TYR Lycra Square Leg Swim Shorts–Initial Review

Well, I’ll start by saying that TYR could have used a much smaller box…

I ordered these swim shorts a few days ago because my tri shorts have been taking some punishment from the chlorine at the YMCA.  I know that I always advocate training with the gear you’re going to compete with, but in this case, I need to be realistic about the longevity of my tri shorts if I use them three or four times a week in the YMCA pool.

Appearance:

Well, they’re short.  I’ve moved from using a pair of jammer style tri shorts to using these TYR square leg shorts.  I knew they’d be a bit shorter, and they are, but I didn’t know just how short they would be.  It’s really not a big deal, but it’s a change.  It also points out that there are parts of my body that need a bit of toning.  Anyway, the shorts are solid black with a drawstring waist.  The legs have elastic bands that keep the shorts in place during your swim.

These shorts also have a liner.  The liner is a nice touch, keeps things in place, so to speak.

Comfort and Fit:

Putting these shorts on for the first time, I was impressed with the comfort, especially with the liner.  I used these shorts for a normal morning swim, 2000m.  During my entire swim, the legs stayed put, the waist band stayed tied, and I didn’t noticed any negative impact from the liner.

Once swimming, I didn’t notice any significant difference between my standard tri shorts and these TYR Square Shorts.  I wish I could say that these shorts made me significantly faster, but they didn’t.

Overall:

Overall, I’m really impressed with these shorts.  They’re well made, no overstitching or frayed edges.  The price was right, TYR has a great reputation in the swimming community, and Lycra is known for it’s ability to hold up against the harsh chlorine found in my pool.

I’ll give the shorts a few more mornings in the pool and write up a final review.  I don’t expect any surprises, but I’ll keep you all posted.