Overkill Redline Deadlift Suit

It's official, the redline is dead. It has been for a few weeks, actually.

No telling if it will ever be back someday, but as of now it is no longer offered on the order forms and is instead replaced by the grayline. 

I've already written about the redline bench shirt, but another great use of the redline material was in Overkill's deadlift suit. 

The redline was known as the stretchier material of Overkill's offerings, and this makes sense for the bench shirt as it makes touching easier (even though a redline bench shirt was still notoriously difficult to touch in), but what made it so good for a deadlift suit? Often, people pull in poly briefs, suits, or even a canvas squat suit (which has no stretch). 

Well, while some lifters can manipulate denser and stiffer materials, not everyone can or wants to. The deadlift has no eccentric with which you can allow weight to stretch the material out, only you pulling yourself into position accomplishes this. Thus, a stretchier poly makes it easier to get into position on the floor, which is critical to deadlifting. For more detail on all deadlift gear, check here for the basics of it. 

The redline deadlift suit is cut like Overkill's normal deadlift suit, just made of the red material. While in the bench shirts it was still difficult to manipulate; with your entire body behind manipulating the material, it acts much stretchier- making it very easy to get into good position. 

My friend Matt Brooks is a huge proponent of the redline deadlift suit, he has had his for a long time now and loves it. 

Here is Rebecca Roberts under the eyes of Rudy Rosales himself at Matt Minuth's Barbell 4:13.

Thomas Krawiec also pulls in what looks to be a single-ply, sewn-strap redline suit with briefs under. 

Finally, one of the greatest female deadlifters Crystal Tate used a redline deadlift suit as well. Her's is made of the old maroon material. 

Now that this material is no longer offered, it will soon be a sign of past eras. Grayline looks promising, but only time will tell.