With the current FINA marathon swimming rules which allows wetsuits under 20°C, I'm feeling that the mainstream swimming community now accepts wetsuit as part of swim races which is a standard equipment in cold water. (I maintain a difference between solo channel-swim style swims and swim races as different disciplines in a sport).

However, I still maintain that wetsuit is a performance enhancer which should be considered a separate category in open water swimming races, because I need to do races non-wetsuit to prevent overheating when other people are putting their wetsuit on even in 22°C water!

You're right that there should be separate categories for wetsuit and non-wettie swimmers in races where the water temp is in a certain range, the exact numbers of which I will leave open for debate. If the race doesn't separate out the two, then a good choice for you might be the buoyant shorts. You are really an outlier though in not wanting a wettie at 20* C. :)

---

"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."

I will probably want one if the swim is 5 km in 16°C and I need to ride a bike afterwards.

At risk of answering your question, the pads in Desoto shorts and trisuits float, therefore would provide some buoyancy, albeit probably not a lot.

I think I’ll do the channel one day. When people first started making the crossing the reason they didn’t wear a wetsuits obviously only because they hadn’t been invented. I feel pretty confident that, had you walked down to shore and given Capt Webb a wetsuit, told him this will make you faster and stay warm, he’d have put it on in a second.

In April/May of 1988 my US swim club went to lake Conroe and did an open water race. One of the older kids who later became a decent pro triathlete - I cannot remember his name but TJ Fry probably does - wore a wetsuit to warm up because it was just a little bit chilly but then took it off to race!

Learned a lot from this thread, didn't know there was such a strong culture and opinions around the topic!

I think the simple, non antagonistic answer is this: The shorts count as a wetsuit, use them when its wetsuit legal if you want, wear a skinsuit or none at all if its not. I have never been in a non-wetsuit legal race and probably never will unless I move, so it's unlikely I'll run into this issue personally anytime soon.

Furthermore, we have so many variations of wetsuit (full, sleeveless long leg, 3/4 arm, short leg, short leg sleeveless, etc) that I think of these neoprene shorts as no more than another variation of the above.


Seems to me all the talk about wetsuits being a "insulation tool" first and a speed tool second (in concept) is a bit weird once you look at all the marketing around "what's the fastest wetsuit" and all the special "air pockets" they build in, for optimal positioning...speed, etc... If it was accepted purely a cold water safety tool, I can imagine there would be less room for differentiation in the market from entry level $150 amazon-recommended suits to $900+ suits.


To answer the original question, here's the offerings from Roka:

https://www.roka.com/...pe=product&q=sim

I have the Sim Elite IIs and I think they increase my 100m pace by about 5-10 seconds, if I had to guess.

I've had these for a couple years now, and wear them on every OWS once the water is warm enough that I don't feel comfortable in a full or sleeveless wetsuit.

I have also raced in them once or twice before I got a wetsuit. As far as I can tell, it was 100% legal at the races I used it at, which were non-IM smaller events. Also, no one really cares if you are a mid-pack age grouper, if you are entering as an elite or pro maybe the scrutiny comes down on you a bit more. Do what you like, you aren't ruining the sanctity of the sport unless you are trying to really get an unfair advantage that subverts the rules.

---

Clubs/Affiliations: The Rippers / Charles River Wheelers / Cambridge Sports Union

Ah yes, I remember this thread! I should have just asked if EPO came in different flavors! At the time I had seen Roka ads and heard of people using various swim shorts so was just curious. My go to option for wetsuit legal is a sleeveless (full suit if very cold), so if it’s a non wetsuit legal swim I’ll just keep on wearing Tri shorts. Thanks for the cordial reply, it was actually what I hoped for in the first place!

Yes, buoyancy is an unfair advantage if it’s a non-wetsuit swim.

---

http://www.magnoliamasters.com
http://www.snappingtortuga.com
http://www.swimeasyspeed.com