We're big fans of Ruby Fresh open water swimming wetsuits. We have been part of the Ruby Fresh journey having tested the wetsuits in development out in New Zealand.
• Adjusted and refined sizing.
• New size model - The Mens Large Tall {LT}. See size chart
• Ruby Fresh Grab Tab™ at base of zipper - to aid closing your wet suit. Grab the Tab with one hand, pull up the zip cord with the other. It's genius.
• Enhanced internal construction; New internal stitching design; Improved cut of the core Aerodome 5mm Bouyancy Tray™ Panel.
• Longer Velcro neck closing area to better allow for looser/tighter neck closure and adjust-ability making it easier to avoid neck rub.
• Coral Pink.
• Coral White for the minimalists amongst you...
About the Womens Flow Ruby Fresh wetsuit:
We took the male design and reimagined the buoyancy requirements for the female form. The wet suit is not simply a resized male version.
The three points of difference are: Buoyancy • Warmth • Visibility
These three criteria are designed to create a more efficient swim posture, enhance comfort in colder water - to keep you warmer for longer or, to increase swim duration; and lastly - to be seen.
The Yamamoto #39 & #40 neoprene panels have been optimised for buoyancy at specific positions; flexibility in the arm and lats / shoulder blades; and ease of removal, especially across the heel. For those wanting really fast removal, the seams on the forearm and below the knee are taped overlength to allow further cropping of the suit to personal requirements.
Buoyancy -
The general idea of swimming fast is about being streamlined in the water as much as anything else. (OK, you need a great catch too... ) There are a number of aspects as to why this is good. Firstly, swimming fast means you do better in swim races! That's obvious... But also, swimming fast feels good. It's as simple as that. That aspect is as important as the speed. The feeling you are swimming well, means just as much. To create a streamlined position means altering the swimmers buoyancy profile. Since there has not been a wetsuit designed with a buoyancy profile specifically created for fresh water use, we decided to create one.
Warmth -
Generally speaking lakes are colder than the sea. At Lake Wanaka in New Zealand, the water temperatures, at 278m above sea level, range from 8.5°C up to 19°C. But that middle range from 11.5° through to 15.5° is a large part of the year. Numbers of active lake swimmer tend to fall away in those temperatures when 'traditional' swim wetsuits are not really made for any sort of extended time in cooler waters. With Ruby Fresh wetsuits the whole torso section including arms, and the calf panels of the leg feature a layer of Titanium between the lining and the neoprene. This reflects between 35% to 40% of generated heat, further increasing the temperature of the trapped layer of water in the suit between the skin and the inner lining.
Visibility -
An interesting feature is a need to make the suit as visible as possible for use in busy multi vessel and user type waterways, but maintaining the dolphin-like feel of the Yamamoto SCS smooth-skin layer. By using a pattern design of hi-vis dayglo pink water based ink, on one arm and the latissimus dorsi side panel, we have attained an increased level of visibility. The effect is quite striking when in use. On our first suit derivation {V1} we used a gold SCS neoprene with a metallic lustre which reflected beautifully in the sun but we found, unfortunately, the gold effect rubbed off after a while which didn't look so hot which was a shame. The Hi Vis Coral Pink really stands out.