For those of you who late in the summer wear a tight TRI top and run in Speedos or swim tights, in two separate, unconnected pieces. Do you swim without a shirt and put that tight tank top on, during T-1 or do you swim with the tight tank top on. Like Hunter Kemper or Simon Lessing, I think they wear a two piece clothing. But is the tank top worn in the swim.
How would you get that thing on quickly if you are wet in T-1, is what got me to ask this?
Good question. We were discussing this at a tri club meeting last night and figured Hunter and other pro’s were obligated to wear their tri tops by their sponsors. Otherwise, we figured they would just go w/o a top.
My try club did some un-scientific testing on the QR tri top versus no top at all and found that it didn’t cause any noticable drag in the water when we wore the tri top. So, we wear them during the swim and leave them on for the entire duration of the race. Trying to put them on when you are wet can cost you too much time in a sprint or Oly distance. (Everyone in our tri-club uses QR apparel now.) The key was making sure the tri top was a good tight fit.
Booth,
I don’t know if you remember me from the Cats race, I tried a LG two piece(jersey/tri shorts) there and did not like it, usually I wear a one piece suit.
However, in the past I have worn the Orca “speedo” and swim top(sort of like Hunters)…I did like it.
I could roll it down into the briefs and pull it out and up while running out of the water, or swim with it on as it caused little drag. The key to leaving a top on while swimming seems to be to me how tight it fits, and more importantly…how high the collar fits around the neck…low ones scoop water.
Chris Hunt
Chris Hunt. Heck yeah, I remember you.
Man, I would think a two piece would bother people, if they had to wear that top in the swim. I personally don’t like the one piece suits, although they help me swim better for some reason.
I guess on the two piece you just get the tightest top, Zoots has got a real tight one, and swim with it on.
Another option is to have it rolled down to around your waist and tucked underneath the top of your tri shorts. Then you can pull it up and over your shoulders as your run into T1…
in ITU races, it is mandatory to wear a top, but they do roll it into their bottoms sometimes, if necessary.
no way. getting a trip top on in t1 is time-consuming and sometimes very hard if your body is at all wet from the swim. i always have my complete outfit on under my wetsuit so i just peel and get on my bike. even a non wetsuit swim, i wear a tight fitting top.