no matter what i'll bring one just in case! its quite cheap on amazon to buy

we'll see a few days before the race whether its worth swimming with it or not

i bought neoprene socks as well

No neoprene cap needed. After a minute or two last year I didn't even feel the cold water.

thanks- definitely will have a neoprene cap, just wondering whether I needed the thermal neoprene cap meant for cold water triathlons- which i presume cda is

As an inland NW erner who has witnessed just about the most mild spring in history I predict one of the warmest CDA swims yet. 66 degrees on race day. I would worry more about running in 95 degree heat this year ...

I wore ear plugs and two swim caps and was perfectly comfortable when the water was 55 degrees. Noticed the cold on practice swim days but it didn't even register on race day.

This - after 60 to 90 seconds you'll be fine.

  


I wore an Orca neoprene cap and swim booties at IMCDA last year. Was glad I had them. The cap definitely worked out well, I thought the chin strap might bother me but it didn't. The booties were nice to have but it was only the second time I had worn them and I didn't have them set up quit right. One slipped down and filled with water. Wasn't a huge deal but mildly annoying.

I live in southern Idaho, June can be crazy, one year it can be 90, the next it might be 55 and rainy. Northern Idaho is even crazier on the weather scale. Might be best to take the cap and booties just in case.

I used one last year and needed it. 10-15 minutes into practice swims I'd get out and be dizzy as hell from the cold. Bought a neoprene cap day before the race and was glad I did. That said, I live and train in South Florida where the coldest the water never drops below mid-70s. So the 60or so degree water was a bit of a shock.

My only advice is that if you do go the neoprene cap route, wear it in training. I know many people that bought a cap at the expo, do a few splish-splash swims leading up to the race and then feel claustrophobia when wearing one in the swim. I personally don't like the caps, I'd rather double up on the latex caps and I have no hair insulation on top of my bean!

I did CDA in 2013. No issues what so ever. Wetsuit and normal cap. If I wore neoprene cap and botties I would overheat.

bought one for the 2008 race and was glad I did. Water temp was 56 degrees. the cap helped. I would avoid the booties. most of the folks who used them said they they weren't worth it.

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Human Person

I have raced CDA a number of times and I have never been in the water before June. However; I swam yesterday in lake CDA and it was perfect and still has 4 weeks to warm up more. Its going to be fine for race day. Might even be a little to warm.

I've done the race twice, temps at 60 or under both times, neoprene cap and ear plugs made for a very comfy swim. You'll have multiple test swim opportunities in the days before the race, try it both ways.

The other thing I like about the neoprene cap is I can put goggles over it, and then the race cap over the goggles. It's an extra layer that will keep me from getting goggles knocked off.

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Sharon McN
@IronCharo
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I just spoke to the IM reservation specialist at the host hotel and she told me that it has been so warm in CDA that the water temp right now is 70*.

Yes, very warm water leading into CDA this year. I know several people who are planning to use a swimskin for this years race.

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Unless the water is over 80, I see no negatives. I have still been using mine for my hour OWS's and the water is in the mid 70's.

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If those people are M40-44, please tell them its way too hot for an aero helmet too.

Like mentioned above, looks like the lake temp is at 71.0F where the Spokane River enters the lake. In previous years, this has been a pretty good proxy for the swim course temperature.

Not sure what swim time you are planning, but 71F is pretty warm for a 3.8k swim in a fullsuit.

If you are concerned with the temperature, I would recommend a silicone cap underneath your race cap. That way, if you find you are getting warm during the swim, you can remove the silicone cap, stick it in your wetsuit, and then put the race cap back on.

In any case, make sure to test whatever your plan is as soon as you get into town.

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Do as much as you can when you get there of getting in the water in the early AM. I did a swim early in March and it was around 59-60 degrees and although it took your breath away and got the "brain freeze" after a few minutes it was fine after the warm up swim and then swam a PR olympic swim. I wore a silicone cap under my race cap and was perfect. I was not a fan of the neoprene cap because of the strap around your chin/throat. Felt restrictive. CDA will be my first Ironman and hoping around 1:12-14 swim so will be in there for a while but not worried if it turns cold. But right now 70 degree water temperature sounds fantastic. Good luck

Do you have issues with cold water? Since the temp is very reasonable I would do as the others suggested bring the cap, but do the practice swim the few mornings before the race without the cap and swim 20 min or so and see if your head heats up with just a regular cap on. Over the duration of the swim with the heavy cap I think it will be to hot to handle. Enjoy great course

71 degrees on June 12 in CDA? Crazy.
If it heats up to 90+ in the afternoon from June 20-27, that could mean water temps of 75 or higher, 20+ degrees warmer than a couple years ago.

I know it's blasphemy for me to say so on ST. But, I fantasize about having the swim too warm for wetsuit legal! :-) (I know, it'll never happen)

Booties and neoprene cap??? Formula to start the bike - overheated.

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X 2 about training with it. I also feel uncomfortable especially with a tight chin strap. Doubling up with a latex cap is good or just wear a silicone cap under the latex cap. The silicone ones are thicker and therefore warmer.

When I did it in 2013, I think the temp was about 61, and did I the "cap sandwich" - silicone, with a neoprene, topped with the latex race cap. It was more than I needed, but it was my first IM, so I was conservative.

I've swam in the course area twice in the last week - the wetsuit was too warm and a cap wasn't needed... and I'm a cold water weanie. Some folks are beginning to worry it won't be wetsuit legal. I've lived in Cd'A 55 years and this year is freakish - usually the water isn't this warm until the middle of July.