You guys have either used or been sponsored by a number of companies (metal, inzer, overkill, etc). What was your favorite shirt, suit, and briefs?
I don’t have nearly the experience that Brian does, but one comparison that I can easily make is Metal bench shirts to the SDP.
I wore a couple different Metal shirts, the Bash in both single and double ply and an Ace. I really had a hell of a time with these, struggled to make them work at all. I actually had to abandon the 2-ply Bash during the training cycle that I using it in and go to a single ply. There was no way I was going to get one in at the meet. I was also training with former WPO pro Chris Mason at the time so I had a good teacher. We just couldn’t make it work. Lot of dumps and a heck of a 2 board shirt.
The SDP has been a completely different experience. 2 meets, 6 successful benches and I am continuously going down in sizes to get tighter and tighter shirts. The SDP is just so forgiving, the groove is wide and flexible, allowing you a much larger margin for error. I’m a 500 pound raw bencher and in my second meet in an SDP I benched 700. Not too bad! +200 pounds and 6/6. I really don’t think the SDP can be beat.
Also- ditto to Brian’s comments on the LUP. I wore a Metal Pro Squatter years ago. Tight poly suit, took 30+ minutes to put on and about the same to get off. The LUP is so freaking easy to get off and on. The strings make it a very versatile suit. Generally, I think canvas would be reserved for experienced lifters, but the LUP changes that completely. Buy one suit and tighten it as your abilities let you. A beginner could definitely start in one and be able to use it all the way to the highest levels even if they go up a weight class or two.
