What do you get when you combine 1095 days of development, 350 000 miles of distance swum, 330 elite-level swimmers, and some of the greatest minds in textile technology garment engineering, sports science, and computational fluid dynamics? Well… to put it simply- you get the Speedo LZR Pure Intent tech suit.
The LZR Pure Intent is part of the next generation of Speedo fastskin tech suits and gear. And along with the LZR Pure Valor, it’s the latest tech suit released by Speedo.
With such an established and authoritative swimming brand as Speedo, you can be assured that their racing suits are going to provide you with only superior levels of performance-enhancing features and technology.
In the modern world of competitive swimming, everyone knows how tech suits can play an important role in helping you to shave off that second or two to grab that gold medal, swim that best time, or even break an important record or qualify for a specific swim team.
And that’s why in today’s article we will be taking an in-depth look at the Speedo LZR Pure Intent. I’ll be discussing all of the suit’s features and performance benefits, as well as which events to use this suit for, what the cons are, and which size to get for an ideal fit. So buckle up… because you are about to go on one heck of a ride!
Speedo LZR Pure Intent Review: Complete Overview
Which Swimming Events Is the Speedo LZR Pure Intent Tech Suit Designed For?
The Speedo LZR Pure Intent covers a wide range of swimming events and strokes thanks to its great design. The suit is more of a sprint suit (50’s and 100’s), but it will also be a great option for middle-distance events such as 200’s and 400’s.
The high levels of compression, dual compression layers, ergonomic seam construction, lightweight design, and textured fabric zones make it ideal for some really fast swimming and gold-medal performances.
Quick summary: the Speedo LZR Pure Intent is ideal for all strokes and is best for sprint and IM events.
The tech suit’s triple fabric construction offers unrestricted movement while dual compression layers and special taping increase your power and buoyancy. Drag is reduced using textured fabric zones, premium grips, and bonded seams.
Downsides include sizing issues and leakage on the men’s jammer if not correctly fitted.
If you are a distance swimmer (500’s, 800’s and more) you could still use this suit, and it probably won’t be all that bad, but it definitely wouldn’t be my first pick. I simply think the compression of the suit is too high to make it optimal for distance events.
If you are however a distance swimmer- don’t stress it. That’s why Speedo also released the LZR Pure Valor, it has a different set of features making it ideal for distance swimmers, and a few other events, but I’ll talk more about that in just a minute.
In terms of strokes, this suit is great for all of the swimming strokes. The triple fabric construction allows for a greater and optimal range of motion in all of the strokes, allowing you to execute each pull and kick with perfection and power.
Getting back to the events and the LZR Pure Valor, I’d say that if you are a distance-, 400 I.M-, or a 200 breaststroke swimmer, then you can go with either of the suits. The Valor has a slightly lower compression and some more range of motion, which may be preferred if one of those is your main event.
If you think the Speedo LZR Pure Valor would be a better fit for you then I recommend checking it out on SwimOutlet:
Quick summary: the Speedo LZR Pure Valor is a less compressive, more flexible tech suit ideal for longer events. It also makes a good fit for all strokes and is popular among breaststroke and IM swimmers.
Features include a lightweight fabric, moderate compression panels, bonded supportive leg seams, water-repellent technology, and premium grips.
Note that the thinner fabric is less durable.
Features and Benefits of the Speedo LZR Pure Intent Tech Suit
The Speedo LZR Pure Intent is a feature-loaded racing suit crafted for enhanced speed and performance in the water. It achieves this by combining a unique set of features to deliver you with some awesome performance benefits.
1. Dual Compression Layers
Right off the bat, we have one of the new high-end features found in all of the new tech suits, namely the dual layering fabric. This design feature allows for some great muscular compression, which ultimately enhances blood flow to critical muscle groups.
A faster rate of blood circulation through muscles will allow your body to replenish those muscles with nutrients and oxygen at a higher rate, allowing them to work harder for longer. This will increase your speed throughout your race, assisting you in taking home gold, crushing a PB, or even breaking that long-standing meet record.
2. Ergonomic Seam Construction
The Speedo LZR Pure Intent features an innovative seam construction. These seams, combined with the dual compression layers, will allow the suit to synchronize and connect critical muscle groups, allowing for an increase in power output and higher velocity while swimming.
Higher power output will equate to faster swimming speeds, and faster swimming speeds will then equate to more PBs, gold medals, qualifying times, or whatever your swimming goals may be.
3. Textured Fabric Zones
Chances are, you have probably heard your swimming coach talk about resistance in the water, also typically referred to as drag. Why? Because water drag plays a big role in how fast you can swim, and if you don’t do everything in your ability to get it as low as possible, you will never be able to reach your maximum swimming potential.
There are a lot of things you can and should do technique-wise to reduce drag while swimming, but another easy way to lower that resistance is through tech suits.
And the Speedo LZR Pure Intent does just that. The suit’s textured fabric zones target drag reduction in the water, ultimately reducing water friction and enhancing your swimming performances.
Something cool to note about the textured fabric zones on this suit is that Speedo actually did an in-depth study on shark scales which resulted in something named “turbulence management” included in the LZR Pure Intent textured fabric zones.
