Wetsuit Q

Do any shops allow you to test wetsuits? I’m going to be in the market for a new one and there are a couple of brands I’d like to try and compare. This may not be feasible given that the shop would have to have samples in various sizes, but I thought I’d ask.

It’s kind of tough to do this in the off season, but a lot of shops (and RD’s) will rent suits out for races, so if you want to test one out, you can rent one for a particular race. They usually charge $30-$35 for this.

I think that ultimately, at a given $ level, the suits are more or less the same. Find one that fits you and you should be happy.

I’ve heard Nytro does, and know that DeSoto will let you swap sizes if you don’t like the fit. I seem to recall them having a 30 day money back guarantee, too - you’ll want to double check on that though.

For what it’s worth, my money is on the DeSoto T1. Contrary to what you may have heard it is not difficult to remove quickly (and I have a shoulder that likes to dislocate, too!), and is the most comfortable thing out there. :smiley:

Joe M has a nice compare/contrast of the T1 and the Piel if you do a search.