I’ve had both arms up and non arms up, and to be honest they both felt great. I’ve never had an issue with shoulder restriction with Roka in gerneral, so all there suits are great, arms up or arms down
So I do not know about other wetsuit makers doing it first or not but I can say that the Maverick X has NO shoulder restriction and it is the first wetsuit I can say that about. I have previously raced in BlueSeventy (which I also really liked) and Orca. In the past I’ve always had to pay a lot of attention to really getting the shoulders on just right to make the restriction low, but with the Roka, it just works easily. Full disclosure: my team is sponsored by Roka.
i agree that the roka suits do very well in shoulder mobility, as do the blueseventy suits, orca and others. i’m talking really about the whole experience of the suit: putting it on, taking it off, chafing or not, adding 15lb, that’s where the de soto earns its keep. the de soto is not in my experience any faster, it’s just easier on those of us who don’t always keep our girlish figures, whose clavicle plates make it hard to put wetsuits on and so forth.
I think the shoulder mobility in the Roka X is due mostly to the cut and to a lesser extent the materials. I believe the new Pro has the same cut, so I would expect it to be very similar, but I have never swam in it.
Personally, despite the 2 piece design, I don’t find the De Soto top particularly free. I do love the speed tube bottoms though especially since they allow for the possibility of wearing them alone in a warmer–but still wetsuit legal–swim. I have bad shoulders so I’m not the best (or maybe I am the best) tester. Certainly, the De Soto is very easy to get in/out of. Just my thoughts…I’m debating the switch to Roka for the arms up design but am also skittish about dropping so much money on a product that is used so infrequently and then intentionally ripped off the body so quickly and violently that avoiding rips and tears is virtually impossible. At least with race wheels you know they should last. Wetsuits aren’t made to last
So I do not know about other wetsuit makers doing it first or not but I can say that the Maverick X has NO shoulder restriction and it is the first wetsuit I can say that about. I have previously raced in BlueSeventy (which I also really liked) and Orca. In the past I’ve always had to pay a lot of attention to really getting the shoulders on just right to make the restriction low, but with the Roka, it just works easily. Full disclosure: my team is sponsored by Roka.
i agree that the roka suits do very well in shoulder mobility, as do the blueseventy suits, orca and others. i’m talking really about the whole experience of the suit: putting it on, taking it off, chafing or not, adding 15lb, that’s where the de soto earns its keep. the de soto is not in my experience any faster, it’s just easier on those of us who don’t always keep our girlish figures, whose clavicle plates make it hard to put wetsuits on and so forth.
Fortunately my weight has fluctuated only a few pounds during the times I’d be using the suit for the last 20 some years, so that’s not an issue I’d be concerned with. My weight gain has been in the legs from cycling, or shoulders in musculature. Putting a suit on has always been tough, but I have some awesome rubber tipped gloves I picked up that make no tears, and make the job really easy. I figure if the suit goes on easy it’s not tight enough! 
Chafing; no, getting off often isn’t an issue with strippers at most big races. I guess I’m looking for speed in the water and how good a position it puts me in.
Former D1 swimmer at a school in Texas…
Hmm. I have tested many. MavX is the best i have tried but not perfect at least not for me likely b/c of my wide shoulders and super long arms. I always feel a bit of restriction…cant get around it. I have to hike it up way way high.
I always have felt that the sleeveless should work out best for me b/c there is zero restriction but my test workout sets put the fullsleeves as faster which is also what Potts re-iterates. So I have been rolling with that.
I wish that ROKA would put thicker foam/rubber in the chest area on the sleeveless. I think that would be helpful.
In the meantime I am using my X…but that Cat 5 TYR looks intriguing with the arm scoops…
JF
Thanks for the reply. Fortunately I don’t have your shoulder width issues.
Personally, despite the 2 piece design, I don’t find the De Soto top particularly free. I do love the speed tube bottoms though especially since they allow for the possibility of wearing them alone in a warmer–but still wetsuit legal–swim. I have bad shoulders so I’m not the best (or maybe I am the best) tester. Certainly, the De Soto is very easy to get in/out of. Just my thoughts…I’m debating the switch to Roka for the arms up design but am also skittish about dropping so much money on a product that is used so infrequently and then intentionally ripped off the body so quickly and violently that avoiding rips and tears is virtually impossible. At least with race wheels you know they should last. Wetsuits aren’t made to last
I too found the DeSoto top (the higher end one) to be a bit constraining.
I have swum in Roka Pro and Elite generation 1 and 2, the best suits I’ve used for me personally. The arms up design seems to be a marginal improvement, but not as big as I expected.
Many people seem to be unable to avoid tears, but it mostly seems like user error to me.
