A smart swimsuit: is that even a thing?

WHOOP announces the launch of “the world’s first truly smart swimsuit”

The new TYR x WHOOP Smart Swimsuit – a collaboration between the human performance company WHOOP and American competitive swimwear designer TYR – promises to revolutionise the way you track your workouts in the pool. 

It is the first co-branded collaboration by WHOOP as the company invests in more ways for members to use its wearable health coaching platform. Their current offering is a wearable health and fitness device, with a membership programme that provides feedback and recommendations across recovery, sleep, training and health. 

This latest collaboration promises to capture data for competitive swimmers, triathletes and CrossFit athletes while eliminating the risk of drag – forces that slow swimmers down in the water – that may be created by a wrist-worn device. 

So what does a ‘smart swimsuit’ do, exactly?

The launch is well-timed; last month FINA, the organisation that oversees global water sports, updated their rules to allow wearable devices in competition starting in January 2023. But what does a ‘smart swimsuit’ do, exactly?

Essentially, a wearable smart device, such as those designed by WHOOP, helps swimmers gain a better understanding of their bodies, performance and recovery. It keeps tabs on the physical limits of their bodies to avoid training on injuries, improve a swimmer’s efficiency in the water and determine when they might need a recovery day. 

TYR x WHOOP Swimsuits feature an inner pocket that holds the WHOOP 4.0 sensor flush against the skin, providing more accurate data than that provided by smartwatches, while eliminating the effect of drag in the water. All this in a swimsuit that is antimicrobial, chlorine-proof and colorfast for at least 300 hours.

“Swimming is a high-output activity with passionate athletes, and we believe our swimwear will empower them to find their edge to continue getting better,” said Joel Lessard, VP of Apparel and Accessories at WHOOP. “TYR shares our vision to innovate at the intersection of activewear and physiological data collection to unlock unparalleled insights.” 

The TYR x WHOOP Durafast® Elite Jammer Swimsuits and TYR x WHOOP Durafast® Elite Diamondfit Swimsuits are now available via the WHOOP store. Read more Outdoor Swimmer gear news.