looking to buy a new wetsuit…have an old Ironman Stealth longjohn…want to go to a full-sleeve set-up…
pricing on new suits has increased significantly since i last bought one…but curious if anyone had a good recommendation on the latest models for a good value?
does anyone have the Axis or Fusion suits from BlueSeventy? do they work well or is it not worth the money to spend the extra on a suit?
i’m an average swimmer…1:12 Ironman and ~30 min 70.3…so i’m just looking for something easy to get off and comfortable.
i have the new blue seventy helix, and I really like the fit and mobility. I went to the local tri store and tried on a few different brands, and I bought the one that fit best. The only thing I don’t like on it is the zipper. It unzips up. I wrenched my back at the Columbia race unzipping it. Hope this helps
Good advice was given on trying them on to find a suit that fits like a glove. You may have luck buying a used in the classifieds also. I have bought a few used suits with no issues, and have a couple for sale now depending on your size.
Fit is the most important thing. When you get to the top end suits, they all get fairly comparable so the biggest factor should be how well the suit fits you and how comfortable the movement is in your shoulders.
I think it is hard to beat the TYR Hurricane Cat 3 right now. It is a fantastic suit in and out and mainly the same as the Cat 5 except for Yamamoto 38 and 39 instead of Yamamoto 39 and 40.
There can be some good bargains with close out models, but with a used suit, also be aware that older suits will loose a little bit of bouyancy and may not be as good in the shoulders. I always liked the Quintana Roo Superfulls for their shoulders in older suits.
If you are a size 9 in Orca, I have a new Alpha at a steal price. Too small for me, and I am using a TYR Cat 3 at the moment that swims like a dream
like others have said, fit is key.
once i got one that fit me right, it made a world of difference.
beyond that, it seems to me that the biggest differences are in shoulder flex.
i had a blue seventy reaction, didn’t like the fit or the shoulder movement, went to a sleeveless, didn’t like that, then found the beauty that is the Helix.
well worth the money in my opinion.
doesn’t seem as floaty as some of the others, but shoulder mobility is more important to me then the highest float.
i’ve heard good things of the new tyr line, but you prob won’t have much luck there in terms of used.