Speed gains from a wetsuit for a MOP or so swimmer

Triathlon Forum
1

Hi all.

After 10 IM’s, you would think I could remember stuff like this.

For an average swimmer (1:04-1:10), what is the approximate time savings while wearing a wetsuit per 100m (that’s metric for the impaired :slight_smile: ). Just need some approximate #'s for ‘normai’ conditions. I have never attempted a pool swim with a wetsuit on…for obvious reasons… :slight_smile:

dave

2

I have always be about 10% faster with a wetsuit on.

Dave

3

I agree with 10% (I’m not sure if slower swimmers benefit more or not (or really fast benefit less) but my friends and I (IM swim range 55-1:05) are all really close to 10%. I’d guess the range is like 8-12%.

Dave

4

Thanks guys.
I was about right with my guestimate.

Not quite the 30% I was looking for :).

dc

5

If you can find one that gets 30%, let me know, I want to buy one before anyone else finds out. :o)

Dave

6

Try swimming with a pullbuoy, see how much faster you are, it will approximate the buoyancy effect of a wet suit…

7

Of course your pool times will be faster than your open water, so maybe, pool no wetsuit = open water with wetsuit?

I don’t know.

8

I’m a MOP IM Swimmer (1:08-1:12) and probably one of the few people on earth that is slower in the full wetsuit than I am in my sleeveless wetsuit…so the answer may depend on you and the particular wetsuit. Generally I’m around 5-8 secs faster in the sleeveless per 100m.

9

This evening I tested the dif between wet suit and no wet suit.* FYIW-*I’m generally in the MOP to top 30% out of the water.

Here are the results of my unscientific test.

It was an open water swim of approx 300 yard across the lake.

Across and back warm up (~600 yds)

Across and back no wet suit - 10:30 sec

Across and back full wet suit - 9:20 set

So, the earlier mentioned 10% rule sounds about right.

I would add though that my HR was definately lower during the wet suit swim. I wasn’t wearing a heart rate monitor, but I could tell by my breathing pattern that I wasn’t working as hard with the wet suit…

Faster, yet easier! Ya gotta luv it.

10

if your in the 40 to 44 age group, get the one made for surfing…you will smoke us all out of the water! Make it a 7 mil suit too!

11

Here is a link to Tom Demerly’s site with his times in various states of dress:

http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/features/wetsuit.shtml
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