Wet Suit for a Beginner - Tips?
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Ironmom posted 1 year ago.
Personally, in those kind of temperatures, I'd go for a full-sleeve suit. Noodling around in cold water is one thing, coming out of a swim in a triathlon with all of your limbs full functional and warm is another. Also, the buoyancy is a non-negligable issue for many of us. Many race directors will require a wetsuit at that temperature range.
If I were you (and assuming money isn't the issue), I'd buy a full sleeve suit, made for triathlons. The thicknesses are generally comparable between the major manufacturers like QuintanaRoo and Blue70, but the fit of each suit is different. Be sure to try them on and get a feel for how each fits and how much arm and shoulder mobility you have in each suit.
Blue Skies, -Robin-
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jsk85 posted 1 year ago.
+1 to the above...in that cold of water, I'd be going 1 piece full sleeve wetsuit...depending on wether or not the race is this year or next, I might hold off on buying right away. Definately go try them on and see which brand you like, but some of the larger retailers (ie Xterra does for sure) have pretty substantial sales periodically, somewhere around 50% off. I wouldn't be suprised if the other major brands offer similar promotions. So if this is a race for next year, always time to look for some savings
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TriSooner posted 1 year ago.
1. At those temps, do I really need a wetsuit, or just a full tri suit? 58 to 65 degrees? Hell yes. A trisuit won't do you a bit of good in those temps.
2. If I need a wetsuit, what type of thickness? Apparently diving wetsuit come in different thicknesses? Triathlon-specific wetsuits don't vary too much in thickness, so whichever one you get will be the 'right' thickness.
3. What type of cut - full sleeve, full leg, John? "Full"
4. One peice or two peice? One.
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orangedog posted 1 year ago.
awesome. I appreciate the guidance everyone - makes me feel much more comfortable with my purchase.
Not to imply that I have a money tree in the backyard, but money isn't the issue. That said, I saw the xterra sale mentioned in another thread and that sounds like a sweet way to go. The race is about 8 months away, although I may be signing up for a similar one that is 5 months away. So either way I have time.
Thanks again.
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kylie posted 1 year ago.
I agree -- get a wetsuit, go for a full one -- but some other things to consider:
- Try the 2 piece like the DeSoto -- many people I know swear by them, and that they just "fit better". Since that will be personal, no harm in trying one on while you try other brands. It might be 2 piece, but that doesn't mean it lets in more water or isn't as warm or anything like that.
- Perhaps look at renting one. Places like wetsuitrental.com have gotten some good reviews, and if this is the only tri you are looking at that requires a wetsuit it might be a good route for you.
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jperubog posted 1 year ago.
5-8 months is a long way out, you may just want to hold off for a few months, I don't know what kind of shape you are in, but you may want to factor in your training intensity and your body weight, if you have some extra pounds to lose, you may find out that at the end of 6 months you have lost some weight and the wetsuit is too big(if you buy now). I went the rental option for my first wetsuit tri and it worked out pretty well as I only needed it for one race last year.
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spomeroy posted 1 year ago.
Bump for rental. Ive almost evangelised about Xterra with their rental and buy outright program.
cheers
S.
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orangedog posted 47 weeks ago.
wanted to revive this for an exercise in theory -
based on what I've read or been told, going with a full sleeve wetsuit is the best option for me. however, the price difference between a full sleeve and sleeveless version are material. after doing a quick search, I can't really see a defensible reason for going sleeveless over full sleeve.
so, what would coerce someone into going sleeveless? what is the benefit that I must be missing?
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jsk85 posted 47 weeks ago.
orangedog wrote:
so, what would coerce someone into going sleeveless? what is the benefit that I must be missing?
I think if you're racing in close to wetsuit cutoff weather, they are noticeably cooler. Plus, for people who are stronger swimmers, some of them like less restrictions on the arms since they are used to swimming and doing it well without sleeves (that was my sister's reasoning). And you can get out of them a little quicker.
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orangedog posted 47 weeks ago.
ok - thanks for the feedback. I took advantage of xterra's 50% off sale (www.xterrawetsuits.com/sale) and went with a full sleeve. I have three races (maybe 4) in the 60s (water temp) this year so figure I'll like the extra warmth. And I need the bouyancy...
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I've been reading through some old threads and other sites on how to go about buying a wet suit... type, fit, one/two peice, etc. I suppose part of it boils down to what feels good when its on, but figured I'd throw this out there to see if anyone could give me more specific pointers.
I'm thinking of signing up for a race with an advertised water temp range of 58 to 65 degrees. So, I'm thinking I might need a wet suit. The questions running through my head flow along the lines of:
1. At those temps, do I really need a wetsuit, or just a full tri suit?
2. If I need a wetsuit, what type of thickness?
3. What type of cut - full sleeve, full leg, John?
4. One peice or two peice?
I wore a pair of De Soto tri shorts for my first tri and was pretty pleased with them, and they fit really well. For a newbie, they made things easier. So maybe I really only need something like a speedvest and some booties. I would assume gloves aren't allowed, no?
I grew up in Coeur d' Alene and lived outside Tahoe (yes, spoiled), so I'm not new to cold water. But, I haven't raced in that type of water. The buoyancy sounds like a nice feature, but I'm wondering what type of temperature protection I'll really need.
Thanks for any tips or useful links.
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