Big difference between 62 and 58 when swimming over 45min.

I would say go full but I'm sure some will say you're gonna be fine...I guess it depends on what you can handle. Good luck.

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Train safe & smart
Bob

I'd be trying to borrow a full-sleeved suit. Now that it's becoming off-season you might even be able to pick one up cheap in the classifieds.

I do not have a ton of cold OWS experience, but below 60 can be a bugger even with a full suit IMO. Anything over 60 is pretty darn comfortable in a suit. I think that sub 60 water can mess with your head. Maybe that's why they make neoprene caps / etc. I have not tried one.

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24 Hour World TT Champs-American record holder
Fat Bike Worlds - Race Director
Insta: chris.s.apex

Yeah, will have to give one of the caps a shot for sure. Maybe I can find a suit to borrow and keep the comfort level at a max.

DeSoto makes a swim hoodie that I've found keeps some heat in. They recommend for more warmth to put on a latex cap, then put on the hoodie, then put on another latex cap on top of that.

From my experience the suit is usally enough. Coldest I've been in was low 50s. Had to get my face used to it, my teeth were hurting from the cold. The warm-up came in handy. Was fine during the actual swim.

You can typically get a good deal on an Xterra Vortex full sleeve, I just picked up a brand new one for ~$150.00 from Xterra.

As someone else mentioned, there's a world of difference between high 50s and low 60s.

If it's low 60s, you can do the sleeveless and use the neoprene arm sleeves, the neoprene cap, and booties.

The booties don't seem like they help, but they really do.

Your other option is to keep swimming in the ocean a few times a week as the temperature drops so you'll be used to the colder temps.

Several people in my swim group won't wear even a sleeveless wetsuit until the water temps are below 55, so it's possible to just get used to the cold and use your sleeveless.

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http://aclockworkmango.com

Some context.

60 = 15.5C ... FINA has a minimum temp of 15C for OW races.

There is no such thing as a wetsuit in a FINA sanctioned event.

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2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

Really?
Guess they'll never be one in NorCal.

Ok so I may be alright. It is Florida in the winter so maybe we will stay warmer than usual. Only downside is really can't get much time in cold water until a month or so before the race. Upside is that bull sharks don't like the cold water.

Much discussion about this just recently at the USMS National Conference. FINA standards are really conservative & the Masters rule is even more conservative with the cutoff of 64*. There are a number of OWS in the states (& internationally) that have impeccable safety records of 30+yrs that are consistently held in sub-60* water. Hence our argument that it's the safety plan of the swim/race that matters more than the temp...and those challenging things called common sense & accountability that people seem to have so little of now. The person primarily responsible for your safety is you - only you can know whether you have enough adaptation, body fat, will, etc. to get through a swim at any given temperature.

Personally, I would be fine for a 5k in a sleeveless wetsuit to about 57*....I would be cold as hell coming out of the water but with a warm-up to get my face & head in the water, a couple layers of cap & a quality effort, I'm confident I would come out of the water fine. Some scrawny kid that lives in a warm climate & only swims in 80+* water?? I would worry a bit without some experience & training in cold water to know what's going to happen.

But on the flip side, anything over about 80* & I start to get really warm when racing & have to spend time training & adapting to that type of water before I feel confident enough to race in it.

It's all about knowing what you're getting into and what you're prepared for.

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AW

What race? Swim across the bay?

If it makes you feel any better I caught a baby bull in the cast net recently. Probably small enough he'd only take off a hand, not an entire limb;) You doing Frogman you amateur swim hack punk? Please don't drown I worry about your ability to swim safely.

Ha! I got as far as "...5k swim in January..." and was derailed by the imagery of a guy sitting on a bucket in the middle of a lake, ice fishing next to his full sized pickup, and staring in confusion at some person in a wetsuit flailing on the ice next to him. :)