What makes this product different:
- Highly buoyant design for heavy legged swimmers.
- SCS Nano coating for drag reduction.
- Concept has helped 1000’s of swimmers improve their swim technique and speed
- New comfort focused waistband
- Zone3 are the original inventors of this product in 2008.
The Buoyancy Shorts were first developed by Zone3 back in 2008. The original invention of this product was made using a 5:3mm thickness smoothskin material but due to their overwhelming popularity, Zone3 have now released a more buoyant and lower drag focused design called 'The Premium Option'.
The shorts are made from a combination of 3mm Yamamoto #39 SCS on the front and back panels and 5mm Yamamoto SCS Aerodome on the side panels which offers 30% more buoyancy than standard neoprene.
The #39 SCS material gives a softer, lighter and more flexible fit, whilst the Aerodome aids the athlete with more buoyancy and hip rotation. This is suitable, in particular, for the heavy legged swimmers looking to refine their technique.
The SCS coating ensures minimal drag through the water and the Aerodome material features air bubbles between neoprene layers offering 30% more buoyancy than standard neoprene. The 3mm on the front and back provides the additional buoyancy whilst the 5mm side panels complement this by promoting hip rotation through each stroke. There is also a softer and higher stretch inner lining to improve the comfort. The shorts are stitched and bonded just the same as a triathlon wetsuit.
The shorts serve three main purposes:
- For novice or intermediate level swimmers the major factor which prevents them from swimming faster is the lack of core stability and leg kick. Their arm strength and technique is good but because they are not horizontal on the top of the water they create a lot of drag and ‘dead weight’ which makes it much harder to swim efficiently.
With the buoyancy shorts the swimmer can get more used to swimming in the correct horizontal and streamlined position, so they start to build a ‘neural pattern’ of how they should feel in the water. This also allows the swimmer to concentrate on making a more effective leg kick and better forward glide with each stroke, without that ‘sinking leg’ feeling.
With the extra buoyancy support, the swimmer can also focus more on the technique of their arm stroke, without the constant battle to keep the hips and legs in a high position in the water.
Results have shown that over time a swimmer’s body position, speed and endurance can be significantly increased by training with buoyancy shorts.
- Suitable for any level of triathlete who wants to refine their open water swimming technique whilst in a pool. Swimming in a wetsuit during a triathlon is very different to swimming without a wetsuit during a swimming race. The majority of your power needs to derive from your upper body whereas your legs and core provide the essential control. These shorts help develop your open water swimming technique whilst in the pool, where wearing a full wetsuit would either be too hot or banned by the life-guards.
- For use in open-water training or races as an alternative to swimming in a full wetsuit (when the water is warm enough!).
The product concept has nine years of fantastic customer reviews behind it. Our buoyancy shorts have helped thousands of swimmers to improve their body position in the water and to refine their swim technique. Despite the great feeling they give a swimmer in the water it's best to only use these shorts during certain swim sets rather than the full session. Intended to be worn over your usual swim-costume.
Sizes available are XS, S, M, L and XL. Each set of shorts has a drawstring so they can be tightened to any waist size but we would recommend the size XS for waist sizes 26– 28, S for 30-32, M for 32 – 34, L for 34 – 36 and XL 36-38.
