Storage of gels for example.
Plus better aero slipstream compared to just a T-shirt.

You will swim and bike much faster in a tri suit. Skin is draggy. Sleeves rule.

Lots of benefits obviously, otherwise they wouldn't exist:

• Water repellent (or if you put on your t-shirt in T1 after the swim, then a trisuit removes the need to change in T1 or at any time in your race);
• If no wetsuit swim, then obviously they have been designed to not slow you down while swimming (especially the short course ones);
• Did I mention you don't have to change at T1 or T2?;
• Some have pockets to stock gels for the bike or run;
• You'll look like a triathlete and not a cross sport participant :-)

typically more aero and it's going to be a lot more aero than a t shirt, probably 2-4sec per km on the bike. I know James has posted data on here from the wind tunnel in regards to that.

more sun protection

small, thin, light chamois in the suit which poses no problem when running. YMMV depending on the brand

better/more places to carry gels on your kit

you can swim in them with or without a swimskin, at least for several brands, although a swim skin isn't a bad option to add at all.

1 kit from start to finish without even thinking about changing. Take off your swimskin or wetsuit and go. No gear changes

that's off the top of my head, I'm sure I could think of other reasons if I wasn't getting ready to go to sleep

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

So from what I'm reading here, there's really not a lot of advantage necessarily for the short courses where gels and hydration are less of a factor. At least for someone like me who is never really in consideration for anything beyond just a finisher's medal. It seems like the real advantage would come in longer events.

As of yet, I have not participated in an event that was not wetsuit legal. I'm sure it will happen at some point, but not so far. Up to this point, I just swim in bra and panties under my wetsuit, although I do admit trying to wiggle into a tight fitting T while wet can get exasperating.

I may investigate a tri suit later but right now my priority is getting comfortable on the bike for long rides. Since I started riding seriously, I have just been adjusting my fit by trial and error. Have a professional fit scheduled for Wednesday morning.

Free speed swimming/biking. Sleeved tri suits are always going to test faster in the lab. Going to be worth some time on the bike, no matter the distance. But, I agree, if the goal is to finish/have a good time & you're mostly doing wetsuit legal sprints then it's not a big deal.

For gals, TriSuits make bathroom breaks a little more complicated.

For me I like the features and mini-chamois, but I feel like its game day when I put mine on.

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" I take my gear out of my car and put my bike together. Tourists and locals are watching from sidewalk cafes. Non-racers. The emptiness of of their lives shocks me. "
(opening lines from Tim Krabbe's The Rider , 1978

I know you mentioned you're not competing for a podium or trying necessarily to even shoot for a PR, but do keep in mind that on the bike, wearing loose running shorts or a loose top could negate any aerodynamic gains you get from spending a lot of money on an aero-framed triathlon bike, and even eat into the aerodynamic advantage of aerobars.

So if you've spent $$$ on a pricey bike and are also working hard to stay on your aerobars, you're basically undoing all that $$$ and work by your clothing choices. Flapping clothes carry a pretty big aerodynamic penalty. And the faster you ride, the bigger the penalty (meaning aero clothes actually might matter more in super speedy short-course racing.)

Sun Protection -- getting sunburned in your lower back is very painful. That alone is worth it.
It helps avoid GI distress as there is no elastic on the waistband.
For distance racing I find there is rubbing in the waist area with tri shorts or any other shorts.

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Swim - Bike - Run the rest is just clothing changes.

Where do you do your T1 clothing change?

Ya, I get the flappy clothing thing. Nothing I wear is flappy on race day. Everything is pretty snug, hence the difficulty pulling on a T-shirt over wet skin. But I don't wear anything that has been designed or tested for an aero advantage. Like I said, I do have a couple jerseys now that I wear when I ride. But I just wear a snug pair of bike shorts ankle socks and my shoes.

Oh man, you don't have to tell me about sunburns! I did Santa Barbara a couple years ago and it was overcast all morning long. I started the run in just a sports bra and a tank top. I looked up and it was still thick, heavy cloud cover. I thought, "nah, I'm going to skip the sunblock." That was the single worst mistake I've made since I started triathlon. By the end of mile 2, all the cloud cover had burned off and I had 8 more miles to go looking for any little bit of shade I could find. I got so burned that day, my back and shoulders hurt for almost a week straight.

Right there in T1. Bra and panties. I'm old and squishy. Nobody is looking at me (and if they do, that's their problem!).