wet suits and swiming in the sea

hedgeh0g

Would it be possible to swim in the sea with a surfer style suit with full arms?
Im thinking of getting my first wet suit and I would like to use it for surfing as well as swimming. Im average at swimming (sea is too cold for me) and a total novice to surfing.

Killgore Trout

Surf wetsuits wouldn't be the best for swimming in. Perfectly adequate though - i know plenty of people who use surf wetsuits to swim.

However if it was for swimming competitively a triathlon wetsuit would be the best best though it would be too delicate for surfing.

hunnymonster

KT is spot on, as usual.

macy9

Don't forget to buy some body glide, you'll end up with horrible hickeys from the suit chafing, not to mention sore nipples

Call Me Jimmy

Hey I was just about to ask a question like this.

I love swimming in the sea and have been throughout the summer, but now it's getting too cold I was wondering is there any option besides a full wetsuit for swimming in the sea to keep ye warm - particularly the *ahem* crotch area...

Would cycling shorts give ye any protection?

Are there wetsuit-shorts and tops as opposed to a 'onesy'? I just think a full one-piece wetsuit would be too much hassle for me to bother!

hunnymonster

yes you can get neoprene shorts. I'm not convinced they would offer enough warmth though. Kakyakers wear them so somewhere like great outdoors would probably supply them.

Stark

I don't think you lose that much bodyheat through your crotch area even if that initial feeling of the water hitting it is very unpleasant. A neoprene swim hat would probably be better at allowing you to stay in the water as you lose a lot of heat through your head.

Call Me Jimmy

and so if ye can get these shorts i assume ye can get a similar thing for the upper body as well? I just don't like the idea of a onesie because they were very awkward before!

Stark

I can't see a two piece option being any better than a full wetsuit. Perhaps a short sleeved/legged wetsuit would suit you better?

Mellor

you can get wetsuit tops, I used one when surfing, it can ride up from time to time though.
Clips would sort that

Fuinseog

Killgore Trout wrote: »

Surf wetsuits wouldn't be the best for swimming in. Perfectly adequate though - i know plenty of people who use surf wetsuits to swim.

However if it was for swimming competitively a triathlon wetsuit would be the best best though it would be too delicate for surfing.

what do yo mean by a surf wetsit, 5mm?
what about a 2mm-3mm wetsuit? triathlon suits cost a fortune and are almost paper thin. they would rip quite easily in the sea.
could you still do an adeqaute crawl with 3mm?

Killgore Trout

Surf wetsuits as in ones made by O'Neill, Rip Curl, Alder, Excel, they come in varying thicknesses. I have a 5/3mm, a 3mm and 2mm surf wetsuits. The better (more expensive) surf suits will have better mobility in the arms and shoulders . The 5/3 is a hoor for swimming in - way too buoyant. Since 3 millers are summer suits places'll be discounting stock at this time of year.

Tri wetsuits are not as delicate as you say they are - just not suitable for hopping up on surfboards or cliff jumping. Be careful and a triathlon suit'll last you for years. Mine looks as good as the day I bought it and I'd guess I have used it around 30 times.

(Just to be clear you're not confusing a triathlon wetsuit with the suit they wear under the wetsuit - which you see after they whip the wetsuit off in transition one)

nor do they cost that much compared to surf wetsuits; i think mine cost around €200 - when you consider a pair of speedo briefs cost €20 - you're getting a good bit more surface area coverage per euro with a triathlon [wet] suit.

Surf suit is designed for surfing - but will allow decent arm mobility for front crawl since surfers need to paddle a lot - a triathlon wetsuit is designed for swimming only so will give the most satisfactory swimming results. The more you pay for either type usually gives better quality.

I remember being involved in a course in May which involved a bit of OW swimming - and the people with the cheapo wetsuits were the ones at the back having trouble, the ones in the decent surf suits in the middle and the one or two who had triathlon wetsuits were in the lead. After that day i couldn't recommend cheapies that show up in the likes of lidl or aldi.

And yes - the room where i keep the wetsuits smells like a surf shop. I love the smell of neoprene in the morning