Big wetsuit sales should be coming up this fall from Roka and everyone else.
I’m a FOP swimer and I have a maverick x.
I have owned two other mfg wetsuits. Roka was the first wetsuit where I felt my shoulders weren’t being restrictive. I would normally get shoulder fatigue within the first 300-400 yards of a race with other wetsuits.
Wetsuit fit is king though. It has to fit you properly for you to benefit. With Roka’s 30 day no question asks return policy, you can put one through the ringer and really see if you like it.
Literally just sold me… this echos how I feel in every race and I have a Helix. I’m barely around the first turn buoy thinking, “what the fuck?!” Then it’s just a dull pain for 3k.
Former D1 swimmer at a school in Texas…
Hmm. I have tested many. MavX is the best i have tried but not perfect at least not for me likely b/c of my wide shoulders and super long arms. I always feel a bit of restriction…cant get around it. I have to hike it up way way high.
I always have felt that the sleeveless should work out best for me b/c there is zero restriction but my test workout sets put the fullsleeves as faster which is also what Potts re-iterates. So I have been rolling with that.
I wish that ROKA would put thicker foam/rubber in the chest area on the sleeveless. I think that would be helpful.
In the meantime I am using my X…but that Cat 5 TYR looks intriguing with the arm scoops…
JF
How much faster would you say the Full sleeves are for you? I can’t seem to decide between a sleeves or no sleeves at the moment myself.
1-2 sec per 100yard is my estimate for my level. So not the biggest of deals but it may matter to some. My guess is that the full is about 3-5 sec faster than without anything.
However, in my mind I feel that it may just be related to the amount of float though and thats why I would like to have more thickness on the ROKA sleeveless in the chest. Instead of 1 or 3mm a 3-5mm would be nice…and would be easier to sight.
I never tested the other sleeveless models out there to test this theory. I think the Xterra has more foam up front.
DeSoto has had this in their wetsuits for years, and my DeSoto definitely has no restriction at all with arms forward or extended.
Exactly. I remember this from 10 years ago with the very first DeSoto I bought.
Did you have the Mav X gen 1? If so, any noticeable difference?
Edit-oh wait, the X doesn’t have a Gen 2, only the pro and elite?
I went from an Xterra Vortex wetsuit to the Roka Maverick X.
I currently have the Xterra Vector Pro full wetsuit. I too am eyeing that Roka arms up design. It does not help they are taunting me with that 30% discount but am not sure if moving to the Roka suit is going to gain me anything. As for my swimming capabilities, I would consider myself MOP with my best time coming in at 1:06 last year at the Boulder full. Hoping to best that this year at IMAZ. The thought is to buy the Roka and sell my Xterra for $100. Perhaps my money is spent wisely in other areas such as a skinsuit or whatever they are called.
I currently have the Xterra Vector Pro full wetsuit. I too am eyeing that Roka arms up design. It does not help they are taunting me with that 30% discount but am not sure if moving to the Roka suit is going to gain me anything. As for my swimming capabilities, I would consider myself MOP with my best time coming in at 1:06 last year at the Boulder full. Hoping to best that this year at IMAZ. The thought is to buy the Roka and sell my Xterra for $100. Perhaps my money is spent wisely in other areas such as a skinsuit or whatever they are called.
I’m drawn by a discount too. My current suits are fine, but I wonder what the newer technology brings? As at times I do feel some shoulder fatigue, and my current suit has the very best thin neoprene in it’s shoulders. Perhaps the arms up idea may make a difference.
Thank you for your expertise Dan . For sure the De Soto will have to fit better and be more comfortable since you have two parts moving and not just one. When you swim and reach up the De Soto will have the top moving up and will give you an easier reach. In other suits, since the back panel and the zipper are to short , you are fighting the neoprene and have a harder time moving your arms in the first phase of the stroke and you fatigue faster…
The answer to all of that if you want a one piece is to get an Aquaman. Right Gary?
If I were to buy a one-piece, I would buy an Aquaman. It is a great suit and I really like the founder of the company.
Thank you for your expertise Dan . For sure the De Soto will have to fit better and be more comfortable since you have two parts moving and not just one. When you swim and reach up the De Soto will have the top moving up and will give you an easier reach. In other suits, since the back panel and the zipper are to short , you are fighting the neoprene and have a harder time moving your arms in the first phase of the stroke and you fatigue faster…
The answer to all of that if you want a one piece is to get an Aquaman. Right Gary?
Totally right E! Mine is getting old though…got any to make old men fast again?
Of course! We have 49 different size combinations to make anyone faster! Ping me if you want to get started, or come out to San Diego and stop into the shop like you used to do some 25 years ago.