Low Tide Boyz, a Swimrun Podcast4 Aug 2020

Ark Sports Ornö Swimrun Wetsuit Review

Welcome to the (newly named) Gear Talk: The Löw Tide Böyz and Swimrun Labs review show!

In this episode, we do a deep dive into the Ark Sports ORNÖ 02 Swimrun wetsuit.

We’ve talked about Ark Sports a lot on Gear Talk and we’re stoked to take a closer look at the ORNÖ 02 suit. Both Chipper and Annie have used the ORNÖ 02 in training and racing so we get their perspective on the suit while Brooke and Chris peppered them with questions. We were first introduced to Ark Sports when we interviewed the co-founder, Christofer Sundberg for the podcast back in February 2020.

Wetsuit Details from Ark Sports

The ORNÖ is Ark Sport’s “flagship suit” and it has been tested and trusted by the world’s best swimrun athletes since they launched it in 2017. Ark Sports describes the suit as “a stripped racer with no unnecessary additions. Designed with the single purpose of making you move as smoothly and quickly as possible even through the hardest conditions.”

The suit boasts the following features:

Premium Yamamoto LIMESTONE neoprene
Low weight
Running+ (the material of the bottom half of the suit)
Master buoyancy belt - 4 mm AIR
Anti-leak construction - total
UltraFlex inner liner
Glide skin coating

The suit comes in Men’s and Women’s specific cuts and costs $480. It includes removable arm sleeves and a whistle can be purchased separately. The size chart on the Ark Sports site is very detailed and both Annie and Chipper we’re able to dial in the right size easily.

Swimming Impressions

Annie loved swimming in the suit. She was expecting it to not be a cold-water suit but because the suit locks out water so well it worked well in a variety of conditions. The removable sleeves also worked really well despite how thin the neoprene was. Similarly, Chipper loved swimming in the suit and echoed Annie’s experience of the suit sealing out water.

The shoulder material in the suit is very thin and allows for full range of motion. Chipper felt like the suit was like a second skin in the water. The lower half of suit which is a different material that the top half didn’t result in feeling cold and was a non-issue.

One negative of the suit is how delicate it is. Annie has been using the suit a lot (over 17 times) and she’s gotten several holes in the suit in the anterior shoulders, on the hip seam and in the back of the neck. Chipper’s suit is just starting to get some small tears in the armpit area.

Annie and Chipper both recommended pairing it with a large swimrun pull buoy to address the lack of buoyancy in the lower half of the suit, which is very minimal and designed for ultimate running mobility…which we will discuss below. They weren’t sure if buoyancy would be an issue if swimrunners are not using a large pull buoy.

Overall, the suit performs exceptionally well in the water. The suit looks great but it has a low safety score because of the color. The suit doesn’t come with a whistle but you can get one for an extra $10. While durability is an issue, it is a very well-engineered wetsuit designed specifically for Swimrun.

Running Impressions

The ORNÖ 02 performed amazingly during runs. As mentioned above, the lower half of the suit uses a material that Ark Sports calls “Running+” that is a spandex material with some thin neoprene with nylon backing that doesn’t absorb water.

Running in this suit was “hands down the best running suit” that Chipper has used. The suit doesn’t hold water and is super light. Annie also felt that the suit was great for running. Chipper hasn’t cabbed down (lowered the top half of the suit for runs) as often as Annie has and it appears that the tearing issues started as a result of excessive cabbing down and up.

One potential negative is that the suit has zero storage. While the new Utö suit, Korp and Vigg suits have a back pocket, the ORNÖ 02 requires you to either wear an undershirt with storage or have some other external storage solution. This might be okay for a race with ample energy stations but it’s an issue for longer self-supported Swimrun adventures.

Annie’s Pull Buoy Ranking

For racing, Annie gave the ORNÖ 4.5 pull buoys. It works exceptionally well for racing and she docked a half a pull buoy for lack of any storage. For “everyday” or overall use, she gave it 4 pull buoys mostly because of the lack of durability.

Chipper’s Pull Buoy Ranking

Chipper thought this was the best suit that he’s tried and even seen. He gave it 4.5 pull buoys because of the lack of durability and storage.

Overall Impressions

Annie and Chipper both agree that this suit will result in a performance advantage for anyone that uses it. This is a great race suit but given how delicate the suit is, it’s not be the best suit for everyday training and potentially worth have another suit that is primarily for training and save the ORNÖ 02 for race day. Annie recommends getting some Aquaseal + Neo Neoprene Contact Cement to fix any tears that might happen from training or racing in the suit.

Chipper’s favorite feature of the suits are the running+ leg material and the flexibility in the shoulders coupled with the removeable arm sleeves. Annie’s favorite feature was the running+ material and the fit of the suit along with how great the suit looks. Some suggestions for improvement that Chipper and Annie had would be to include some sort of pocket for storage and include the whistle. They would also like to see better material for the Velcro to seal the neck of the suit.

Overall, Ark Sports really changed the game by creating a suit that is now imitated by several of the other brands in the sport. It’s an amazing piece of technology. It’s also very cool that Ark Sports has a demo/rental program in collaboration with Ötillö events.

That’s it for this week’s Gear Talk show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, please be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Google Podcast. You can also follow our meme page on Instagram and on Twitter. Email us at lowtideboyz@gmail.com with any feedback, suggestions and/or meme suggestions. Finally, you can also support us on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.

