I’m a novice and am registered for my first IM distance race - IMWI 2011. I’m also a horrible swimmer (hoping for 1:20-1:30 in the race, but it could easily turn out to be 1:40). In the past, I’ve scoffed at wetsuits and their floatation advantage, probably in part because the only swims I’ve done in wetsuits have been in surfing wetsuits (too restrictive) and one in a borrowed wetsuit in, like, 1995 (I assume the technology has improved a lot since then). But for the IM distance I’ll need all the help I can get. Soooo…
Would I be better off with a speedsuit or swimskin kind of thing, or an actual wetsuit? I saw an earlier thread reporting something like 6 seconds/100M gain from a speedsuit. That sounds pretty attractive. But if I got the full-on wetsuit, maybe the gains are even better? I’d love to go with the speedsuit (something like the Speedzoot) since they’re quite a bit cheaper, and because I think a wetsuit at IMWI would be way too warm. But I want to make sure I don’t later find out that a wetsuit would be a way better option for a slow swimmer like me (tho it would have to be a WAY better option to justify the additional cost).
A wetsuit is definitely a way better option. The only reason to use a speed suit would be in a non-wetsuit legal event. Wetsuits will float your hips up and make you way faster, especially for a slow swimmer. You can get a decent entry level suit for $300 or so.
I agree. My Xterra wetsuit has lasted me several years and was relatively cheap. They have many deals throughout the year, so check on their website often.
Because you don’t know if it fits well? I’m a fellow slow swimmer, and I agree that a wetsuit is a worthwhile investment. It does make swimming easier, and it will last for years. But you’ll be happier if you get one that fits really well. Shops will have off-season sales, and you can likely find a good deal on one now or soon at a place where you can try some on to make sure you get one that fits you reasonably well. A $99 wetsuit sounds great unless it doesn’t fit you very well (meaning it might be uncomfortable or restrictive or cause chafing), in which case you’ll think we were idiots for recommending that you get a wetsuit. I got a lower-end Orca wetsuit 4 years ago when a local shop had a sale, and I think I paid about 200 bucks. It fits great, and it’s still in very good condition, though I admittedly don’t use it all that often these days because I haven’t done as many tris in the past few years. I tried on 3 other wetsuits before deciding on that one, and the others did not feel nearly as good to me.
So unless you know for sure that the $99 wetsuit will be the one that fits best, I wouldn’t buy a wetsuit online if I were you.
Wetsuit will probably give you the most improvement, but also understand you need to learn to swim in it, and it can do things like make you feel tight in the chest, fatigue arms, and other fit issues. So if you go wetsuit route, be sure to practice several OWS in it.
The speed suit can help as well, but it will not be as fast for you as the things a wetsuit will help with like raising your legs, etc.
Again, while a wetsuit may help improve your time say 10% or so, but I am willing to bet if you spent this winter with a coach to help improve your stroke, interval and tempo drills, maybe working with a Masters club, you might make a 20% improvement in your time and THEN add the wetsuit on top of that and now we are talking.
Best of luck. Enjoy your training and all the success to you
I got a xterra wetsuit from their site, they tend too run a little big, had to send it back and get one size smaller, easy process and no hassle with exchange, love the suit.