also eco-friendly.
Triathletes who are serious about beating their PBs on every outing won't compromise on buoyancy, flexibility, and aerodynamic comfort. Recently, I came across the Sumarpo wetsuit range, which checks all these boxes. After deploying the latest technology in the stated crucial departments, it has emerged with products that fit the best green thinking evident in triathlon athletics. How have they achieved this? In several ways:
The Sumarpo wetsuits use a unique, entirely biodegradable neoprene they call Aeroatom that's NANO-coated and covers practically all of the athlete's body. It provides up to 60% more buoyancy than conventional neoprene to the front legs where, incidentally, the kick and power come from, triggering a forward body shift and balanced swimming position that glides through the water.
If you think it ends there, think again. Sumarpo also made sure the inner lining and shoulder wraps contain enough flex in the fabric to create maximum upper-body freedom, vital to every athlete's sustained swimming speed. And it provides superior thermal insulation to combat the coldest waters - the one thing that can take optimal performance down and out in seconds.
You'll discover that Sumarpo has thought of everything to boost performance, even the most minor details. For example, they have wetsuits with stamper collars and Ti-α seal - designs breakthrough that:
Functions as a seal, thus preventing water from leaking into the suit. All but erases skin chafing.
Also, one of Sumarpo’s options deploys silicone with FI racing car tire technology (known as 3D GSP) in the suit panel - reducing the water resistance around the forearms, making it easier to paddle and swim faster.
When triathlon swimmers are comfortable, pain-free, and warm (even in icy water temperatures), they can open their lungs easier, minimize physical waste, and release athletic reserves. Sumarpo wetsuit technologies accelerate all these performance benefits and more.
So how biodegradable are the Sumarpo wetsuits, really?
Most neoprene wetsuits on the market are petroleum-based. Conversely, the Sumarpo ecocentric wetsuits earn their reputation by using completely biodegradable limestone-based neoprene and 100% benzine-free adhesives. So the moment, way down the line, that you decide your Sumarpo equipment has had its day, know it won't contaminate a landfill or fester on a sea bed. These significant features are reason enough to consider the brand. However, when you assess them on top of the performance-enhancing pluses, it's a triathlete's biggest no-brainer this year or any time in the next five.
Conclusion.
The bottom line is, entering Sumarpo's wetsuit world is more of an investment, not an expense. When selecting high-performance triathlon equipment with ecology built-in, you're helping yourself to progressively faster times and simultaneously contribute to a cleaner world.