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Selecting the correct swimsuit size can be challenging, especially for athletes new to competitive swimming and fitness swimming. Sizing swimwear using only waist and chest measurements will get you headed in the right direction, but this is only the beginning.
Read on for Kiefer’s advice on how to get a great fit from your swimwear.
Generally speaking, swimsuit sizing charts provide excellent guidance. Nonetheless, two challenges remain, regardless of size chart accuracy:
Taking fresh measurements and matching them to a swimsuit size chart is the best approach for a great fit.
Here are some guidelines for making proper swimwear measurements:
All bodies are different, and women with greater variations between chest and hip size may want to consider downsizing or upsizing as follows:
For best results and to maximize the life of your swimwear, Kiefer recommends that swimsuits provide a tight & supportive fit.
For swimmers that are skeptical about the benefits of tight-fitting swimwear, we offer the following encouragement:
It’s important to remember that jammer cuts have changed over the last few years. Although Jammers used to fit lower on the waist, more current cuts have a higher waist. Here are some extra jammer fitting tips to help you determine what a great fit feels and looks like:
I hope this helps you when considering sizing for your next swimsuit. Please share your comments – or any advice you have for swimwear fitting.
We’d be happy to help, just let us know!
See you at the pool.
Performance Gear For Swimmers. Today Kiefer is a multifaceted company but still purely focused on serving the aquatic industry. We have expertise in engineering world class products like our custom starting blocks and racing lanes for all levels of aquatic facilities. We serve the lifeguard and aquatic safety and rescue industry with a full line of products that absolutely perform when you most need them to, and we serve the competitive swim business with the products needed to swim at the highest level.
I really like the post. Keep up the good work. I highly recommend Polyster swim suits as it stays longer in water.
Hi, so im looking for a new racing suit bc my last one broke. It was a speedo lzr x closed back and i got it in the size 23. But the problem is that my measurements are all over the place. My body-loop matches size 25, chest is 24, and waist is 23… should i rather buy the 24 or 25?
thanks for any help
Hello, I just started competing swimming. My coach recommended I get a 26 now that I’ve worn it feels to snap and makes me have a muffin top while my first one a 36 never did. What should I do to stretch it since custom orders cannot be returned or exchanged.
Do you typically drop down one size (based on waist) for a boys tech suit to make it more compressive than a practice suit or donmosy of the major brands take that into account when making and sizing tech suits? Thanks for all the good info but I didn’t see this addressed previously.
We were at a winter gala in South Africa and Speedo South Africa had a stand there. They were selling racer swimsuits at half price for only one day. My daughter is 13 and relatively small built. We weren’t allowed to try on any suits, and were told we also couldn’t return any suits, once we’ve bought & tried them on. The lady sized my daughter a 20 GBR. We bought the Speedo LZR Racer X size 22 (I didn’t believe that a size 20 or even 21 would fit). That evening it took me & my husband 40 mins (with lots of baby powder) to help my daughter get the suit on. It was a painful process. The next morning when we tried putting it on for the gala, it tore at the the back. We were devastated! It was not a cheap suit for us. Later at home we measured her again and she is between a 22 and 23. Should I go back to Speedo South Africa and complain? The gala ran over two days and naturally Speedo did not return the next day. At least 2 other people there bought too small sizes based on advice from Speedo. The swimsuit cost me R2500. I bought it for her because she was selected for a regional junior development squad. Now I am stuck. Even if I have it sown eith a patch, I am not comfortable it won’t tear again. Any guidance/advice appreciated. Thank you, Jelane Barnard
How do I know when to switch my 13 year old from a boys to a men’s jammer. He can wear a men’s small shirt. Actually those fit better and are smaller than a boys size 16 shirt. The waist size of the jammer overlaps. I can get him a 26 or 28 in boys or a 26 or a 28 in men’s . How do I decide?
I know that different suits are better for different events. What do you recommend for men’s distance freestyle? Thanks!
Hi there. I’m looking for a technical swimsuit for my girlfriend but one thing that does matter is her bust. 30H. She really likes the TYR Avictor kneeskin but what size does she need? Thank you.
My chest and waist measurements put me at one size, but my torso puts me in a suit one size larger…which measurement is the most important when choosing the right size race suit? I’ve heard hips over chest, but nothing about torso.
Hi. I’m having trouble with swimsuit sizing and I like TYR swimsuits. I own a size 30 but too big and a size 24 way to small. I don’t know which one to get a size 26 or 28. I’m 5ft 111 for weight. Bust size 34C please help. Which one should I get
Hi. I like to know exactly how tight a Speedo brief should fit. Is there a rule of thumb regarding the tightness? Thanks.
hi i was looking for a jammer for myself and found the Fastskin Endurance+ High Waisted Jammer
and i was advised that i should take a size smaller than my waist and i wear 32 inches speedo jammer into practice and thats a little loose so should i take 30 or 28 in fastskin endurance +
I just measure my son’s waist. It measure at 28.5 inches. Should I order a 28 or 30?
Hi! I bought a Speedo LZR racer Elite 2 for my daughter in size 25L, that fits her fine. I want to buy the Speedo LZR racer X for her now, what size should I get in that. What would you suggest.
Hi there please help got speedo elite 2 high waist for my -11 year old son who is big and measured at size 26…now finally getting them he thinks they are too high on waist…actually up to naval. .. is that too high ?. Thanks for your comment.
