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Hey guys, I went shopping for my wetsuit and tried on a QR Ultrafull and an Orca Speedsuit. I'm 5'-8 & 148 lbs., so the store guy recommended a Medium-Small for the QR.
I tried the QR on and i had a helluva time getting in & out of the wetsuit. The thigh area felt exceptionally tight (circumference wise). It took me about 5 mins just to get out of the QR. The guy insisted that the MS was my size though. According to the sales guy, QR makes wetsuitS that will fit more people as compared to any other company.
I then tried the Orca in a size 7 (size 6.5 was not in stock). I could get into & out of this model real easy. Maybe the Orca being a size bigger made it easier. I think that I should be in a 6.5 though. I will be returning to the store to try on the Orca Speedsuit in a size 6.5 when stock arrives.
Question is, which wetsuit should I go with? Does one company make a better wetsuit than the other? What should I look out for when making this final decision.
Paul..
Like a bike - fit.
Also the neoprene used (yamamoto is the gun), is it glued/stitched/blindstiched/taped?, and most importantly - will it match your goggles.
"Language most shows a man: Speak, that I may see thee. It springs out of the most retired and inmost parts of us, and is the image of the parents of it, the mind. No glass so mirrors a man's form or likeness so true as his speech." - Ben Jonson, Timber, or Discoveries made upon Men and Matter.
Got the Desoto tres in the mail a couple of weeks ago... have swam in it twice. By far the most boyant suit I have work (a couple of varieties of ironman). It also fixes the fit problem I have had... and does not sorten my stroke. I have now swam in it twice... and I like it a lot!
There are a lot of good to excellent wetsuits out there... the traditonal designed wetsuits you mentioned are good provided they fit.
However, you might consider looking at two radically new designs called the T1 by DeSoto and the Piel. Both offer certain advantages and disadvantages. Because of those differences, I use the T1 for long course triathlons. And, I use the Piel for sprint distances.
The T1's key advantage is fit because of it's two piece design. So, if you have problems with fit T1 should be able to solve that problems. It also is the most comfortable wetsuit I have ever worn. Unfortunately, it's major disadvantage is the learning curve to remove. It takes some practice (well, make that it can take A LOT of practice for most) to learn to remove it with only moderate effort. As a result, the wetsuit can be slow to remove when compared to the Piel.... but, it's also takes more effort to remove than most traditional wetsuits and the Piel.
The Piel is the fastest and easiest to remove among ALL wetsuit designs. The instructions for removing the Piel is this... As you exit the water, pull up on the two zippers and run to bike. That's it. It will fall off as you run to your bike. That being said, the fit characteristics are simular to most traditional wetsuits. However, it's comfort level is less than the T1 - zippers make it stiff. For that reason, I prefer the Piel for shorter course Triathlons - only.
(IMHO) The short answer is this... traditional wetsuits are good. The newer designs are better but for different reasons. The Piel is best suited for short course triathlons where T1 time is more crucial than comfort during the swim. The T1 is best suited for long course triathlons where the comfort during the swim is important and transition times are less relevant. However, the fit is crucial for all wetsuit designs. Finally, I no longer use my traditionally designed wetsuit anymore... I prefer the T1 or the Piel.
FWIW Joe Moya