Get a polyester blend for chlorine pools. For saltwater, any suit works.

If you swim in chlorine regularly, buy a suit labeled “chlorine-resistant” or made from polyester (often blended with PBT or spandex). Nylon/spandex suits break down fast in chlorine—think saggy, faded, falling apart in a few months. Polyester holds up way longer, even with daily use.

Saltwater is less chemically aggressive, but the salt crystals can dry out elastic and make colors fade. The fix is simple: rinse your suit in cold water after every swim, hang dry out of direct sun. That’s it. You don’t need a special fabric for saltwater.

The one catch: if you bounce between both pools, go polyester anyway. It handles both well, and you won’t have to think about it.