Dyneema One-Layer Skin Suit CRAFTed for Dutch Olympic Short Track Skaters

Dutch Olympic speed skaters are no strangers to Olympic success and Dyneema is claiming their chances in these XXI Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver will be further assisted by the CRAFT one-layer skin suit it helped design for the Dutch short-track teams (members of the woman's team are pictured).

The firm reports Dyneema is combined with other materials to create a lightweight supersuit - one more comfortable due to intrinsic cooling properties than comparable alternatives, whilst also offering full body protection.

Dyneema reports the new skin suit is the first to offer full body protection in a single layer. Previously, Olympic athletes wore two layer skin suits -- an under layer for protection purposes and a surface layer for aesthetics. The one layer CRAFT skin suit is lighter than existing alternatives and its snugger-fit makes it exceptionally comfortable.

Dyneema is a registered "superstrong" polyethylene fiber that offers maximum strength combined with minimum weight. It is up to 15 times stronger than quality steel, according to the company and up to 40 percent stronger than aramid fibers, both on weight for weight basis.

Dyneema floats on water and is extremely durable and resistant to moisture, UV light and chemicals. The applications are therefore more or less unlimited.

"We work closely with top athletes to maximize their performance by engineering world class apparel used in sporting events, such as the Olympics," comments Johan Neperus, General Manager of CRAFT Benelux. "Thanks to the use of Dyneema, the technical performance of the suits, in terms of keeping the athlete cool and allowing body heat to escape more effectively is ensured. In addition, the suits provide full body protection which exceed today's requirements as set by the International Skating Union."

"The traditional combination of a protective under layer with a nylon suit on top meant that the overall outfit was too heavy and fairly uncomfortable," adds Bert van der Tuuk, CEO of SportConfex B.V. which collaborated on the innovation. "Hence, we developed a new solution, involving a double-face single layer construction combining Dyneema and nylon. We are very excited about this new product and foresee many more opportunities for its use in other sports."