I’m about to pull the trigger on one, and I just wanted to see if there was any reason not to. I do long course, if that helps.
Thanks.
It took a long time for me to be sold on the concept. I was not a believer. I did try it and I was very impressed.
Personally, IMO, I don;t care for the version with the zipper. I see no need for it. I do love the original T1. For a swimmer like me, it is the best.
I do sell them in my store but only after trying them and being convinced they are really good. I think the less of a swimmer you are, the better they work for you.
I am very, very pleased with mine and highly recommend them.
I was going to ask the same question, since I haven’t heard anything bad about the suit from folks that use it. (Except for the given shoulder flexibility thing, which seems to not really be a big deal to even the people that have the problem).
One thing I did was go to E-bay and see what a T-1 was selling for and how many Imagine my surprise when I did my search for ‘desoto’ in the sports area and didn’t find anything! Apparently either nobody wants to get rid of them, or they go so fast that they don’t stay online long enough for me to see them! In looking for other tri wetsuits there seem to be plenty for sale, just no T-1’s.
I’m going with Monty’s wetsuit trade-in program and can’t wait for the new suit to arrive. I know it won’t fix my swimming, but it can’t make me any slower than I was at my first race this season!
Good luck with the decision.
Josh
not me. i got mine just before ralphs, used it there for 1st time and did a swim pr w/ no chaff or discomfort (lets not talk about the bike or run). the suit has awesome leg flotation, vastly superior to the IM instinct sleeveless that it replaced. i don’t know if all hi-end full suits are like this. also liked the seamless & zipperless back as opposed to my IM instinct which let in tons of water. was worried about transition but proved to be no problem, although could be if you have shoulder problems. you’ve probably read all the good stuff about the T1 by TD and others and the price is good. unfortunately though i didnt get to compare it with other full suits (i decided based on price and concept) so cant say whether i would have been happier in something else.
one thing though, and i’d be interested to know what other T1 owners think on this - i don’t think i would ever swim in just the bibjohn, so that would cut against the T1 to the extent one was interested in it because of the idea of getting a full and sleeveless suit in one. this is partly because I have the IM sleeveless suit and also, frankly and sillily, because i think just the bibjohn looks and feels kind of dorky. remember, image is everything. more practically, i have a suspicion that the bibjohn alone would let in a lot of water. don’t know how/whether this affects performance but psychologically i like my suit to be as water-tight as possible. i hated getting in the water in my instict and feeling the water pour in through the permeable back panel.
I am happy with my T1. Here are a few points I had to get over. When swimming, there is a pocket of air that forms high between my shoulder blades that feels like it moves back and forth when I roll in the swimming stroke. No big deal but took a little getting used to. I understand the concept of the no chafe neck but I have been chafed using the T1 just slightly less than with one piece suits. I dont use any lube on my neck but then again, I never used lube with many of the other suits I have either, so its an even comparison. The suit is very warm. WIth the above points considered, I feel the suit is pretty damned fast and really like the way it “swims”.
hated the Ironman, liked Orca, love the T1. If you’re looking to save a couple of bucks, you can go with the Tres bottom. Easy to get off, why go with the zipper? The silver looks cool, if you have friends watching you, they could pick you out of the crowd easier, on the other hand, I think it’s like painting a big sign on you that says “look at me!” I have several peices of DeSoto gear, service is excellent, people are great and no, they don’t pay me.
I too was leary but the comments from others really made me think twice.
I needed more shoulder mobility and the T1 was said to do just that.
The only reservation I had was that after 2.4 miles in the water, my shoulders are usually flooded and fatigued and I have a difficult time getting of a typical wetsuit. My concern was how hard would the T1 be.
2 weekends ago, I used it in a half and I have to say, getting out of the thing was very very easy with little to no trouble at all. Even with tired arms.
One Caveat: You need to practice getting out of the suit. There is a “technique” to it. The DeSoto website does a great job with instructions on how to do it.
