My experience - and also Jesse Thomas - is that it's restrictive even under a wetsuit. The SOP for these suits is keep them down and pull them up in transition.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

I agree. I had the worst Olympic distance swim ever with the Octane sleeves on.

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I've used the Octane in races with pool swims, fully zipped up under a wetsuit, and halfway on under a speed suit. I swam the same as I always do in each race. I would recommend leaving the last 2-3 inches unzipped under your wetsuit as that does provide a little relief from the tightness around the neck and shoulders.

My experience is that I just needed to apply more lube so I didn't chafe. Otherwise, I never felt restricted and I have worn a small suit at 6 feet, 170lbs all season.

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Steve Johnson
DARK HORSE TRIATHLON |

+1

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Instagram | Team Kiwami North America

Fwiw.. I have the Champion Systems version of the octane.
I've always been a sleeves guy. Don't know why, but it's always been that way. I used to have a zoot Tri shirt with sleeves that was awesome. It was lost when EMTS had to cut it off after a crash.
But, The CS suit under my wetsuit was good and I just got a speed suit, so I'll try that half down thing a few times.

+2, I've only done one race with it but didn't feel like I was restricted at all. I just unzipped it to open it up across my chest a bit (I do the same for the run).

I'm 6'0, 167* and I got a size medium Octane suit half way through the season last year. I wore it, zipped down under my wetsuit for 2 sprints and 2 Olympics. one of them was in my sleeveless shorty. I didn't feel any difference with the suit under the wetsuit.

The zipper on the Octane should be longer though. I wouldn't want to wear it rolled down and have to pull it one in transition. I keep it rolled down with a T shirt through my warm up, then carefully pull it on right before the start.

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

I'm 6'0" 165ish and have a size small Octane. I love it. I haven't found it restrictive at all during the two races I swam in it (Augusta and B2B). I have a swimming background so maybe that has something to do with it - I really didn't notice it whatsoever. For bathroom breaks in an IM, I found that it's easiest to get it back over my shoulders if I'm bent all the way over - it's definitely a challenge any way but that seems to be fastest for me.

I've been racing in an Octane since 2012 and used it in every possible scenario.

1. wetsuit swims: pulled on and zipped up, pulled on and unzipped all the way, top pulled off. I'm still debating whether or not to race with it pulled down in future. With it unzipped I don't feel restricted at all, but I think it stretches the suit too much and over time you'll get wrinkles which will actually slow you down on the bike. So I think that for HIM I will race with it pulled up and unzipped. For IM I will race with it pulled off, and put on the sleeves in T1.
2. non wetsuit swims: rolled down, pulled on in t1. Very quick to pull on in T1. I don't feel like I lose more than 20 seconds
3. I've also raced a wetsuit swim, wearing only a swim skin, but with the PI suit on under the swim skin. This felt the most restrictive. So, even if the rules allowed sleeves to be worn on the swim, I would still roll it down

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Didn't fell restrictive at all for me the 3x I wore it under my wetsuit.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

I disagree with the others that it's restrictive when worn full on under a wetsuit, but why would you? The purpose of the suit is to make you go faster on the bike, and it does this largely by fitting tightly and having no wrinkles *around the arms and shoulders*, the same areas of your body that are in motion during the swim, potentially loosening up the fabric and ruining the aero properties of the suit.

At $300 retail, and (according to Jim@ERO velodrome) with a big aero penalty if there is a poor fit, I'd recommend putting the sleeves on in T1, wetsuit or not. It only takes a few seconds.

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Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

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I knew I could count on you Rob! Fellow Dimond rider. I will have to try a couple open water practice swims...don't want to use it in the pool. Sounds like the best option is to keep it rolled down during the swim, the put the sleeves on in T1. Very tight, so could take a few extra seconds pulling it up.