If you want max flexibility have you thought about a sleeveless at all? The most flexible full suit I have seen has been the newest BlueSeventy Helix. The arms are crazy thin. Mike Alexander asked about wetsuits a little while back and I know the Helix wasn't on his radar until a couple of us chimed in about the flexibility. After some testing of various suits Mike ended up with a Helix.

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 The most flexible full suit I have seen has been the newest BlueSeventy Helix
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same here. most especially in the shoulders.
peggy

Possible option: get a sleeveless wetsuit for max flexibility and then add this:

wetsuit arm sleeves for colder water temperatures.

This. I'm a FOP swimmer, 26 - 28 70.3, but have a solid build and need maximum flexibility, I also suffer with claustrophobia when a wetsuit is too tight, especially with sleeves, I feel like I'm trapped. Sleeveless feels 10x better. In theory they are slower, in practise I haven't noticed any drop in performance. Brenton Ford did a comparison sleeved vs sleeveless in a pool and the difference over 400m was 7s, which equates to 35s over a 70.3 swim. A reasonable amount, but then this was a pro, in a pool, with no drafting. Plus a sleeveless is quicker to get off. So difference is negligible. For me I feel I can also swim quicker, because I no longer have the fear of claustrophobia with the sleeveless.

I echo this suggestion, great suit at a great price point!

Having skimmed over other responses, I'd just add that I'd be wary of anyone recommending a single brand and not acknowledging other choices. There are a lot of good wetsuits out there these days. Personally, my only bottom line is that I wouldn't buy a wetsuit I couldn't exchange or return after swimming in it. That still leaves you quite a few options, and within those, you can narrow it down based on price point, aesthetics, whiz-bang features that sound appealing to you, pro endorsements, etc.

I don't think you should buy any wetsuit until your body size stabilizes. You mention being 35 pounds overweight in one place and 10 pounds in another. I would rent until you get to a stable weight because wetsuits are supposed to be very snug. They loosen up a bit once immersed. But buying one now if you plan on losing substantially more weight is a waste.

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Story of my life. Initially dropped a lot of weight, then after IMTX gained again and lost focus. I'm headed back in the right direction.

But lucky enough to be able to and willing to pay for multiple suits on the way down. Just need to make a choice for this year.

I have an older Helix. It does not match what people say of the newest one, and I really don't like the zipper which needs assist to get on as I do a lot of solo swims.

Full disclosure: I work at a place that sells Huub, BlueSeventy and Orca, and because of this I get a stupid discount on all the products. When I was getting my suit at the beginning of this season I tried the Helix, Archimedes (we don't have any Albacore or I would have tried that) and Alpha. Helix was by far the best out of the bunch. The Archimedes was second and the Alpha was third, a long way back. I didn't try the Predator as that doesn't fit my swimming so I can't help you there, however in your shoes I would go with a Helix or Archimedes (as it's a wee bit cheaper, at least where I work). However I'd also like to echo others in this thread and urge you to hire a wetsuit until you're at a weight you're happy with, as baggy wetsuits are the absolute worst.

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Disclaimer: Not a triathlete anymore, just a fish

Yep...tested 4 high end wetsuits. Shoulder flexibility was my main concern. The Helix was by far the most flexible, it actually feels like it is pushing my arm forward in the recovery stroke. They were all within a second or two on pace.

Blue seventy helix is the answer here

 



Good question, and the reason we created the 4:4 buoyancy profile. 6 years we presented to the market two buoyancy's of the same suit, we see copies now of our philosophies and we do smile. Our research showed that efficient swimmers actually need a more balanced and more even and sometimes less buoyancy suit. The suits we offer (Sorry, i am the proud owner of HUUB Design) Our 4:4 buoyancy is the one chosen by our open water swimming elite. Jack Burnell and many global OW swim elite. So reviewing your post i'd say go for even buoyancy, something that isn't going to raise your legs "Too" high so you kick doesn't engage and a suit built around a "No suit" feel to allow maximum flexibility. There are some great suits on the market, but sadly not too many that don't load the chest (Big buoyancy part of body due to lungs and breathing outlet) with neoprene. You can also get this currently at some end of season great terms to make the purchase a little easier.

great video from when we launched from Swim Guru Paul Newsome

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhi3RvDuDuc



Any questions drop me a mail Deano@huubdesign.com

I'll disagree with everyone here so far and say that you have to try a DeSoto T1 wetsuit. You have nothing to lose, they accept returns even after trying it in open water.
I'm 5'10 180, a bit wider in the shoulders than most my height in triathlon. I've tried B70 Helix, Roka, Huub, Xterra, always ended up back with my 5 year old DeSoto two piece wetsuit. The comfort is simply unmatched due to the two piece design, and has high buoyancy with 5mm design.

