PERMISSION TO SWIM - BLUE SEVENTY HELIX REVIEW
Blue seventy - Helix, literally, I have found gives you permission to swim.
Having swam in the Blue Seventy Helix throughout the summer in all types of water and all conditions. the suit itself fits like a glove, my initial thoughts were about the arms and how affordable the NeroTX fabric would be...and also where I would end up putting my fingers through it, it did feel very thin. Gulp nothing else for it, put it on and see, i needn't have worried, this material has tolerated my tugging and pulling all through the year and to do so with cold hands in winter really does put some stress on what appears to be flimsy, i now liken the fabric to silk, tough and strong but lovely to wear and look at.
Entering the water in my normal manner, again the arms came as a bit of a shock, Blue Seventy call it Aqua Feel.....when the cold water hit mine through the suit i called it something else, it its actually NeroTX material....you can feel the temperature....and more importantly you can feel the water....just as its designed for!. Great when the water is warm but it could be a bit of shock if the water is cooler. None the less i was here to see if the suit would make me feel like a swimmer and would it allow me to swim without feeling hindered. It certainly delivered, the arms certainly permitted movement and flexibility and as stated it gave me permission to swim, i could feel the water....as swimmers know 'the catch' is important, you need to be able to feel the water and i certainly could!!! Bonus!!
Now to the rest of the suit....well what can i say, perfect fit in all areas. Fitting a wetsuit is an art form and one which over the years i have perfected and this suit delivered. The suit supports a 3 tier buoyancy system of 5-5-4, and uses Yamamoto Areodome neoprene (the good stuff for those that don't do technological terminology), for those that think that the coloured panels in a suit are there just to make things look pretty, think again, a nice little cuff in the wrist area prevents water ingress but doesn't hinder the removal...great for those doing triathlons, iron-man events etc.
Another bonus for those doing multi-discipline events is the reverse zip, not only does this aid a fast exit from the wetsuit, it prevents those that attempt to be 'tactical' shall we say from undoing your suit in a race, the top down fastening means less material around your neck, initially this felt tight, but once in the water as with any wetsuit that disappeared. As a swimmer who also likes to swim solo it was rather difficult to zip up on my own initially, however a few practices and this too was perfected, better to have a fellow swimmer help you though to start off with until you get used to it. No struggling to get out off it, effortless, with one solid pull the zip smoothly opens up (fast too!!!!)
Has this suit been put through its paces, its been trained in, raced in, and played in, all types of aquatic fun, river, sea and lake, in all weather and conditions and for all that it may look and feel delicate it is still unmarked (despite an accidental ragging over rocks slewn with molluscs in the sea!!), does it still feel like the first time that i put it on...certainly does and i am looking forward to many more swims in it!!
Do i like the suit, i certainly do, its body fitting is wonderful, in the water it genuinely goes give you permission to swim, you can feel the water and the wetsuit permits you to manover yourself in it, essentially it not only helps with the swimming but it enhances it to. For those with experience in open water swimming this is one to aim for, the design is as sleek as its technology, am i impressed....YES. Permission to swim......granted thanks to the Blue Seventy Helix!!!! Do i recommend it!!!! YES!!!
Now to the rest of the suit....well what can i say, perfect fit in all areas. Fitting a wetsuit is an art form and one which over the years i have perfected and this suit delivered. The suit supports a 3 tier buoyancy system of 5-5-4, and uses Yamamoto Areodome neoprene (the good stuff for those that don't do technological terminology), for those that think that the coloured panels in a suit are there just to make things look pretty, think again, a nice little cuff in the wrist area prevents water ingress but doesn't hinder the removal...great for those doing triathlons, iron-man events etc.
Another bonus for those doing multi-discipline events is the reverse zip, not only does this aid a fast exit from the wetsuit, it prevents those that attempt to be 'tactical' shall we say from undoing your suit in a race, the top down fastening means less material around your neck, initially this felt tight, but once in the water as with any wetsuit that disappeared. As a swimmer who also likes to swim solo it was rather difficult to zip up on my own initially, however a few practices and this too was perfected, better to have a fellow swimmer help you though to start off with until you get used to it. No struggling to get out off it, effortless, with one solid pull the zip smoothly opens up (fast too!!!!)
Has this suit been put through its paces, its been trained in, raced in, and played in, all types of aquatic fun, river, sea and lake, in all weather and conditions and for all that it may look and feel delicate it is still unmarked (despite an accidental ragging over rocks slewn with molluscs in the sea!!), does it still feel like the first time that i put it on...certainly does and i am looking forward to many more swims in it!!
Do i like the suit, i certainly do, its body fitting is wonderful, in the water it genuinely goes give you permission to swim, you can feel the water and the wetsuit permits you to manover yourself in it, essentially it not only helps with the swimming but it enhances it to. For those with experience in open water swimming this is one to aim for, the design is as sleek as its technology, am i impressed....YES. Permission to swim......granted thanks to the Blue Seventy Helix!!!! Do i recommend it!!!! YES!!!
Fab review, i love that you are honest and tell it how it is...will definitely be looking to get one of these in the future!!!
ReplyDeleteBeen wanting an honest ( not magazine paid ) review of swim kit for a good while, so glad i found your blog, have just bought one of these on the strength of this blog!!! Keep on writing!!!!
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