It depends on the water temperature and the distance. Some sprints are only 400 meters, some are 800. How well do you tolerate cold water? If you're a good swimmer you may pick up about 10 seconds per 100 using a wetsuit. On the shorter races you will lose time in T1. If the distance is 600-800 meters you may have a slight advantage with a wetsuit. It all depends on how much faster you can swim and how fast you're able to get out of it.

I don't tolerate cold water very well so for me a wetsuit is almost a requirement since all my races are in Colorado and the water is usually colder than I like. When I visit my sister in Missouri I never use a wetsuit as the water there is much warmer.

A wetsuit is not a necessity. I have seen people swim just fine in water around 55 degrees or less. If the time factor is your only consideration I would say you could do just fine without a wetsuit. Unless you're going to be contending for an age group placing a few seconds one way or the other is no big deal.

Don

How cold is the water? I would only use a wetsuit in a Sprint Tri if the water was very cold. It also depends on why you need the wetsuit (warmth, extra flotation, etc.) If you need it as a swim aid, then it may be worth the extra time in transition. If I were doing mostly sprint races and the water temp is acceptable, I would not purchase a wetsuit. Hmm... I would possibly consider buying a short john suit.

Keep in mind that my first tri isn't until May 2. So, I may be full of you know what.



-kb

I would definitley say buy one. Not only that, but get a good one that fits you so you don't have to buy another one next year cuz this one doesn't fit right. Find a place to try them on, they all seem to fit different.

What will it do for you? Make you slightly faster in the water, give you more confidence swimming if you are new to open water swimming, keep you warmer (some of those june races can be cold) and lastly, make you look cool.

Speed wise, the difference I found for me was about 20 to 30 sec for every 500 meters I swam. Some poorer swimmers may benefit more, better swimmers benefit less.

People say that full suits are faster than sleeveless but I think it is a personal decision. I have a sleeveless and it feels better than any other full sleeve suit I have tried on. I'm going to try a Desoto T1 when my local shop gets them. Do you need it to race? no, but it makes swimming easier.

You are going to get one anyway, why wait?

jaretj

A little greed can get you lots of stuff.

How well do you tolerate cold water?

In the shower? Not to well. Outside? Veryw ell. I grew up in Illinois w/ a pool. If we waitined to swim "until the water was warm", we could swim in August and septermber, and that's it.

The distance is 500m, which for me come race will be 10-11 minutes. Right now I swim 1500m (yards) in 40min at an easy pace of 150HR (Max is 190).

Mach ... my only concern was that others would be shaving off 2-3 minutes, and I wouldn't. If it's just saving "30 seconds", I can deal with that.

lastly, make you look cool.

I'm convinced! =)

Seriously, my reason for asking is that it may come down to deciding whether I get a wetsuit or enter 2 more races. Or get a wetsuit vs. getting a Polar HRM (goes w/ software I use).

I'm not likely to crack the top 5 at any races, but I would like to be "MOP or slightly better" by the end of the season. So, if all I get from not wearing a wetsuit is "hard nipples" (i.e. colder than others) ... I can deal with that. I tolerate cold very well.

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-- Every morning brings opportunity;
Each evening offers judgement. --

From your last comment I would say no wetsuit and go for the hr monitor. But in the future if a wetsuit is an option consider a full suit is the warmest and depending who you talk to the fastest and a short john is the quickest to get out of while providing some warmth and the long john is by far the most versatile and probably as fast as the full suit. If you do get a suit be sure to get pointers on not only how to remove it but even more important how to put it on because you can destroy one easily if done wrong. good luck mike

I will likely get both .. but one I won't pay for. My birthday is in July ... so I can ask for a wetsuit then (i.e. gift certificate)... to use in an Oly race late summer, where it may be a greater advantage.

I can use the HRM now, to make training a whole lot easier and more enjoyable.

Priority #1 is getting races registered for.

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-- Every morning brings opportunity;
Each evening offers judgement. --

Another option is to rent a wetsuit...http://www.ultimatetriathlon.com offers the service.

Go by water temp. Even 500 m is uncomfortable at any water under 72 F. Another factor to consider is it a boat or a shore entry. There is a 750 m sprint swim I've done off a boat which means about ten minutes or so in the water before the start. That's when you really appreciate the wet suit.