From time-to-time I’ve considered the possible benefits of a non-black wetsuit for visibility in the water during races (visibility to lifeguards watching the races etc).
This most recent article reminded me of non-black wetsuits again:
Does anybody know of tri-wetsuits that aren’t the standard black? (the brighter the better!)
As someone that surfs… Get a black one. Otherwise they get dirty as hell in a very short period of time.
Those seem opposite of what you want. They make you blend in with the water making it harder to see you.
there are two designs in the article.
One makes you camouflaged yes - but the other makes you stand out and look like a poisonous fish essentially.
The article just shows that it is possible to make a really bright wetsuit if desired is all.
I have one of the older (2 years old?) Blueseventy Reactions that has red on the non-neoprene parts:
http://i3.squidoocdn.com/resize/squidoo_images/590/draft_lens17544869module147613737photo_1295333938blue-seventy-reaction-tri
It does seem to stand out in the crowd, and the red parts on the sleeve probably make it easier to identify me in the water if someone were watching. I thought it would be cool if they offered this in a bunch of different colors, but I’m sure that’s not practical from a manufacturing perspective.
All my surfing wetsuits are bright as FVCK.
they get dirty quick tho.
I havent seen any triathlon wetsuits that were bright - but I’d be pretty embarrassed to wear one with my slow swim times. If you’re going to look like an oddball nutcase - you better be able to perform while doing it.
DeSoto used to have a silver T1 wetsuit. I think to all the sea creatures, it’d make you look like a big shark and they’d run (swim) away!!
I did some digging (should’ve done this before posting) and found that DeSoto himself answered the question really nicely in an older thread:
My take based on my experience in the wetsuit industry:
Anything other than black will show dirt easily. Remember most people step on their wetsuits in transition, and if they do not, the wetsuit rubs on the ground during removal.
We sold a Titanium colored wetsuit back in 2004 or so. We sold 100 black wetsuits for every 1 titanium. They looked pretty cool with a red and blue logo. We would not offer it again anytime soon.
Black is slimming on any body.
Black is the most popular selling color of any garment sold in the world (except for white underwear)
Black never goes out of style
Black keeps you warmer on cold mornings if the sun starts to beam down on you. This is something surfers have known for years before triathlon ever started.
The worst color you can make a wetsuit is blue. In order from best to worst-selling (tints, shades and primary colors only): Black, Silver, White, Red, Yellow, Blue,
My take based on my experience in the wetsuit industry:
Thanks Emilio for your insight. I have two follow-up questions:
Desert Dude posted earlier that adding color to a wetsuit may make the wetsuit more porous. Do you find this to be true for your wetsuits?
As I mentioned in my original post, Promotion puts color “accents” in their wetsuits, giving the shoulders and underarm a bit of color, presumably for visibility purposes. To me, this seems like a good idea (perhaps even if color does make the wetsuit more porous). Why do you think most other wetsuit companies do not do this?
Thanks again for your post Emilio.
I respectfully disagree with this comment…at least with regard to Yamamoto Rubber. The only thing that changes is the color of the ink used on the surface. Why would another color be more porous that black? I will say that other colors look porous. Remember that wetsuit rubber is black when it is made, and since all colors are lighter than black, when you add color to black, some of the black is going to show through. Imagine painting a black wall blue, or red or grey or even white with just one coat of paint. I think you get my drift.
Yes, much more visible, agreed, but how visible is an under-arm while swimming? Shoulders I can understand maybe, but if you want to be visible, why not make the entire arms a neon color? Why most companies don’t do it? I cannot speak for them, but in focus groups we have held asking this similar question the most common responses (some quite surprising) are paraphrased below:
(from a fast swimmer) “I don’t want to be more visible if I am leading. It just makes it easier for people to draft behind me.”
(from a not-so-fast swimmer) “A wetsuit that makes me stand out lets people see how slow I really swim”
(from a female swimmer) “I do not want to draw attention to the way I look in a wetsuit, I want to blend in.”
(from a water polo swimmer turned triathlete) “If I am crawling my way through a pack of swimmers in the wave ahead of me, and I mean grabbing feet, ankles, zippers and shoulders, I do not want people to recognize me by the color of my wetsuit.”
YES, THE ABOVE REALLY HAPPENS. You actually move faster in the water by pushing off other people.
If you want to be more visible in open water swims and be more safe (especially if you are swimming alone or with a small group) is to get yourself a lifeguard rescue can and spray paint in neon yellow or orange. I swim at Windansea Beach instead of the Cove here in La Jolla, and I use one quite often. These cans are great for catching waves back in through the surfline. Plus it gives the lifeguards a pretty damn good idea that you know what you are doing
As for racing, you can always tie yellow “do not enter” tape around your triceps, waist, and knees.
Hmmm, this might make another Tip from Emilio post. I have not done one in long time.
Very interesting nontheless. and regardless of what is said about wetsuit colors, I would totally wear a neon one!
Ever see those leaping great whites in South Africa? And they do it off So Cal as well. The reason they do that is the visibility requires them to hunt from below. They see the outline of the seal on the surface. It’s not a color thing,
So, at least you will look good as the shark propels you 10 feet into the air because all it saw was your profile against the lighter sky
When I fish blue and white lures get bit well on most days. On bright sunny days bright and light colors work really well. I have even hooked a few sharks…
Resurrecting this thread in light of the color patterns tested by Australian shark researchers that are supposed to “confuse” the visual perception of sharks.
Yes, this is a plug for National Geographic…
The video(s) about their effectiveness do not look convincing, but I have the one or other old suit laying around that I would consider repainting…for just the peace of mind but also for fashion’s sake ;-).
I have read that one can/could use liquid rubber (cement) to do so.
Anybody done this?
DeSoto used to have a silver T1 wetsuit. I think to all the sea creatures, it’d make you look like a big shark and they’d run (swim) away!!
I still have one of those “Silver Surfer” De Soto T1s (it’s my backup suit and makes finding your swim exit pics easy).
http://university.tri-sports.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/DeSoto2Piece-1701.jpg
Quintana Roo also did some colored chest panels for a time.
http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/features/images/wetsuits/wetsuit1.jpg http://www.duathlon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/4102.jpg
This year’s Orca is on the colorful side; for those who want more than basic black (though it does look a bit like a mauled seal).
http://justwetsuits.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/2013-Orca-RS1-Predator-F.jpg
As someone that surfs… Get a black one. Otherwise they get dirty as hell in a very short period of time.
I completely agree. I have a light grey and red Xcel fullsuit that looked awesome the first few months I wore it, now it looks like a vagrant’s wetsuit.
