A New Race Suit!

So, in my April 6th, 2013 entry (I Am the AZ State/SW Zone CHAMPION!) I discussed how I thought that our ONE Masters swim suits were nothing more than practice suits and that I wore my older Nike jammer for the race.  That got me thinking about the fact that I don't have a new, and tight, race suit for Nationals.  If I'm going to do this, and I am, I'm definitely going to require a new suit.  I remembered that Frank as a HUGE discount with Finis, so I jumped on their website to see what they had to offer.  It's always a difficult process for me to purchase new gear, whether it's a new bike, new cycling shoes, new swim suit, or even new goggles.  Part of me wants the cheapest available item that still performs well.  The other part of me would argue that if I'm racing, why not get the maximum advantage that the "Best/Pricier" items offer?  I go back and forth about some things aren't the best just because they are expensive, or the time savings they offer would be fractions of a second, and thusly, not worth the extra jack.  Back and forth I go before I (A) leave the store with nothing or (B) settle the argument in my mind and purchase whatever side wins.  Seriously, when I bought those new race goggles, I probably spent 30 minutes in the swim section trying on the various "performance" models that the different companies offered.  I narrowed it down to a pair of Speedos and a pair of TYRs.  They were essentially identical, but the Speedos were something like $8 or $10 more.  Why are they more?  Do they offer some advantage the TYRs don't?  Back and forth I went.  Tried them both on multiple times while staring at myself in the small mirror provided on the rack.  Ultimately, my saner side won and reminded me that the $8 - $10 more was probably for the word "Speedo" on the side.  TYR it was.  Funny thing now is that I look at every other swimmer on deck, at an event, on TV, or in a magazine to see if they are wearing my TYRs as if I need some kind of validation.  Truly bizarre, I know.  OK, back to the suit.  I fired this email off to Frank:

"So, I'm perusing the Finis site for a new RACE suit and need some guidance....hopefully you can help.  I need to pick up a pair of jammers for racing only and they have them from $37.99 to $379.99.  Seriously?!?!  $379.99?  We can throw that one out on price alone.  We can also throw out the $199.99 and $129.99 jammers too.  I am eyeballing the $69.99 Male Hydrospeed 2 Jammer, but wanted your opinion.  How much different is that from their regular $37.99 jammer?  Is it worth the extra $30?!?  Any advantage to racing in a brief?"

So, right there, you can see the thought process and virtual mental struggle I described above.  Over the course of a few days, Frank would do some research and we would talk back and forth.  Ultimately, what he did next absolutely BLEW ME AWAY!  He texts me to tell me that, if I'm OK with the $69.99 Hydrospeed 2 Jammers, he (Sole Swim Solutions) would love to purchase them for me.  Say what?!?!  I immediately called him to let him know that it was completely unnecessary and that I'd buy them myself.  He told me to sleep on it, but he would be "honored" to do it.  Well, I didn't need to sleep on it and told him that I would gladly accept.  How cool is that?!?  The only thing that could possibly be cooler is when he texted me that my $129.99 Hydrospeed Flux jammers arrived.  "No client of mine will be swimming in the Nationals with a $69.99 suit" he said.  WHOA!  Speechless.  I mean, really?  Dude is a serious class act, a phenomenal coach, and more importantly, a true friend.  

Here is the link to my suit:
Hydrospeed Flux Jammer 

Here is a link to his swim studio (I've posted it before, but here it is again):

Sole Swim Solutions