I’m training for my first 1/2 and needing to buy a wetsuit. I’m a pretty strong swimmer, by no means the fastest but swimming is easy and fun for me. I hate wetsuits because I feel constricted, but I feel like I should wear them to get the energy savings that everyone else is getting. Question is: sleevless or long sleeved? I have skinny arms, so if extra mass is going to help me pull more water (and thus go faster), I’ll take it. If there’s really no savings there, I’d lean toward being less constrained. Thoughts?
sleeves, unless you are in really hot water. If you search around and try on lots of suits you should be able to find one with very very minimal restriction. My old Desoto suit was terrible for me and I felt like I was suffocating and had no shoulder flexibility (note, I’m not knocking the suit in general but it just did not work for me at all). I’m now in a QR Superfull and that thing is heavenly. Shoulder mobility restriction is almost nonexistant and it doesn’t feel like someone is sitting on my chest anymore.
I have allways swam in a sleeveless because I didn’t like the restriction my full sleeve suit had on my reach. I just bought a new full sleeve that fits well and there is no restriction at all.
So in my opinion, buy the full sleeve suit that fits the best.
I like sleeveless. Less constricted around my shoulder and I have a better feel for the water on my forearms. The hand is only 1/3 of the total surface area of your arm, the forearm is also quite important for pull and catch.
Just bought a sleeveless myself. I didn’t have any issues with the water temps last year in it. Make sure it fits well, and if you can rent a few different models to try different styles, all the better.
I too am a strong swimmer - resisted the wet suit for years - actually have a real problem with wet suits in general, but that was a different thread - so now I am hypocritical and wear one.
The constriction thing is realy but you will get used to it. Buy the one with sleeves now and hunt for a bragin basement one without (maybe ebay or end of year clearance). then you have both and can pick and choose.
I’ve owned a sleeveless and a full suit. Currently, I am using an Xterra full suit that I love. Sleeveless is the way to go. They’re faster, there is no restriction in the arms, and they’re warmer. I vote for long-sleeved.
I prefer sleeveless. Much less constricted around the shoulders. Water temp never been a problem as the arms are constantly in motion and are kept warm through activity.
Sleeves would probably be a little faster but the comfort level may diminish any advantage you gain in speed. Find a shop that has a good selection and try on as many as you can.
start with the sleeved suit - then if you get hooked on tri and race lots buy a sleeveless too. then you have a choice - i only wear my sleeveless when the water is warm, and much prefer my QR full to my IM sleeveless.
I just got a sleeve suit. I think it’s a tad bit mroe comfortable than the sleeveless I’m ditching. More importantly, the new one fits.
I’m not sure you’ll notice a lot of benefit from sleeves, but they shouldn’t hurt you much either.
Sleeved are faster for the 1/2 distance for sure. Since you are an int/adv swimmer you need to look at the int/adv level suits as they offer much more flexibility in the shoulder. You only need to look at the advanced suits if you can get the “glide” and have good technique. If you are nearly there then the intermediate suits work well and save you ~$100. You will need to swim ~3 times in a sleeved suit to get used to the difference in the ‘pierce’ as your arm will be much more buoyant than before.
Int/ advanced swimmers that don’t want to spend the money for the higher-end suits should probably go with a sleevless to retain shoulder mobility - IMO.
You will never be standing around going “wow, my arms are hot.” but you can be standing around or swimming and say “wow, my arms are blue.”
There will be no time loss between the two getting them off as they will both be 1/2 stripped off when you get to your T1 spot.
Make sure to try the new Xterra Vengeance as I think it is the best value suit of the year.
Thanks so much!! It sounds like I should get a long-sleeved suit that fits. It sounds like my skinny forearms could use the extra mass, and gliding gets more efficient with long-sleeves. Now I’m excited to go try them on.
For those of you still advocating for sleevless, please tell me why.
I don’t think statements about which one is faster are always accurate.
I am faster in my sleeveless but that does not mean everyone will be. The only way to know for sure is to test a whole lot of them.
In some ways it’s a herd thing - most people buy sleeved now days so they must be better and faster, right? Not so sure about that, have you done your own trials with a number of different suits.
You will never be standing around going “wow, my arms are hot.” but you can be standing around or swimming and say “wow, my arms are blue.”
Funny you should say this. I swam in a local lake this morning with a friend; I in a sleeveless, he in a fullsuit. Pretty cool water, I’d guess less than 68. We swam for about half an hour. I’m a faster swimmer. When finished, he had to take off his wetsuit and jump back in to cool off. I felt fine, albeit a bit chilled on the way home.