Lake Logan Tri advertises that the average watere temp is 70 degrees. I have a shortie wet suit that kept me comfortable in 76 degree water at a tri a month ago. Trying to determine if I need to rent a full length suit. Does anyone go without a suit at that temp or is a full recommended???
I would say that 70 deg water is about…70deg…
Sleeves, take em or leave em.
I go without a suit at 70. Swam in the ocean last week at that temp and was fine.
Does your shorty suit add bouyancy? I can go without a suit all the way down into the low to mid 60’s but in a race your putting yourself at a disadvantage because everyone will be wearing a suit.
a better question might be, “how much bodyfat are you carrying?”. i know REALLY lean runners who go hypothermic in 70 degree water and some of the more, ahem, “fleshy” people from my masters swim team will do lake swims in water much colder than that without wetsuits and they’re fine. your comfort level in water of varying temps can really run the spectrum. if you’re wearing a suit in 76 degree water though i’m guessing you’re pretty lean.
In an ordinary swimsuit, the first 50 meters sucks and then it moves to tolerable as I get going.
Should be okay, but you might be a little cold at first especially if you are from NC and use to warmer waters. The camp kids are probably swimming in the Lake Logan as I am writing and I am pretty sure they aren’t wearing wetsuits. Most of the other mountain lakes in the area are in the mid 70’s in August and feel fine. Are you doing the sprint or international?
I probably would NOT wear my full wetsuit in 70 degree water unless the air temp was really cold, but that varies from person to person. In races in Charleston, people will wear full wetsuits in 85 degree plus water with very warm air temperature. (Not USAT races)
sounds like bathwater compared to the 57.5 at a tri in Illinois last sunday.
If you arent a weenie in the water, shorty in 70 degrees should be a np.
a better question might be, “how much bodyfat are you carrying?”. i know REALLY lean runners who go hypothermic in 70 degree water and some of the more, ahem, “fleshy” people from my masters swim team will do lake swims in water much colder than that without wetsuits and they’re fine. your comfort level in water of varying temps can really run the spectrum. if you’re wearing a suit in 76 degree water though i’m guessing you’re pretty lean.
Still carry way too much body fat. I’m 5’9" 170lbs. I was very comfortable with the shorty at 76 and even felt that I could have done without. I’ll just go with the shorty. Since my OP, I found a site that lists Lake Logan’s water temp at 73 degrees.
Thanks for the help!!!
Doing the International on Saturday. You???
I’m in Michigan’s upper peninsula getting training swims in Lake Huron. Today it was 52. A bit chilly but it’s been worse. Suck it up.
Not racing, but I might be in the area to cheer you on to a great finish. Never done the race, but great area.
ITU rules are 68 degrees and most of the guys are pretty lean! below 68 can get chilly, with colder air temps. But I think the vast majority of people would be just fine, even if they don’t think they would be.
I suppose it’s all relative - whereas the Illinois & Wisconsin shores of Lake Michigan had high 50’s water temps last weekend, the next time I swim in 70 degree water I might feel temped to pull out a package of instant oat meal and make some breakfast. If I was used to 85, 70 would be a bit of a chill for me too.
I’m in the ocean every day. I have bodyfat in the 6% range, and can’t surf in water below 75 without some kind of wetsuit. I COULD however, do a sprint distance tri in water down to around 68 without a wetsuit as it’s a short time in the water and I’m moving non-stop. Longer than sprint distance, I’d wear a sleeveless long leg wetsuit though. The additional speed I get from my wetsuit becomes worth it when the swim is over 20 minutes long.
Really depends on how long the swim is.
if its about 74 i’ll start overheating in a full wetsuit at about 750m. So i wear my Desoto Speedtube, Anything under 74 i wear a full.
Just about what the wetsuit limit SHOULD be. 
If a shortie is all you have, you will be just fine. That’s not very cold at all. If you are not used to exiting a full suit, the potential time savings may be offset if it takes you 1-2 minutes to get out of it (like it does for most people the first few times they use a full suit).
About +1 degree more than 69 and -1 degree less than 71*…