ZOOT

Prophet Women's WetZoot

While we all need the same thing from a wetsuit on race-day, every maker of wetsuits approaches these objectives in different ways. Some will opt to power your kicks, while others concentrate on flexibility. And at the higher-end of spectrum, we find engineers placing with variable densities in order to positively effect buoyancy. However, while all of these technologies exist within the singular realm, it's increasingly rare to find them concentrated within one design. Note that we said 'rare' and not impossible. With the Zoot Prophet Women's WetZoot, all of these technologies are incorporated to provide a wetsuit that cuts through open water while preserving your energy for the following two legs of the race.

First, let's start at the various compositions of neoprene that comprise the Prophet. In order to precisely blend buoyancy with flexibility, Zoot placed different densities of Yamamoto neoprene throughout the suit. So, the front body is comprised of 4.5mm layer of C39 Atmosphere neoprene. Why C39? Because it's the industry-leader in pairing stretch with buoyancy, and it has the second highest cell density of any neoprene on the market. In its construction, Yamamoto uses air cavities in order to both reduce weight and increase buoyancy. As a result, its placement and density at both the front and back panels increases lift to the core, opening up your body for the perfect stroke position in the water. However, you might be wondering why this lift is of importance?

Well, just as sleek shapes minimize your drag coefficient on land, the wetsuit's level of buoyancy is the minimizing variable in the water. The supporting science behind this claim is fairly elementary -- water is around 1000 times denser than air, and it produces a potential drag coefficient 10 times that of air, as well. So, minimizing your body's submergence is vital to optimizing hydrodynamics. Additionally, the Prophet benefits from a Nano SCS hydrodynamic finish that provides an added 4% of buoyancy over standard SCS, while lowering the suit's coefficient of kinetic friction to 0.026, compared to an untreated neoprene's coefficient of 4.0. Without entering into a physics lesson, the coefficient of kinetic friction is most simply described as the ratio of the force of friction between two bodies, and the force pressing them together. And in this case, the two bodies are your body and the water and friction occurs concurrently with their motions. So, in the real-world, Nano SCS acts almost like an accelerant as it reduces the friction between yourself and the water, ultimately requiring you to exert less force in order to gain more speed.

Furthering your speed in the water are two variables -- your ability to move and the efficiency of those movements. As you probably guessed, the aforementioned are both interconnected. So, Zoot decreased the neoprene's thickness at the arms, countering this decrease with a higher cell density. As a result, the upper and under sleeves feature a 2mm Yamamoto C40 composition. However, remembering the attributes of buoyancy and weight from earlier, the under sleeve uses the C40 Atmosphere neoprene. And given that the locomotion of the legs is more angular than circular, the Zoot constructed the legs from a thicker neoprene, 3.5mm C39. Meanwhile, the seat panel features the same composition as the back, the 4.5mm C39 Atmosphere. Altogether, the combinations of thicknesses and cell densities strikes the ideal balance between flexibility and body positioning.

But, in terms of turning that motion into effective power, Zoot still had a few tricks up its sleeve. At the legs, the Prophet utilizes a proprietary technology that Zoot calls its Optimal Kick Design. Essentially, this is a leg patterning that conforms to your anatomy instead of working against it. So, when you hold the wetsuit from the collar, it appears to be pre-shaped. However, this demonstration won't tell you that OKD increases your kick velocity, frequency, and efficiency. Similarly, the sleeves feature Zoot's DYNAhull, which is a single-seam design that maximizes your flexibility. This increases your stroke reach, and accordingly, maximizes your power and efficiency.

At the back, you'll find Zoot's Dorsal Flex Zipper design that utilizes a slight 2mm zipper panel. This also aids in flexibility over the scapula and back, while concurrently allowing the necessary lung expansion for hard efforts.

The Zoot Prophet Women's WetZoot is available in the color Black and in five sizes from X-Small to X-Large. Please note that Zoot also provides a Small/tall option, as well.