Awesome Suit. Definitley worth the money IMO.
i have the feeling that this will be an unpopular response, but I don’t like mine all that much. I’ll undercut my own argument by saying it’s the one and only I’ve ever owned. I have the sleeveless Dos top (the one that is not as “slick” as the other tops). Notwithstanding, for the life of me, I cannot remove the top. It is not a strength issue. More likely, it is a flexibility issue w/r/t my shoulders. I have watched the video on the site over and over, but I must be genetically challenged. My arms just don’t go that way. At a race, I look like the guy having a seizure or fighting with his imaginary friend on the water edge trying to get the top off. I can’t tell you how much time I lose, but it’s a lot - to say nothing of the laughter it incites.
As as aside, I raced in JUST the bottom last weekend, and loved it. Felt like it gave me the buoyancy I was hoping for, and i had no overheating problem (I think some creative temperatur taking was employed to get the water under 78).
by the way, i am not a good swimmer. just keep the foregoing in mind if you are as inflexible as me
I have heard that the sleevless was the hardest to get off - if so, why not contact them and see if you can trade it in for a zipper? I actually don’t see the point in the sleeveless top, as you pointed out, you can swim in just the bottom, so why not take full advantage of the suit and go with the sleeves?
If memory serves, I think the DeSoto folks can install a zipper into your current top. It’s relatively inexpensive too. I don’t remember the exact price off the top of my head, but it’s something like $10.
As for me, I own a DeSoto and love it. I tried on an IM full and several QR sleeveless models before I settled in on the DeSoto. Assuming you don’t have any problems with the removal of the top (which seems to be the biggest “problem” with folks), I’m guessing that you’ll like the suit. For me, the top pops right off like the guy in the video. Excellent comfort and bouyancy.
I’m not a fan of the sleeveless version myself. What’s the point? Some customers want them but I try to sell them the full sleeve- it is faster and better swimming IMO.
I believe that the charge for the zipper is $25. Call deSoto.
If you look at my post about the 3rd method for removal, that might work for you without the zipper. It is the only way that works for me, but it works. Practice it in the pool after swimming a few hundred yards/meters.
I have never taken a shirt off like the video, i always grab the neck of my shirts…I couldnt come close to removing the top…its not a strength issue as I am plenty strong, its technique…I had to send mine back for zippers…25.00…if you have big lats, i would consider the zipper
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I have the Dos sleeveless suit. When I first used it I too found the top to be tough to get off. However I discussed this with Emilio at Wildflower a few years ago and he swapped mine out for a new model that had some of the higher end rubber spliced into both sides. In effect they glued in two panels of the more flexible stuff and voila, the thing comes off more easily.
If your Dos top is a few years old, I would recommend you look into this. Their service is top notch.
I’m going to have to go against the grain on this one. I raced with the T1 all last year and I live on a lake and swim 3-4 times per week in it. It’s a good suit but there are some things I don’t like about it and I decided to go back to a one piece this year (Aquaman Metal Cell). For reference I swam a 57 at IMLP last year. Here is my list of dislikes ranked in order.
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It is slower to get off. I have seen claims that it is faster but I don’t see how this is possible. Maybe it’s just me but I can’t pull the top off on the run. I run to my bike then pull it off which usually requires a brief struggle and a missed attempt or two. Guys I come out of the water with (usually the lead pack at local races) already have their top pulled down to their waist at the bike. I estimate that I lose 5-6 seconds at T1. I’m not saying this suit is hard to get off just that the extra step takes a few seconds. This may not seem like a big deal but I won a race by exactly 6 seconds last year.
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The back of the top rides up a little while swimming and forms a small air pocket behind my neck. This feels annoying. Also on a long swim I forgot bodyglide and when the suit rode up I recieved a very bad chaffe which took about a month to go away. It seems I get more chaffed in this suit than my old Ironman Stealth. I don’t know if this small air pocket produces any extra drag; probably not but possible
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There are claims that there is no downward shoulder pull with the T1. I don’t think this is accurate. The straps from the bib john go over the shoulders and when reaching there is some downward pull similar to a one piece suit. Yes, the suit does fit me right.
