Wetsuits: The 4-1-1

I recently purchased an Xterra wetsuit and I am all about hearing personal experiences that other people have had with them. What have they done for you? I have heard that they keep you insolated and buoyant in colder water...Thoughts?

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Permalink Reply by Naji on February 4, 2011 at 9:26pm

Wetsuits do make you more buoyant, keeping your legs and hips higher in the water and thus making you faster. They also can keep you warm in cold water. Though I must caution as a seasoned cold water swimmer (who doesn't wear a wetsuit), your feet will feel like they are burning if you have never swum in cold water before. That being said the sensation usually subsides in a minute or two and then your feet get aclimated.

Although I'm glad that wetsuits are here making open water swimming accessible to all. I still dream of a world when more people who swim in open water would go naked (i.e. without a wetsuit). But that's just me :)

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Permalink Reply by ERROL DUPLESSIS on April 21, 2011 at 9:29pm

The wetsuit will keep you warmer, for sure. But I like Naji's answer. However, if you do use the wetsuit for open water swimming, select a 1.5mm suit (or thinner) - anything thicker will be too cumbersome when lifting the arms over the water surface on the recovery and will exhaust you. You may want to go sleeveless to ward off fatigue.