Thinking about the usefulness of a Swimskin for non-wetsuit sprint races. Any opinions?
Thinking about the usefulness of a Swimskin for non-wetsuit sprint races. Any opinions?
I’d wear one. You’re not going to be saving a heap of time, but it’s nice to feel fast in the water, wearing one.
Thinking about the usefulness of a Swimskin for non-wetsuit sprint races. Any opinions?
Look at the math of free claimed gained speed and subtract the time you lose by having to remove after swim. It’s that simple. Although I think most swimskin tests don’t compare their speed to a well fitting modern Tri suit. For me it would depend on distance. Anything under maybe 500 meters, I would likely not use one. Over that and I would consider. Over 800, I would use.
The best sprint Tri suit I ever used was Kiwami WS. It’s a trisuit with the speed of a swimskin.
Depends on the kit underneath.
There are fast kits and slow kits. All of my Kiwami and TYR kits are fast so there’s no need for a swim skin.
Depends on the kit underneath.
There are fast kits and slow kits. All of my Kiwami and TYR kits are fast so there’s no need for a swim skin.
How do you run in them? I thought part of the benefit of the swimskin was for it to be highly compressive and therefore restrictive. If you can run in them, then surely they’re not doing their job. My Arena suit (OWS) takes about 20mins to put on and requires 2 people. Part of the reason it’s super-fast because it’s super tight. No joke, it would fit an 8 year old.
I was under the impression that the OP was going to wear a swimskin over their normal kit. Not one that is used for pool swimming only.
Perhaps I’m mistaken
I was under the impression that the OP was going to wear a swimskin over their normal kit. Not one that is used for pool swimming only.
Perhaps I’m mistaken
No I think you’re right, swimskin over trisuit.
Not sure where you’re planning on racing but it would be worth finding out what official rules will used.
If it’s the World Triathlon Competition Rules, it’s my understanding and experience in Canada (Triathlon BC) that you would have to wear the swimskin for the entire race including the Bike and Run.
Page 45 - Section 4.11 (c) Swimskins
https://www.triathlon.org/uploads/docs/World-Triathlon_Competition-Rules_2023_20221122.pdf
Maybe depends on how good of a swimmer you are - I think us midpackers see more benefit than the pointy end. I would almost always wear mine.
Pro tip - make sure to take it off after the swim and don’t look down mid-bike and say “oh noâ€. Hypothetically of course.
Maybe depends on how good of a swimmer you are - I think us midpackers see more benefit than the pointy end. I would almost always wear mine.
Pro tip - make sure to take it off after the swim and don’t look down mid-bike and say “oh noâ€. Hypothetically of course.
Lol. Done that 😂
Think it depends on 1) length of swim, 2) how good your tri suit is, & 3) how long your run into T1 is.
I would probably wear one for a true Sprint distance swim (750m). A lot of times, however, you get sprints with ~1/4 mile swim & a long run into T1. The ITU type tri suits are really good. Dk that you’re getting much time back with a swim skin over something like that. But I think it’s a comfort level/confidence thing. If you’re going to feel better in the swim skin, wear it. If you’re planning on ripping the run into T1 after a super short swim, maybe you don’t wear it.
I would highly recommend a fast-in-the-water trisuit. that will save you time as you hardly lose anything in the water and jump right on your bike at t2. that’s what you see with top world triathlon (ex-itu) racing.
we sell some of those but we’re not the only one.
dont hesitate to let me know if you want more details.
Few things to consider, not exactly as simple as math per 100 saved. Personally I would wear one if it were the 750m swim, but many sprints are 400/500. For the shorter distance I would wear a snug trisuit for the compression, that is most of your savings. You might lose a second a 100 with the trisuit vs the swim skin.
Now for some folks, they get 6+ seconds out of a swim skin, and that does not factor in the possibility of getting on faster feet too. What I mean is that if the skin gets you just into the group up front, now the savings can almost double vs swimming all alone, or in a slower group. Of course that is not a given, it plays out on Raceday. Just no way to know, but one thing for sure is that the faster you swim, the chances of a better group go way up.
Lead pack swimmers just get about 3 seconds a 100, so not quite as critical as the MOP/BOP swimmers, but still the same logic applies…
Or you could just swim in an old school speedo, hear they are worth 7 seconds a 100 too… (-;