Swimwear

Abstract

Swimwear is provided. The swimwear includes: at least one of a waist strap, a back fastener and a drawstring for providing tension at or above an iliac crest of a wearer; a first leg portion including at least a first longitudinal strap or stiffening member, the at least a first longitudinal strap or stiffening member extending from a first hip region of the wearer to a first lateral thigh region of the wearer and being coupled to the means for providing tension; and a second leg portion including at least a second longitudinal strap or stiffening member, the at least a second longitudinal strap or stiffening member extending from a second hip region of the wearer to a second lateral thigh region of the wearer and being coupled to the means for providing tension. The swimwear may be a jammer, a swimskin or a wetsuit.

1 . Swimwear, comprising:
 means for providing tension at or above an iliac crest of a wearer;   a first leg portion including at least a first longitudinal strap or stiffening member, the at least a first longitudinal strap or stiffening member extending from a first hip region of the wearer to a first lateral thigh region of the wearer and being coupled to the means for providing tension; and   a second leg portion including at least a second longitudinal strap or stiffening member, the at least a second longitudinal strap or stiffening member extending from a second hip region of the wearer to a second lateral thigh region of the wearer and being coupled to the means for providing tension.   
     
     
         2 . The swimwear of  claim 1 , wherein the means for providing tension at or above an iliac crest of a wearer comprises at least one of a waist strap and a back fastener. 
     
     
         3 . The swimwear of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first longitudinal strap or stiffening member and the second longitudinal strap or stiffening member is stiffer than panels in the leg portions of the swimwear. 
     
     
         4 . The swimwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first longitudinal strap or stiffening member extends from the first hip region of the wearer to a position at or around a first knee of the wearer, and the second longitudinal strap or stiffening member extends from the second hip region of the wearer to a position at or around a second knee of the wearer. 
     
     
         5 . The swimwear of  claim 1 , wherein the swimwear is a wetsuit and the first longitudinal straps or stiffening members are made from neoprene. 
     
     
         6 . The swimwear of  claim 1 , wherein the means for providing tension at or above the iliac crest of a wearer is or comprises at least one of a waist strap and a drawstring. 
     
     
         7 . The swimwear of  claim 6 , further comprising a body harness, the body harness comprising the first longitudinal strap or stiffening member, the second longitudinal strap or stiffening member and the at least one of a waist strap and a drawstring,
 the first longitudinal strap or stiffening member being arranged to extend from a first hip region of the wearer to a first lateral thigh region of the wearer;   the second longitudinal strap or stiffening member being arranged to extend from a second hip region of the wearer to a second lateral thigh region of the wearer; and   the waist strap and/or the drawstring extending at least partially around a waist of the wearer and coupled to the first longitudinal strap or stiffening member and the second longitudinal strap or stiffening member.   
     
     
         8 . The swimwear of  claim 7 , further comprising a shell, wherein:
 the first longitudinal strap or stiffening member is arranged to substantially cover a first seam, in the shell, extending from the first hip region of the first leg of the wearer to the first lateral thigh region of the wearer; and   the second longitudinal strap or stiffening member is arranged to substantially cover a second seam, in the shell, extending from the second hip region of the second leg of the wearer to the second lateral thigh region of the wearer.   
     
     
         9 . The swimwear of  claim 7 , further comprising a first gripper strap and a second gripper strap, the first gripper strap being arranged to grip a first leg of the wearer above and adjacent to the wearer's knee, and being coupled to the first longitudinal strap or stiffening member; and
 the second gripper strap being arranged to grip a second leg of the wearer above and adjacent to the wearer's knee, and being coupled to the second longitudinal strap or stiffening member.   
     
     
         10 . The swimwear of  claim 6 , wherein the swimwear comprises the waist strap which extends at least partially around a waist of the wearer and is coupled to the first longitudinal strap or stiffening member and the second longitudinal strap or stiffening member. 
     
     
         11 . The swimwear of  claim 10 , wherein the first longitudinal strap or stiffening member is directly connected to the waist strap and the second longitudinal strap or stiffening member is directly connected to the waist strap. 
     
     
         12 . The swimwear of  claim 10 , wherein the body harness further comprises one or more further straps, extending from a crotch region of the wearer, arranged to couple to the waist strap. 
     
     
         13 . The swimwear of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more further straps include a strap that is directly connected to the first longitudinal strap or stiffening member, a strap that is directly connected to the second longitudinal strap or stiffening member and a strap that is directly connected to the waist strap. 
     
     
         14 . The swimwear of  claim 7 , wherein the body harness further comprises at least one inner leg strap arranged to extend from a crotch region of the wearer and along an inner leg region of the wearer, and the at least one inner leg strap extends along an inner leg region of the first leg of the wearer and along an inner leg region of the second leg of the wearer. 
     
     
         15 . The swimwear of  claim 14 , wherein the body harness further comprises a lateral thigh strap arranged to couple the at least one inner leg strap to the first longitudinal strap. 
     
     
         16 . A wetsuit, comprising:
 at least one of a waist strap and a back fastener for providing tension at or above an iliac crest of a wearer;   a first leg portion including at least a first stiffening member, the at least a first stiffening member extending from a first hip region of the wearer to a first lateral thigh region of the wearer and being coupled to the means for providing tension; and   a second leg portion including at least a second stiffening member, the at least a second stiffening member extending from a second hip region of the wearer to a second lateral thigh region of the wearer and being coupled to the waist strap and/or the back fastener.   
     
     
         17 . The wetsuit of  claim 16 , wherein the first longitudinal strap or stiffening member extends from the first hip region of the wearer to a position at or around a first knee of the wearer, and the second longitudinal strap or stiffening member extends from the second hip region of the wearer to a position at or around a second knee of the wearer. 
     
     
         18 . The wetsuit of  claim 16 , wherein each of the first stiffening member and the second stiffening member is stiffer than panels in the leg portions of the wetsuit. 
     
     
         19 . The wetsuit of  claim 18 , wherein the panels in the leg portions are made from a first neoprene, the first and second stiffening members are made from a second neoprene, and the first and second stiffening members have an elastic modulus that is 10-40% greater than an elastic modulus of the panels in the leg portions. 
     
     
         20 . Swimwear, comprising:
 a body harness comprising a first longitudinal strap, a second longitudinal strap, at least one inner leg strap, a first lateral strap, a second lateral strap and at least one of a waist strap and a drawstring;   the first longitudinal strap being arranged to extend from a first hip region of the wearer to a first lateral thigh region of the wearer;   the second longitudinal strap being arranged to extend from a second hip region of the wearer to a second lateral thigh region of the wearer;   the waist strap and/or the drawstring extending at least partially around a waist of the wearer and coupled to the first longitudinal strap and the second longitudinal strap;   the least one inner leg strap arranged to extend from a crotch region of the wearer and along an inner leg region of a first leg of the wearer and an inner leg region of a second leg of the wearer;   the first lateral strap being arranged to couple the at least one the inner leg strap to the first longitudinal strap; and   the second lateral strap being arranged to couple the at least one the inner leg strap to the second longitudinal strap.