I'm actually really surprised at everyone recommending the Helix. I always thought it was meant for top swimmers that did not need much buoyancy. And again, it certainly didn't work for me. I wanted it to, but it didn't.

DeSoto

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Which 4?

As to De Soto, as much as I love their products, I would disagree that their wetsuit provides maximum shoulder flexibility. Notwithstanding the two-piece design, I find the shoulders quite restrictive, which is why I am in the process of ditching it.

OP, like you I dislike very much the feeling of chest and shoulders being constricted in a full suit. I'm not a FOP swimmer, I'm more like 60 percentile with lots of folks right on my heels but a huge gulf between me and the genuinely good swimmers. I have more shoulders than the average triathlete, having been driven by vanity to lift weights for decades.

I've tried full suits, I've tried 2 piece full suits, but I keep coming back to sleeveless. There just seems no escape from the fact that full suits are tight on my shoulders. Everyone that encourages you to buy a full suit.....have them send you a full body pic and see if they're built like you are.

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Have you tried the newest Helix? If I may ask, Why did you think the suit was meant for top swimmers? It has lot of buoyancy with 5mm everywhere you want it to have 5mm. Here is a image of all the exact panel thickness.

As for DeSoto, I am a perfect candidate for a two piece at 5 feet 8 with 33.63 inseam, I have swam in DeSoto one pieces before. I found them to be slow, awkard, and frankly not comfortable. Then you have another piece to worry about moving thru transition. Sure if you manage to get the top off you have to manage not to drop your goggles and cap as well or risk a penalty or DQ. The moving around of the bottom of the top and top of the bottom is what made it so awkard for me. But getting the top off is the real problem. Do you do Ironman at all? After and Ironman swim I can't get my arms close together and getting anything on or off over the head is a real chore.

For the record I used the DeSoto one piece for half a year so it wasn't like it was a short test period. I actually bought the suit - it was probably the biggest mistake I made in triathlon purchases. I never raced in it. The other suits you mention all are 5mm thick too in all the right places, but are thinner in places you want thinner like back of the knee caps so you can run thru T1. From my understand the T1 doesn't have this, and the T1 top and bottom have rubber that is the same thickness all the way around except for about waist line on bibs. Not sure how your old DeSoto is, but I don't even know if those are legal with new wetsuit rules or not. I think the latest DeSoto suits are 5 mm up to the crotch and then 2mm above that for the bibs. The top is 2mm to get you under 5mm limit.

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You keep saying desoto 1 piece....I assume you mean two piece??

Yes, I race 70.3's (10+) and fulls (4) and have no trouble getting the top off while running out of the water. I do it the same way they show in their youtube vid, just like taking a shirt off - cross your arms and grab bottom of wetsuit top, pull up over your head!
Yes, it is an extra piece to carry to T1, but I doubt that has cost anyone a race?

The B70 - I know I've read several places that it was geared towards those with better swim technique, neutral buoyancy? Just what I've read, not saying its right. I'm 5'10 180, I tried a ML size. Pain in the ass to do up compared to the Desoto, and much tighter in the chest. Obviously it works great for a ton of people, but didn't for me.

Sorry that is a bit of internet dyslexia because in my mind I am think Desoto T1, lol... Ok good to know it works for you. I am guessing you may have read that in something like Triathlete Mag or something which IMHO does not do their readers a lot of service. Dan's personal reviews of suits on here are much better IMHO and obviously he has a few years of experience being the original owner of QR.

Anyway, it sounds like the Helix may have not fit well. I will say that when it comes to fit in general, that is going to be somewhat personal but it is also a hard comparison though versus a suit you have swam and used for years. Those suits are broken in to some extent. It is much like getting a new Baseball glove, it will never feel like the one you have used for years. Nostalgia, confirmation basis, and confidence, can be powerful things.

I am a big fan of sticking with what works so no issues there. I do think if your Desoto were to disappear and you had to get a new suit completely and we did some thorough testing that you would be faster in the Helix and likely more comfortable as well. Obviously tight chest can create issue which IS a problem, but the number one thing for me is shoulder flexibility and the newest Helix is so incredible in that regard.

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I think you should, if possible go to a local shop that carries as many Brands as possible and try as many as you can on. Different suits from different brands have vastly different cuts, and some are designed for taller, skinnier people. Some are designed for shorter, less skinny people.. some are designed for long torsos, some are designed for short torsos. You get the point.

That being said, the Blue Seventy Helix is by far the most flexible suit I have tried so far, and will likely be my next wetsuit purchase, depending on if it still holds that honor when I get around to purchasing a new one, as my current Orca wetsuit probably has a couple seasons left in it.

