by
Olivier Poirier-Leroy
The Speedo Pure Valor is the best tech suit on the market for distance and stroke swimmers. Here’s a detailed look at the Pure Valor, including pros, cons, and how it compares to other Speedo tech suits.
Speedo is king when it comes to making training and racing gear for competitive swimmers.
They’ve especially led the pack in making the best tech suits for swimming fast in competition, with the Aquablade, LZR Racer, and Fastskin suits all playing center stage at the Olympics over the years.
The latest crop of elite Speedo tech suits includes the LZR Pure Valor, a medium-compression racing suit designed for stroke and distance events.
In this review, we will take this premium racing suit for a ride (or rather, a swim), go through the advantages of the suit, how it compares to similar suits and more.
By the end, you will have a clear idea if the Speedo Pure Valor Tech Suit is the right suit to help you conquer your best times on race day.
Let’s dive right in.
The Pure Valor is one of the premium racing suits made by Speedo (the other is the Speedo LZR Pure Intent—more on the differences between them later).
The suit was designed with the feedback of hundreds of swimmers, from age group athletes to masters swimmers to some of the biggest names in the sport, including Caeleb Dressel and Ariarne Titmus.
Being an elite-minded suit, it’s one of Speedo’s most expensive racing suits.
Because it has less compression and more flexibility than its big brother, the LZR Pure Intent, and because it is lighter, it’s better suited (ha!) to stroke and longer distance events in the pool.
For swimmers who have a more diverse portfolio of events in competition, or who are distance specialists, the Pure Valor is a perfect match.
(In fact, the suit was worn by Australia’s Ariarne Titmus at the Tokyo Olympics on her way to gold in the 200m and 400m freestyles.)
The Pure Valor is one of the most comfortable jammers I’ve ever worn.
One of the issues I’ve encountered over the years with racing suits is too much “stiffness” in the compression.
While this can be ideal for some swimmers, I’ve found it too uncomfortable, particularly around the hips.
The Pure Valor gives you all of the performance-enhancing benefits of a high tech swimsuit without choking off your body.
The suit is designed with range of motion and flexibility in mind.
It’s no secret that Speedo has a long history in the pool.
They have featured every major swimmer in their line-up of athletes over the years, including Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Nathan Adrian, Cody Miller, Caeleb Dressel, Ariarne Titmus, Missy Franklin, and so on.
The Pure Valor (as well as the Pure Intent) were developed over the course of three years of research and testing with the best swimmers on the planet.
Speedo also did all of their usual space science at AquaLab, their proprietary testing facility, to ensure the suit was as hydrophobic as possible.
Speedo has been at the front of the pack when it comes to high-performing racing suits. The LZR suits launched at the beginning of 2008 were the first to incorporate the now standard “shark skin” exterior.
The suit features V-shaped ridges, similar to the skin of a shark, that create tiny vortices of water that stay close to the suit and swimmer, reducing drag and turbulence.
The Pure Valor has this design, which further helps reduce drag and increase speed in the water.
The Pure Valor comes in either a closed-back or open-back design.
The difference between the two is slight, with swimmers often choosing the closed back as it provides more coverage on the back (ostensibly making it faster, as it covers more skin compared to the open-back kneeskin).
The main difference often comes down to comfort, as some swimmers find the open back format to be more comfortable to swim in.
Pure Valor jammers come in either a high-waist option, which has an extra couple of inches of fabric at the top of the suit, or a regular waist.
High-waist jammers are a great option for swimmers who struggle to keep their butt from sliding out the top of their swimsuit.
Exposing your butt-crack while swimming is an issue in itself, but this can also cause water to seep into your tech suit while swimming.
The Pure Valor (and the Pure Intent) represent a significant improvement on the LZR Racer X, the previous elite tech suit made by Speedo.
For starters, the paneling of the suit makes it easier to get into.
One of the chief complaints of racing suits is that it can sometimes feel like you exert yourself more trying to wrestle into the suit than you do actually swimming.
While the Pure Valor is still an investment in time to slip into, the suit is better designed for getting into.
One of the reasons that tech suits are so expensive is because the seams of the suit are laser bonded.
Compared to regular stitching, this process takes more time and is significantly more involved.
The bonding of the Pure Valor further reduces drag when you are swimming across the pool like your hair is on fire.
Key Specs:
With all of those bells and whistles, and the Olympic-champions stamp-of-approval, you just know that it’s not going to be cheap.
While not as expensive as the Pure Intent suits, the Pure Valor runs from $365 for a men’s jammer up to $499 for a women’s kneeskin.
There are plenty of tech suits that have relatively similar fabrics and compression, but Speedo simply stands atop the pile when it comes to reduced drag with the design of the Fastskin fabrics.
The Pure Valor is certified by FINA for competitive use. Each suit has the FINA QR code and sticker on the back to ensure compliance with FINA regulations surrounding tech suit construction and fabrics.
No, it is not. Like other “premium” tech suits, the Pure Valor is not approved for 12 and under swimmers.
Speedo continues to crush it when it comes to racing suits that are made to perform on race day.
For swimmers who want a high-performance fabric that is flexible enough for extended wear, the Speedo LZR Pure Valor is an excellent choice.
Made for distance and stroke swimmers, the Pure Valor is a proven swimsuit for peak performance on race day.
+ Designed for distance and stroke swimmers
+ Starts at $359
+ Flexible panels make it easier to get into
+ Available as a jammer or kneeskin
Do Tech Suits Help You Swim Faster? (Yes, Here’s How Much Time You Will Drop). Wondering how tech suits help you swim faster and how much time you can expect to drop? Here’s a look at the research on tech suits and swim performance.
6 Best Tech Suits for Breaststrokers. Whether you are a breaststroker, or an IM specialist looking for a tech suit that provides compression and lots of mobility, here is a breakdown of the best tech suits for breaststrokers.
Olivier Poirier-Leroy Olivier Poirier-Leroy is the founder of YourSwimLog.com. He is an author, former national level swimmer, two-time Olympic Trials qualifier, and swim coach.
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