Wetsuit Question....

danburke

Hey Guys,

Have been cycling/running for years and would like to get into tri...the one thing holding me back is that I get very very cold swimming in the sea..

So what thickness tri-wetsuit would ye recommend? Considering I'll be swimming mostly in the sea here on the west coast of Eire

Thanks

Dan

catweazle

Depends Dan from my limited experience I was recommended a 5mm wet suit more for buoyancy reasons than cold though. Better swimmers I think go for 3mm suits, if cold is the main concern 5mm it is.

NB: It is still going to be freezing winter swimming in the Atlantic, wetsuit or not

danburke

Thanks Cat..

I may wait until the Spring in that case to get into the Sea and stick to the pool for the next few months

searay

If you're buying a wetsuit to swim in, buy one that's swim specific rather than buy based on thickness.

Swim specific suits feature different thickness panels in different areas. E.g maybe 1mm thick around the sleeves for mobility and 5mm thickness in the chest panel for bouyancy.

I'd recommend getting fitted in a shop for one because a bad fitting one will just slow you down.

Whitehawk

For in the sea i find - 5mm wetsuit + Thermal Rash vest and bottoms is good as a extra it helps keep your core warm, as its adding a extra 1/2 mm - they are also not that expensive when you look at the over all price of the wetsuit, also look at a gd pair of wetsuit Booties
i never used them but i know you can also get gloves and hoods (hat)

I have never done a Tri - this is just info i know from watersports etc.

tyler71

+1 to all SeaRays comments - if you're looking for a wetsuit for a tri, you want a swim wetsuit and unlike surf/watersports wetsuits they're designed for speed rather than warmth, so you don't have an option of 3mm/5mm, etc like you normally would with other designs. They're still grand and warm though, but I wouldn't recommend swimming in one in winter/spring unless you're well used to the cold, which it sounds like you're not. I've been swimming without a wetsuit all summer and only found the water to have gotten noticeably colder this week - have you been using a good swim cap? A good thick cap is critical - I've actually found swimming in a wetsuit without a hat to be colder than in togs with a proper hat - you can even get nice neoprene swim hoods as well which some people swear by.
Having said all that though, I'm still sticking to the nice warm pool until next March anyway!