So I do team Swim and i Recently got an swimsuit I’m normally a 40 but the 40 I can put the strapes past my ears,But I got an 36(the size they only had)But the 36hugs. Me a little and I can lift the strapesbut not to high and it’s a little tight in the back what should I do?
Hello I am looking at 34 & 36 size Speedo Jammers & I did the waist measurement as recommended & I’m a 35. I just started swimming in Pre-Masters lessons, so I’m also anticipating to lose a little more weight & waistline. The 34 has no wrinkles but the cuffs at bottom are a little tight. It’s snug but not painful to put on. The 36 fits well but has a few small wrinkles on left & right front below the waist. The 36 is 50%poly PBT/50 poly. The 34 is 78% Econyl recycled nylon/22% Lycra.Can you guide me on a choice? Thank You, Darren
My little son needs jammers with a slightly shorter leg. Are there any styles from any brand that have just a few less inches?
Hi i ordered speedo mindover brief- power plus size 32 for training, my hip and waist are 38 and 34 and it suits perfectly according to speedo site. But they feel too compressive on thigh, i can see light red line when i wear them litle longer. Do you think i shoul exchange size to 34?
Im considering between a size 30 and 32 for TYR Durafast Elite Crosscutfit One Piece Swimsuit. I fit the measurements (for size 32) for chest and waist but not the hips and torso. I am a 32 chest, 25.5 waist, 31 hips, and 56 torso. Which size should I get?
My daughter just bought a speedo LZR elite 2 in a size 26. She says that was hard to get on but it “fits”, but According to the sizing guide she should be a 24. It also only took her 8 mins to get on while she’s dry. Should she get a 24.(her practice size is a 28-32)
Is there any discussion about how small girls suits are today in the competitive swimming world? They are wearing them more like a Brazilian cut in the back. It it really inappropriate and setts the wrong message to younger female swimmers. Just curious if there are any articles you know of on the matter. Concerned parent.
I have a classic coke-bottle shape, where my torso is considerably more slender than my hips. Is there a brand I should look at that best fits this sizing discrepancy? Two pieces have worked for me because the tops always roll up on me.
Im a guy btw
Hi!!! I have a 83cm waist and i just bought a new race suit size 12.
I find it hard to find a swimsuit that doesn’t either cut my bum in half or bag around the chest. Is there a lesser evil?
do usa olympic swimmers wear swimming shoes when swimming. My daughter swims, and she has a huge wort.
Great article. And although you were very clear about mens’ measurements, “Waist measurement equate to the suit size”, I just want to be clear that even though a brief is worn at the hips, which may be wider, you still go by the man’s waist size?
Our son is getting ready for his second year swimming so we’re still pretty new at this. He hit a growth spurt and changed overall body proportions. He needs new jammers, size 26.5 waist. The problem we had when he tried on a few suits today was that they were all too short in the waist. Rather than the traditional low waist jammers fit that allows the swimmer to bend over without exposing themselves, every suit showed his rear end. He’s not interested in showing ‘plumbers crack’ every time he’s working out or on the starting block! They were very low in the front too. Are there any boys suits sold in “long torso” or “tall” sizes that will give another two inches or so of coverage?
I just had a thought. Are men’s jammers a bit taller in the waist? Do they come in size 26 – 28?
Is it ok if jammers are tight on shoulders and chests ?
Hoping you can shed some light: I recently ordered Size 28 jammers for my son who is a competitive swimmer-replacing the pair he has because they are “too short”. He is 13, very tall with long legs (36in inseam) and doesn’t like that this new pair also fits about 2 inches above his knee. I also think they are too tight (getting a finger into the waist is nearly impossible) but he says they are fine. Is there a “proper” length or is it luck of draw on the manufacturer and body type? I’ve tried looking for a length in the descriptions but no luck there either. Any help would be appreciated.
I have heard from a couple of people that if your finger can fit through any opening of the suit it may be too big since water can get in there. is this true?
For my school swim team I ordered a suit that is one size too small. I cant replace it or get a new one so I’m stuck with it..Its a polyester and its really tight because its supposed to be for swim meets only. What should I do? I was thinking I would just wear it in the water and wait for it to loosen up?If so, how long will it take for it to get a little bigger?
The brand is the finals and it is an enduro stretch solids v-back.
I just bought a Enduro Super, I haven’t used it yet. But I tried it on and it feels like my shoulders are being pulled down making me want to hunch over. Is that normal?
I am trying to decide between a size 30 and a size 32 nike powerback tank swimsuit. I am a lap swimmer and want a polyester swimsuit. My shoulders seem to be a little red and my shoulders seem to ache a bit. It is a new suit so I don’t know if it will stretch. The 32 is more comfortable in the shoulders but seems to crinkle a little in the butt. I am a 35.5 bust, 29 waist, 36 hip, and torso is about 60.5
Thanks for this Robin! I am short but with a very long torso. I’m trying my first poly suits as I am doing more water exercise. I finally found a size the gets on ok but I feel kind of “compressed” in the torso. Is this normal? Can I expect a poly suit to stretch over time? Is there a brand known to have longer torsos? Thanks!
You didn’t tell how to go from measurement in inches to swimming suit size!
Really helps…thank you…i would prefer to try on a suit, but no one around carries elite racing swimwear…St George, Ut…if im going to spend between $300 to $500… I want to try it on…i bought a kneehi made in japan and lucked out….At under $40… And it fit perfectly…
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