Carbon Flex joins the family

Like its sibling, the Carbon Pro, the Carbon Flex uses our groundbreaking carbon cage technology, but where it differs is in the new V-Flex System described below. The net result is an expanded, best-in-class racing swimsuit range, whose strengths are now extended through the diversity of the two suits’ features and benefits – catering to swimmer preferences – while staying true to the unique principles of intelligent compression and optimum fit.
In 2012, Carbon-Pro became the first racing suit to truly address the traditional trade-off between compression and freedom of movement, delivering power and comfort simultaneously, without compromising either. With its seamless two-panel construction and strategic placement of seams on the hips and thighs, the Carbon Pro offers compression without constriction, giving the swimmer both support and control, reducing muscle stress during the race, and improving glide thanks to the lightweight fabric with its inherent durability and strength. It’s the very essence of the performance, as its London and Barcelona successes demonstrated.

But here at arena, while we appreciate the success that rewards our efforts, we know that to stay on the cutting edge of this highly competitive market, we can’t rest on our laurels. So we don’t simply ask ourselves “What can we do?”, we ask ourselves “What else can we do?” .

So we gathered data and feedback from many sources – including our Elite Team athletes – did further research and experimentation, and explored some alternative features to match varying swimmer needs.

Carbon Flex is the result. The carbon cage and its partners, Intelligent Compression and the Power Return System, are still its core components. The difference comes in the V-Flex System, which moves the suit’s seams away from the side of both men’s and women’s suits, to offer three specific benefits:

Hip flexion and freedom of movement:  Seam placement creates a “flexline” across the hip flexors, offering less resistance during hip flexion on starts, turns, and breaststroke kicks. The system delivers complete freedom of movement around the hips, glutes, and shoulders, along with perfect fit and comfort.

Lifting effect: The rear seam creates a “tension line” between the two anchor points, limiting stretch on this line and having a lifting effect on the back of the legs. This helps to keep the legs high in the water during freestyle, and to keep the knees from dropping during breaststroke and butterfly.

Push off the wall: During the tumble turn, the tension line also helps with pushing off the wall.

The Carbon Flex suit is also a bit longer in the torso and leg, providing greater body coverage and reinforcing the effects of Intelligent Compression.

All in all, it’s a perfect complement to the Carbon Pro, offering a different set of benefits to match the swimmer’s needs.

So which suit is better? To tell the truth – neither. Or perhaps it would be better to say “both”. Same genetics, different personality. They’re siblings, two peas in a pod – different, but equally effective.

Which one will be best for you? Well, that depends on your preference, but here are a few suggestions:

• Carbon Pro – sprinters, freestyle and butterfly specialists
• Carbon-Flex – breaststroke, backstroke and mid-long distance freestyle swimmers, as well as short course with its frequent turns

As they say, everyone’s different, and that’s precisely why there are now two best-of-breed suits in the carbon family – to give you a choice in meeting your specific needs.

So far, we know that our Elite Team athletes that tested the Carbon Flex have had only good things to say about it. But perhaps none were quite as brief and to the point as Emily Seebohm, Australia’s number one backstroker: “Carbon Flex is rocking!