Product Review - Lava Pants. Xterra's Half-a-wetsuit

I'm sometimes criticized for not testing the products I review. But I defend my right to think something is completely ridiculous without trying it on. It saves money and, really, who is going to be brave enough to send me their stuff after reading one of my reviews.

Anyways, I was thrilled at the release of LAVA pants. As far as I can figure out they are swimming wetsuit pants. Why hasn't it been thought of before?

Now, according to the argument of manufacturer Xterra wetsuits they are to replace the pull buoy.

Why would you use a pull buoy? "Form, body positioning and strength."

Why would you want to replace the pull buoy? Because you "become dependent and when you take away the buoy you regress to poor form."

The Xterra solution? Replace the pull buoy with something else that provides artificial floatation to the lower half of your body. Perfect! Just like a pull buoy. Well, no not exactly, you now have a "natural range of motion". Which means you are free again to split your legs and do that inefficient wide scissor kick triathletes a particularly prone to.

Also, it is "the essence of the axiom "train like you race"". Except...it's half a wetsuit and you probably race in a full wetsuit. It's like hopping is just like running or riding a unicycle is like riding a normal bike.

But, hell, at the bargain price of $125 what have you got to lose? At least they'll hide your compression socks from everyone's sight.