4. Triple Fabric Construction
Have you ever felt like a tech suit was restricting your movement and range in the water? If so, you’ll know how annoying it is since you aren’t able to reach your maximum speed very easily. If not, well… you’re lucky and I suggest you keep it that way.
With the Speedo LZR Pure Intent, you’ll never have to worry about feeling restricted thanks to its triple fabric construction. This design feature allows for greater freedom of movement in the water, which in return allows swimmers to reach maximum range on each stroke and kick.
In the men’s suit, you’ll be able to easily obtain optimal range with every kick, no matter the stroke, and with the women’s suit, you’ll also experience unrestricted kicking and pulling patterns.
When you are able to do this, you are also able to reach your peak swim speed and maximum power output in the water.
As a bonus, this triple fabric construction is also going to make it easier to get your suit on, while also allowing for a slightly more comfortable experience while wearing.
5. Lightweight Design
Staying light and agile in the water is another important factor when it comes to swimming as fast as possible. The Speedo LZR Pure Intent tech suit features a material composition of 66% polyamide and 34% elastane, allowing for a lightweight design.
The lighter you are in the water, the less resistance you have, the faster you swim. It’s as simple as that.
6. New Band Technology
The LZR Pure Intent features Speedo’s new support taping. These innovative bands woven through the suit’s fibers allow for increased power output to be generated by the legs while racing. This involves a powerful leg kick in all of the strokes and an awesome snapback effect on your starts and push-offs after a turn.
These factors can contribute to some really fast swimming considering that the legs are very large muscle groups capable of generating a lot of speed and also assisting you in the final stages of your race when your upper-body starts to fatigue and shut down.
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7. Great Water Resistance and Buoyancy
Water-resistant fabric is a must-have in any good tech suit. And the Speedo LZR Pure Intent provides just that. The suit has a highly water-resistant fabric ensuring that water can’t permeate the fabric in any way.
This is ultimately going to contribute to a higher body position in the water as well as less water drag and friction, allowing you to swim faster and ace that best time or gold medal with ease.
8. Premium Waistband and Leg Grips
The waistband and leg grips of a suit play an important role in ensuring that your tech suit fits tightly and securely, providing you with all of the performance benefits. But Speedo has gone above and beyond with the Pure Intent waistband and leg grips providing swimmers with a premium experience.
The LZR Pure Intent’s waistband and leg grips don’t only ensure a secure and tight-fitting suit, but they also reduce water ingress, once again lowering your levels of drag and friction in the water even further and bumping up your speed an extra notch.
9. Different Tech Suit Variations and Cool Colors
Have you ever felt like a suit was just that tiny bit off in how it fitted or didn’t quite match your personality in terms of color options and patterns? It can be so annoying and frustrating, especially if you spent a lot of money on purchasing your tech suit.
Luckily, the Speedo Pure Intent has a few options in terms of fit and color patterns. The men’s jammer is available in a high-waist and standard-waist variation allowing you the freedom to choose the suit that fits your preference.
Similarly, the women’s suit is also available in 2 variations, namely the open back and closed back variation. This will also allow the ladies to choose the suit they prefer most. Open back is more comfortable with X-shaped back straps, covering slightly less body surface, while the closed-back has Y-shaped straps, covering more body surface.
Quick summary: the Speedo LZR Pure Intent is ideal for all strokes and is best for sprint and IM events.
The tech suit’s triple fabric construction offers unrestricted movement while dual compression layers and special taping increase your power and buoyancy. Drag is reduced using textured fabric zones, premium grips, and bonded seams.
Downsides include sizing issues and leakage on the men’s jammer if not correctly fitted.
Feature summary of the Speedo LZR Pure Intent tech suit-
- The Speedo Pure Intent has dual compression layers built-in, allowing for intelligent muscle compression, ultimately enhancing blood flow to muscles and reducing fatigue.
- An ergonomic seam construction connects your large muscle groups together for increased power output and higher swim speeds while racing.
- Innovative textured fabric zones specifically target drag reduction to allow for enhanced swimming performances and faster times.
- Triple fabric construction with bonded seams ensures that you have an optimal range of motion on every stroke and kick without feeling restricted in any way.
- Lightweight construction with a 66% polyamide and 34% elastane make up keeps you light and agile in the water, ensuring you can reach your peak swim speed.
- New band technology in the Speedo Pure Intent allows for a powerful leg kick, allowing you to generate more power from your legs and to swim faster.
- Water-resistant fabric allows for a highly buoyant suit that reduces drag and enhances swimming performance.
- The Pure Intent presents a premium waistband and leg grips engineered to reduce water ingress, ultimately reducing drag while swimming.
- The suit is available in a few different variations and it also comes in some cool color patterns.
Cons: What I Don’t Like About the Speedo Lzr Pure Intent
1. High Price Point
The first and probably most obvious con of this suit is its high price point. If you are looking for a good suit coming in at a budget price then this isn’t your best option. That being said, you do get a lot of great features and premium technology packed in, something which you probably wouldn’t be able to get in a lower-priced suit.