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These issues are minor but important enough to me to make a switch. The suit is fast but I don’t think any faster than other top of the line models. I think it’s a great choice if you have trouble fitting other brands.
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I have a size 4 silver T1 for sale if anyone is interested.
I just swam in a two piece last night to test it out and I did not like it all compared to my new full one piece. There was a constant bubble of air in my shoulders I could not get ride of no matter what I did on and off the shore. The suit rode up more into my arm pits though it was the right size and I am a strong swim (1hr IM) meaning my upper body is not that weak and it took me a huge amount of time and energy to try and get that top off let alone the disorientation I felt after I got the neck to pop off my head. I could not imagine that feeling when I am slightly dizzy coming out of a strong swim. My one piece is easily just as flexible in the arms and is way less fuss on and off. Pass for sure.
My advice to any two piece customer, take the new two piece suit and a new one piece suit on a test swim and see for yourselves. Any good dealer will let you do that.
Like I said, the top coming off seems to be the biggest issue. I remember that bubble feeling in my upper back when I swam at the pool, but I haven’t in my last couple of open water swims. Maybe it’s just race day excitement that has my mind thinking about other things.
Odd to hear people with big lats having trouble taking the top off though. I think I have bigger lats for my height (have swimmers build from swimming in high school and college). But my top does pop off like the video. I think it really varies from person to person. I was also very sceptical after working as a wetsuit peeler in IMFL 04. I saw many people having trouble with their tops there.
DeSoto service is excellent though. If you haven’t tried it yet, I’d at least recommend that much. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it. Much like bike fit, I’d go for the suit that fits you best.
I have a T1 from a year ago that is “zipperless.” I am 5’ 9" and weigh 165# and got a size 4 top and bottom. I found the top to be somewhat constrictive despite having talked with Desoto directly and being told I needed that size. This year I purchased a XTERRA vector Pro which is infinitely more comfortable though I sense there is a bit less flotation in the legs. My advice is to get a T1 that is a size bigger than what Desoto recommends on their website, or try the Vector Pro. Good Luck!
I have 3 pieces: T1 top and bottom and T3 vest. No zippers. Have had them for 2 years. Good stuff. Very good stuff.
As opposed to other replies, I do like having the vest - even lake Ontario warms up enough to make it too warm for a full-sleeve suit. And the sleeve top is warm. (Hi, I’m from Webster…)
I had to get a vest that was 1 size smaller than the sleeve top to have it tight enough. No big deal there.
I do get the air bubble just below the neck on my back, but have found that I can get rid of it during warm-up by “standing” upright in the water and running a finger around the neck opening to break the seal. Usually, the pressure of the water against my back gets the air bubble out and once sealed, the top is snug.
I could not duplicate the top take-off method on the Desoto web site, specially not after swimming hard. But there is an alternate technique where you keep an elbow to your side/front, roll the bottom of the top over the elbow with the other hand and then lift your elbow up. Although it seems like the neoprene would not stretch that much, it does and the top pops off right away. With some practice, I’ve learned to do it while “running” (stumbling?) towards T1. This method gives me the leverage that I lack when I just try to lift the top off by holding the bottom like in the Web site video.
I have not tried any other current top-end suits, so I have no comparison points. I can’t imagine any other co. having better rubber - the T1 is damn soft.
It is swimable without any top, as others have pointed out. The leg piece is very buoyant - when I kick it feels like I’m catching mostly air. (So I don’t bother… 
horia
wow, i don’t know if this thread has convinced me or dissuaded me from gettin a t1. if one guy is too warm in lake ontario i’m worried about overheating in mirror lake. i have a sleeveless orca now which fits me good but i want to upgrade to a fullsuit. monty’s trade-in program makes it very affordable. i think i’ll probably order a t1 and see for myself. thanks for all of the replies.