Ive kind of picked up endurance swimming this summer and have been thinking about trying some sprint triathalons next spring, im looking into buying a wetsuit. I was going to go sleeved since it sounds like theyre faster but ive heard some people say they overheat more, ill mostly be swimming in water mid to high 70s. ive never really worn one how big of a deal is overheating and which would you recommend?
Its over all wetsuit cutoff temps for ITU. So leave the wetsuit at home.
Ditto, at most buy a sleeveless wetsuit to have but even then it may not get much use.
In a sprint there probably isn’t enough time in the wetsuit to overheat. There is also less time to worry about the difference in time savings between sleeves and sleeveless. As others have said you are flirting with the wetsuit legal cutoff at those temps as well. I wear sleeveless all the time because it is more comfortable. Comfort should be the number one deciding factor in buying a wetsuit anyway.
If you go with Desoto you can own both at a marginal price increase, but great flexibility. I found this favorable as a Florida Athlete
yeah I figured itd be ok for a sprint tri, ive just been doing 1500m-1.2mile swims so far but might try a 2.4 mile or 5k next summer so im a litte more worried about cooking in one of those.
Sleeveless the closer you get to the temp cutoff.
Don’t wear a wetsuit at those temps if you’re a reasonable swimmer & at those distances. Unless you’re very prone to getting very cold, you’ll be very warm.
Unless you’re at the very pointy end of the field, sleeves or no sleeves won’t really matter from a speed standpoint unless it’s perfectly calm water & you’re a perfectly straight swimmer - then it’ll still be negligible. If you must have a westuit though, at those temps I would recommend sleeveless.
I’m not a string bean, but I am an endurance swimmer. I don’t wear a wetsuit if it’s at all avoidable because A) most swims will either put you in a different category or exclude you completely from awards, B) I get too hot (sleeves or not) in anything over about 72*.
I’ve done three 10mi swims in water from 72-74* & it winds up being about the perfect temperature. I love 5k swims when they’re around 68-74. I’ve swam without one as cold as about 54-57…that leaves me very cold but still doable for 2-2.5mi if you’re working hard & moving at a good clip.
I’ll agree. I can’t even imagine how awful a wetsuit would feel at 78 degrees, even the sleeveless.
I will have to say, though, that anything under about 60 degrees and I’m in the full sleeve. I just can’t get warm no matter how hard I swim and I start getting the claw and that weird tummy shake thing.
triathlon…
Ive kind of picked up endurance swimming this summer and have been thinking about trying some sprint triathalons next spring, im looking into buying a wetsuit. I was going to go sleeved since it sounds like theyre faster but ive heard some people say they overheat more, ill mostly be swimming in water mid to high 70s. ive never really worn one how big of a deal is overheating and which would you recommend?
Most pros will wear a full-sleeve wetsuit in water from 76-82 degees because they believe it is faster than a sleeveless. They will tell you they get hot but just deal with it. There is a smaller minority of pros who totally nuke their race because they over heat and experience a 20% reduction in power on the bike because of it. For the most part those pros have figured out a sleeveless is the better choice in those conditions. Me personally I will go with a sleeveless for anything above 70 degrees.
Just remember there is no such thing as wetsuit legal in sanctioned open water swims run under FINA rules.
Textile suits only no zippers allowed.
Why does WTC let pros use wetsuits over 80? 78 = 25.5c and the max allowed by the ITU is 24c. Considering FINA will run races at 15.5c and wetsuits don’t exist in their universe 80 seems pretty weak.
Why does WTC let pros use wetsuits over 80? 78 = 25.5c and the max allowed by the ITU is 24c. Considering FINA will run races at 15.5c and wetsuits don’t exist in their universe 80 seems pretty weak.
They don’t let wetsuits over 80. Technically the rule is right around 76 for Pro and Amateurs, but water temps vary. For instance you can take the water temp at the shore and it will be different than the water temp out in the lake. So my point is if the water is 76. You have to be prepared that the water could be 80 somewhere else in the body of water. Maybe it is only 72 somewhere else as well.
I’m surprised more Florida athletes don’t own a shorty (sleeveless and legs cut-off just above the knees). You get the flotation advantage of a wetsuit, don’t overheat in marginally legal water temps, and with the leg opening cut at the bottom of the thighs, you can step right out of it in transition.