Technical Racing Swimwear has been defined by hydrophobic treatments, water repellency, and water running off the suit fabric for years…until now!

What makes PHENOM, by A3 Performance, faster and more unique than any other tech suit in the water is SlipStream®, PHENOM’s proprietary Water Management Technology. SlipStream® is the first-ever hydrophilic water treatment used in technical racing swimwear. What’s hydrophilic and how is it different from hydrophobic? Let’s start with some basic definitions.

Hydrophobic: lacking affinity for water

Hydrophilic: of, relating to, or having a strong affinity for water

The two treatments are polar opposites. Hydrophobic treatments repel water off the suit and off the body, while Phenom’s hydrophilic treatment allows the suit to unite with the water. How is hydrophilic faster?

SlipStream® creates a boundary layer around the suit called the slip layer. This slip layer works synergistically with the micro-roughness of the surface of PHENOM’s fabric that generates micro-vortices, and this helps to reduce the friction of the swimsuit. The surface layer of the swimsuit is no longer a water repellent barrier, but rather it is now an actual layer of water, gliding through the water.

Think of dolphins and sharks, some of the fastest animals on the planet and easily the fastest swimmers. Not everyone has had the opportunity to touch these animals, but if you were to touch them, their skin feels wet and somewhat slippery, even after removing them from the water. This is a real-life example of a hydrophilic surface, and it’s no coincidence that some of the world’s fastest swimmers have this natural layer on the outer surface of their bodies. 

Nothing in the pool is faster than SlipStream® Water Management Technology, and nothing is faster than PHENOM!

Check out Part II of What Makes PHENOM the Best Here!

Follow along for your chance to WIN a new PHENOM technical racing suit in the coming weeks! One lucky swimmer will win a PHENOM tech suit of their choice to take their summer racing to the next level!

PHENOM is now available for purchase online at A3 Performance and is coming soon to Australia and India!

Photos courtesy of Mike Lewis

A3 Performance is the fastest growing brand of competitive swimwear in the world, driven by our mission to Lead, Innovate, and Inspire in the sport of competitive swimming.