If you are a middle of pack swimmer, and aren't looking for any fantastic edge, just find a basic entry level suit that fits you well. You don't need to go high-end ($$$$) to get one that doesn't make you feel claustrophobic. Hell, you don't even need a higher-end one if you are a front-of-pack swimmer. I'm FOP swimmer and I'm running a several-year old one step above entry level suit and it hasn't stopped me from being right up there at the front.

I think how much of a difference sleeveless versus non sleeveless really depends on your swim style as well. For me to go from sleeved to sleeveless I lose a lot more than 35 seconds over a half distance swim. More on the order of a couple minutes. Also, to me, for whatever reason, the sleeveless suits always seem to throttle my neck a little bit more than the sleeved ones. Might be psychological though.

good luck

Thomas....I'm not familiar with the Desoto one-piece (other than the shorty that I've never seen in person). As far as flexibility......what's more flexible than a two-piece design that's sleeveless (if you wear the vest)?

I have both tops (sleeved and sleeveless), but haven't worn the sleeved since I bought the vest. My first wetsuit was a B70 Helix (sleeved). It was a nice suit......but, not "better" than the T1....(but certainly more expensive). I paid $60 for my speed tube off Ebay....and got 25% off the vest, through Emilio, in a sale.

What's the price tag on that Helix?

I'm a 29' - 37' HIM "swimmer".....lol

I agree on the thing about it being worked in, etc.
I use a size 5 top. A year+ ago I thought I'd try a new top since my current one is a tiny bit loose in the neck after all this time.
I tried two sizes, 4 and 5. The 4 was obviously too tight, very obvious. The 5 felt better, but had more loose material under the arms than my current size 5. So yeah, if I had to buy new, maybe I would investigate one piece suits again.

I did recently try on Zoot's high end wet suit (waki waki, or whatever its called lol, the yellow/black one :))
Just trying it on dry, size medium, it was the most comfortable one piece I've had on. The chest did not feel constricting at all. The arms still did not feel as free as my current desoto, but weren't bad. It was more a noticeable feeling when in the last third of my pull phase, there was noticeable feeling that the suit wants to return your arm forward. I guess that is 'arms up technology', but I didn't love the feeling...

As for being faster in one suit or another.....correct me if I'm wrong, but all the tests done have shown most top end suits to be within 1-2 seconds per 100m, no? And then of course its guesswork to know which suit would be faster for you (kind of like helmets!!)... So my take on it is, just go with what is most comfortable.

Again, this is the problem with Helix naming or naming these days in general. I will liken it to the iPad. Which iPad are we talking about. The newest Helix is what I am talking about specifically. Trying an older Helix and comparing it to the new Helix is not a comparison, the newest Helix is way better then my Helix from 2009. If you really want to get a better complete view of my wetsuit thoughts I have my more complete thoughts here that talk about other things.

But yes, I love sleeveless suits, I prefer sleevesuit suits in some situations, and I perform better in sleeveless suits in some situations. So no problems there. Sleevesuits also are a heck of a lot cheaper and shoulder flexibility isn't critical so it really doesn't matter as much if you get a cheaper version suit because there are no shoulders/sleeves anyway.

With all the being said, I bet if you switched to a one-piece sleeveless suit you would be faster. If the Speedtube is anything like Core shorts/Sim shorts, no thanks. For training, where I can stop and pull snug fine, but for all out racing, they come down, move down, and I am hosed. It is not far off why people don't switch back to trishorts after training in bib shorts. In addition it is the two pieces that is creating additional drag. It is no different to why a one-piece suit is faster than a two-piece on the bike.

I wouldn't mind doing some more substantial testing of wetsuits this fall/winter. We have a permanent OWS course down here. I would be curious to test two-pieces just to see how much slower it is but it is of no benefit to me. My testing is for me first, I want to know what is fastest for me, I don't want smoke blown up my butt, I want to know, see and get confident with what is faster without a bunch of marketing fluff. I don't see using a two-pieces being something I would go with due to drawbacks unless some how it magically tested faster.

I will however continue to use a sleeveless and use it often. I love sleeveless wetsuits with the right water temp.

And yes in that same link you can see I often recommend people to score deals on eBay - it is a great place for cheap wetsuits, especially if you are size XS. In the end I don't care if you end up with a Helix or not. I am a consumerist first. If you want a Helix and I can save you some money on a Helix than great but if you think something else will be better or more appropriate that is ok to. Having tried the two-piece it was a horrible decision but I am glad I made because I learned a lot about two-pieces. You don't often truly learn about things until you make mistakes.

And lastly the Helix and all top-end wetsuits are all expensive. With that, everything is always marked down (25%), and if price is the concern just go with a sleeveless.

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Can you comment on sizing? At 6'2", 180lbs, and a swimmers build, B70's size chart has me in a MT. Thoughts on that?

Scott