Wetsuit Help: Orca Alpha vs. 3.8

Triathlon Forum
1

I’m currently trying to decide between these two wetsuits and the information given on Orca’s website isn’t being all that helpful. As far as I can tell, the primary difference between the two suits is that the 3.8 is more buoyant/less flexible and the Alpha is less buoyant/more flexible.

I’m hoping to go ~20 flat for wetsuit-legal Olys this season. My masters meet PR’s over the winter are 2:05 for the 200 free and 5:45 for the 500 free, all SCY off the blocks. I’m thinking that still puts me in the camp where improved buoyancy trumps everything else, so I’m leaning toward the 3.8 at this point, but any more information I could get about these suits would be much appreciated.

2

I’m currently trying to decide between these two wetsuits and the information given on Orca’s website isn’t being all that helpful. As far as I can tell, the primary difference between the two suits is that the 3.8 is more buoyant/less flexible and the Alpha is less buoyant/more flexible.

I’m hoping to go ~20 flat for wetsuit-legal Olys this season. My masters meet PR’s over the winter are 2:05 for the 200 free and 5:45 for the 500 free, all SCY off the blocks. I’m thinking that still puts me in the camp where improved buoyancy trumps everything else, so I’m leaning toward the 3.8 at this point, but any more information I could get about these suits would be much appreciated.

I would go for the more flexible suit! if you are thinking sub 20 min, that means that buoyancy isn’t a problem for you… getting your shoulders tight/heavy can be a problem, and thas why I would pick the more flexible suit.

Cheers,

3

Good friend of mine was swimming in an old 3.8 and switched to an Alpha at IMC last year and loved it…the flexibility was night and day difference for him…he swam about 57’ I think, pretty good swimmer but not as fast as you…I’d say Alpha
.

4

How is the fit. I have worn both the 3.8 and the Alpha. I tended to like the Alpha better, but I like flexibility and the Alpha definitely was more comfortable in the shoulders. I went Tyr because of fit. The 3.8 and Alpha are both decent suits, should get you to where you want to be… The most important thing is comfort, and how the suits fit.

Also depends on your swimming style. I think the 3.8 is less flexible in the shoulders and if that affects your stroke, it will increase fatigue.

… And to be fair, also tried the Zoot Superfull and the Blue Seventy Helix. All great suits, Blue Seventy just did not fit me… May be the perfect suit for someone else… just not me

5

This is a tricky one, but I’ll try to take a stab at it:

Alpha: Very high end suit. Notable attribute is the shoulder thickness, it’s .5-1.5mm, and the body thickness is 5mm. It’s got a combination of Yamamoto 39/40, and Nano SCS coating. Highlights are the following, Aerodome (buoyancy), transition calf panel, 4-way stretch lining, smooth neck, slipstream zip. Drawback is simply how delicate it is because it’s such a high end suit. Putting it on and taking it off requires some astute care.

3.8: Also high end, but not as pricey. Shoulder thickness isn’t as thin as Alpha. 3.8 is 1-3mm with a body thickness of 5mm. All Yamamoto 39, but only has SCS coating. Features slipstream zip, smooth neck, cardio flex chest panel, hydrolift buoyancy, transition calf panel, core equilibrium (rollbar),

Both great suits.

6

I talked to some people at Orca the other week at trifest and have emailed back and forth with some of them.

Get the 3.8 if you want the faster suit, get the alpha if you want the more flexible suit

7

If you were a sub-5:00 500yd swimmer, then the Alpha would be the suit for you. At those speeds, go with the 3.8. You’re a good swimmer, but the Alpha is for swimmers like McClarty and those other ITU front (or off the front) swimmers.

8

Off topic, but proof that it runs in the genes. Both brother and sister McClartys are fast swimmers!

9

I went with the alpha and it feels like butter, smooth and silky. Helped me cut 4min off half ironman swim or maybe it was the increased swim load.
cheers

.

10

Off topic, but proof that it runs in the genes. Both brother and sister McClartys are fast swimmers!

More likely that the willingness to drive their kids to the pool a LOT runs in the genes of their parents. :wink:

11

Just pulling the trigger right now on the same topic.

I’m about a 55 minute Ironman swim and need a new suit going into next season. I was having a hard time distinguishing between the 3.8 and the Alpha. Looks like from Rappstar’s comments, for the long swims at those speeds, I’d likely benefit more from the 3.8?

I am assuming the 3.8 would have better durability as well then.

Any experience with the 2xu project x? Or should I not bother throwing that one in the mix?

12

I would not get the Alpha especially for IM. It’s not a “fast” suit unless you are a really, really fast swimmer. Fast is ITU fast.

Floatation counts. I would look at other options like Desoto. I did not like the 3.8 at all.