All of the other high-end suits also fall into this price bracket, which is unfortunate. If you want one of the best tech suits available then this is simply going to be something that you’ll have to accept.
If you are looking for some budget tech suits that still packs some solid features then I recommend checking out my article on the best budget tech suit, you can do so by clicking here.
2. Leaking If You Don’t Put It on Properly
I have heard some complaints from swimmers about the suit leaking water while swimming, mainly in the men’s jammers. At first, I thought this was a fault on Speedo’s side, but luckily it just has to do with how swimmers put on the suit.
Due to the dual layering inside of the suit, you have to put this suit on slightly different than most swimmers are used to. So where you’d normally just carefully pinch the fabric and pull it up from the outside, you actually have to get your hands into the suit and make sure that you are also pulling the dual layering up from the inside to avoid any leaking.
And while this is slightly annoying I found that it wasn’t too hard and didn’t take that much longer to put on the suit than it would have otherwise. And with that, the suit never leaked again and had a much better fit, so that’s great.
3. Waistband Too Tight for Some Swimmers
As you read earlier, the Speedo LZR Pure Intent has a premium waistband and leg grips to avoid any water from getting into the suit. Now, unfortunately, a few swimmers have complained about the waistband being slightly too tight for their liking because of this.
This is going to lead to slightly less comfort around the waist area, mainly on the men’s jammer once again. Most swimmers don’t have an issue with this, but I thought I’d just mention it in case it’s something you don’t like in your tech suits.
Speedo LZR Pure Intent Sizing: Your Ideal Fit.
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Speedo LZR Pure Intent Size Chart- men’s
| Size | 20 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 28 | 30 |
| Hips (cm) | 84 – 88 | 88 – 94.5 | 94.5 – 99 | 99 – 102 | 102 – 106.5 | 106.5 – 111 | 111 – 117 |
| Hips (inches) | 33 – 34.5 | 34.5 – 37 | 37 – 39 | 39 – 40 | 40 -42 | 42 – 43.5 | 43.5 – 46 |
| Waist (cm) | 67 – 73 | 73 – 80.5 | 80.5 – 84 | 84 – 87 | 87 – 91.5 | 91.5 – 96 | 96 – 102 |
| Waist (inches) | 26-29 | 29 – 31.5 | 31.5 – 33 | 33 – 34 | 34 – 36 | 36 – 37.5 | 37.5 – 40 |
←scroll to view full table on mobile→
Speedo LZR Pure Intent Size Chart- women’s
| Size | 20 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 28 | 30 |
| Body Loop (cm) | 142 – 148 | 148 – 153 | 151 – 156 | 154 – 158 | 157 – 162 | 160 – 165.5 | 165.5 – 171 | 171 – 177 |
| Body Loop (inches) | 56 – 58 | 58 – 60 | 59.5 – 61.5 | 60.5 – 62 | 61.5 – 63.5 | 63 – 65 | 65 -67.5 | 67.5 -69.5 |
| Hips (cm) | 81 – 87 | 87 – 90 | 90 – 93 | 93 – 96 | 96 -99 | 99 – 103.5 | 103.5 – 108 | 108 – 114 |
| Hips (inches) | 32 – 34 | 34 – 35.5 | 35.5 – 36.5 | 36.5 – 37.5 | 37.5 – 39 | 39 – 40.5 | 40.5 – 42.5 | 42.5 – 45 |
| Chest (cm) | 78 – 84 | 84 – 87 | 87 – 90 | 90- 93 | 93 – 96 | 96 – 101 | 101 -106 | 106 – 111 |
| Chest (inches) | 30.5 – 33 | 33 – 34 | 34 – 35.5 | 35.5 – 36.5 | 36.5 – 37.5 | 37.5 – 40 | 40 – 41.5 | 41.5 – 43.5 |
| Waist (cm) | 61.5 – 66 | 66 – 69 | 69 -71.5 | 71.5 – 74 | 74 – 76.5 | 76.5 – 80 | 80 – 84 | 84 – 89 |
| Waist (inches) | 24 – 26 | 26 – 27 | 27 – 28 | 28 – 29 | 29 – 30 | 30 -31 | 32 – 33 | 33 – 35 |
My Honest Opinion About the Speedo LZR Pure Intent
All in all, I think the Speedo LZR Pure Intent is a great tech suit with some superb features packed in and a great overall design. This suit, along with the LZR Pure Valor is definitely the best suit Speedo has released to date.
If you were a fan of the popular Speedo LZR Racer X then I can highly recommend this suit as it is much better than that suit and also comes with some cool new features and technologies built-in.
In terms of how this suit stacks up against other brands like Arena and TYR, I definitely think that it’s way up there. Is it the best? To be honest, I won’t be able to tell you since each suit is unique, but I can assure you that this suit will be more than enough for any swimmer- professional or not.
Quick summary: the Speedo LZR Pure Intent is ideal for all strokes and is best for sprint and IM events.
The tech suit’s triple fabric construction offers unrestricted movement while dual compression layers and special taping increase your power and buoyancy. Drag is reduced using textured fabric zones, premium grips, and bonded seams.
Downsides include sizing issues and leakage on the men’s jammer if not correctly fitted.