Upptäck Premium

Prova 14 dagar kostnadsfritt

Skaffa Premium

Avsnitt(334)

OTILLO WC 2025 Race Recap

Welcome to episode 296 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!What a weekend! We just finished broadcasting the 19th Edition of ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship and needless to say it was a blast! While the FOMO of not racing was sky high, we certainly got a new appreciation for the race as we followed all the teams along the legendary course. Plus we still got to enjoy the post-race breakfast which was amazing as always! Huge thanks to ÖTILLÖ for inviting us to be a part of it!Enjoy!~~~That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

4 Sep 52min

OTILLO Mackinac Island 2025 Race Report

Welcome to episode 295 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We’ve got a great one for everyone this week. Chris just got back from ÖTILLÖ Mackinac Island where he raced as part of Team Musubi & Mofongo with friend of the podcast John Branderhorst (part of Team Kancho Boyz.) They had a blast racing the last(?) edition of the race in northern Michigan. In this race report, they share all the sights, sounds and smells of what was the most spectator friendly Swimrun in America.Enjoy!~~~That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

28 Aug 50min

OTILLO WC 2025 Preview Show

Welcome to episode 281 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We've got a great one for everyone this week. Dominik Leu of ÖTILLÖ joins us to preview this year's edition of ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship. In this episode we share an overview of the race experience, discuss who's gunning for the podium in each team division, and share exclusive breaking news!As a bonus, make sure to head over to our website to download our free ÖTILLÖ Watch Party/Viewers Guide. Enjoy!~~~That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

21 Aug 55min

Low Tide Labz: LTBz Signature Edition Frank Paddles

Welcome to episode 293 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!Gear Talk is back...but it's now called Low Tide Labz. In this episode we discuss the Frank Paddle LTBz Signature paddle, a.k.a., The Stoke Masters, a.k.a., The LTBz'z, a.k.a., The New Hotness. We worked with Frank Paddle for almost a year in designing these paddles and we're stoked with how they turned out. These are a step forward in the evolution of carbon fiber paddles and have resulted in at least one Swimrun miracle to date.Enjoy!~~~That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

14 Aug 40min

Adriel Young is Living His Best (Swimrun) Life

Welcome to episode 292 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We’ve got a great one for everyone this week. A Swimrun legend joins us on the podcast to discuss his recent victory at ÖTILLÖ Gothenburg and his upcoming One Water Race. Of course, we are talking about none other than multiple Swimrun World Champion Adriel Young. In this conversation we talk about his favorite Swimrun race, how he’s preparing for OWR, and so much more. Enjoy!~~~That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

7 Aug 49min

Folsom Swimrun 2025 Race Report

Welcome to episode 291 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We’ve got our first official LTBz team race report for everyone this week. 2025 has been the most varied year of Swimrun for us to date where we've raced with different partners, distances, etc. but we finally towed the line with our usual team format for this past weekend's Folsom Swimrun. We raced both the short course and the long course events (a.k.a., The Chipper Double) and had a blast. In this episode, we recap our race, share the results of our new race strategy, and tried to keep the complaints about the super cold water (and our lack of arm sleeves) to a minimum.Enjoy!~~~That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

31 Juli 37min

Rockman 2025 Race Recap w/Team Cali-Coed

Welcome to episode 290 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We’ve got an epic episode for everyone this week. Joining us to recap their adventure at this year’s Rockman Swimrun are our great friends Liza Dunham and Mike Schiepke, A.K.A., Team Cali-Coed. (If this team sounds familiar, we interviewed them for Partners Month all the way back on Episode 128.) In this conversation we discuss their training, travel, and race recap of their day on the fjord. This year’s race was one for the ages and Liza and Mike bring it to life.Enjoy!~~~That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

24 Juli 1h 26min

Kayla Kobelin on Taking on the One Water Race...Again

Welcome to episode 289 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We've got an all-timer for everyone this week. Joining us to discuss her preparation for The One Water Race (and Swimrun) (and life) is elite Swimrunner Kayla Kobelin. She's racing as part of Team 7 in this year's race and we discussed what actually makes this race the "ultimate proof of human capacity," how is she training differently this time around, and so much more. We've been meaning to get Kayla on the show for a long time and we're glad that we finally made it happen.Enjoy!~~~That’s it for this week’s show. If you are enjoying the Löw Tide Böyz, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star rating and review since that’s the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and on YouTube. Check out our website for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page @thelowtideboyz on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at lowtideboyz@gmail.com. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!- Chip and Chris

17 Juli 53min

Allt en och samma app

Lyssna på dina favoritpoddar och ljudböcker på ett och samma ställe.

Noga utvalt innehåll

Njut av handplockade tips som passar din smak – utan ändlöst scrollande.

Fortsätt när du vill

Fortsätt lyssna där du slutade – även offline.

Premium

99 kr/mån

Tillgång till alla Premium-poddar
Lyssna utan reklam
Avsluta när du vill

Prova 14 dagar gratis

Premium

129 kr/mån

Tillgång till alla Premium-poddar
Lyssna utan reklam
Avsluta när du vill
Ett extra konto

Prova 14 dagar gratis

Populärt inom Sport

Berättelserna och rösterna du älskar att lyssna på

Obegränsad lyssning på alla dina favoritpoddar och ljudböcker

Upptäck Premium