Planning on doing an open water swim this coming weekend. Looks like the water temperature is right around 60 degree. Just want to really understand how cold this is to swim in. I’m definitely wearing a full wetsuit. Was wondering if anyone thinks that I would need neoprene cap or booties? Your experience here would really help. Thanks very much.
The swim for Spirit of Racine is in Lake Michigan. Last year, the water was just under 60 degrees. It was cold. The biggest issue was getting “brain freeze.” After a while, it kinda felt like a slushy headache.
I have been in Lake Michigan a few times with it under 60. Wearing ear plugs helps a lot. I have never used a neoprene cap, but, I have one now to try this year.
You are good with just the wetsuit and a regular cap. 60 is uncomfortable so swim hard and it won’t be too bad.
Swam twice in water that cold for races, 60 (Malibu) and 58 (Newport). It’s cold, but you’ll be fine with the wetsuit. No need for cap and booties. Earplugs make a huge difference though.
Get in prior to the race and warm up for 100-200m. You’ll be fine after that.
I also did the spirit of racine in Lake Michigan and they said that the water temp at the start was 54 degrees. I just put on two of the latex caps that they make you wear in a race and it was fine for 28 minutes. Actually the hardest part is the first 150 meters or so until your face gets used to the temp and then it was really ok. I would swim with one or two others though.
The issues you have at 60F are more mental than physical. Yeah, it’s cold and you’ll feel the urge to gasp when your face hits the water, but don’t worry, you’re getting oxygen just fine and everything will be okay once you’ve gone 50 meters or so.
Thanks for all the great advices.
The issues you have at 60F are more mental than physical. Yeah, it’s cold and you’ll feel the urge to gasp when your face hits the water, but don’t worry, you’re getting oxygen just fine and everything will be okay once you’ve gone 50 meters or so.
60 is cold. Most folks use 1 or 2 caps. If you chill easily, opt for the neoprene cap. Booties aren’t needed. Per the PP you will get shortness of breath when you hit the water, so get in a minute or two early and get adjusted before the gun. Your feet/hands will get numb, just get moving and it’ll be fine. Good luck.
X2 on the neoprene cap.
It stopped the slushy headache I got in Oceanside’s 58-60 degree water.
I went out for my first lake swim of the year on sunday. I measured the lake temp and it was 60 degrees.I am bald so I wear a thin polyester cap under my swim cap and I was fine. you may not have the same head issues as me. my feet were a little cold at first but that went away in about five minutes.one trick that can help prevent brain freeze, you may do this already, but exhale out your nose. I find if I get some warm air in my nasal cavity it sure helps to warm the head.
This all depends where you come from? 60 degrees for me in the great white north is not that bad and even warm for some lakes middle of summer. If you live in AZ it’s shell shock. Now if you train in the SF bay for alcatraz again no problem all relative.
60’s cold but not crazy cold. If you are from a warm climate the 60 will feel worse and cap and booties maybe necessary. In my last race in 60 degree swim conditions I saw 3-4 individuals without a wetsuit for a 1500M OLY swim. I had a wetsuit and did not feel that bad but thought they were really brave.
Gordon
60 degree is not that cold. With that temperature I would swim with the neoprene cap and full suit and have no problems with the cold.
60 degree water ? Enough to put you in hypothermia in 30 minutes.
We often (if not usually) start the season with water temps in the upper 50s to 60 degrees. I have always only had a sleeveless suit and been fine. I mean, it’s not something I really LOVE doing (I hate swimming in general, though, so I’m biased), but it’s very doable.
For the average adult… this is completely false. More like an hour and a half to two hours, depending on outside air temperature. Factor in the wetsuit, and he’d have to be in there a long time before hypothermia sets in.
Do any of you swim with a farmer john style wetsuit in water temps below 60? Water temp where I am is normally in mid 50s.
Just did my first wetsuit swim ever this past weekend - water temp. was 61 degrees and I am a big whimp when it comes to cold water. (The pool I swim in is always 80 degrees.) I was very concerned what it was going to be like. I put on the rented wetsuit for the first time ten minutes before race start. I wore my regular swim cap and then the ultra thin one they gave at the race. It was fine. I practiced for all of a minute (cold), got back out and waited for start. Once race started, within a minute I never that about water temperature again.
You will be fine, but you might consider wearing two caps. It is not that bad at all. No need for booties,etc.
Full wetsuit is good
Double cap, I don’t think you need a neoprene cap
jaretj
.
… cold. The biggest issue was getting “brain freeze.” After a while, it kinda felt like a slushy headache.
Agreed. Just went for a swim in my lake this past Sunday & the biggest problem I had were the brain freezes. when they started to hurt a little too much I’d swim breast for 30 seconds-1 minute & then get back into freestyle. I was in a full wetsuit & my hands were a little cold, as well as my feet, but the feet i didn’t really even notice as i tried to kick more than usual (usually kick very little) hands were cold… but really nothing much.
Good Luck!
Nate
Depends on who you ask…put to questions to the dudes that swim in speedos out of lajolla cover every day of the year and 60 will be toasty 
I’ve swum sleeveless in high 50s and been fine after the initial shock.