Triathlon wet suits are known to increase athletes’ swimming speed. This is because the material used to make them, neoprene, has a smooth surface and lots of cells with air inside. These reduce friction with the water and make the swimmer more buoyant. These advantages are the reasons why it is usually not allowed for triathletes to wear wet suits during the swimming leg of the competition, unless the water they will swim in is quite cold. However, if it is allowed, you cannot let your opponents have the advantage by letting them wear better wet suits. So, this short guide will help you choose the best wet suit for you.
Proper fit – This is the most important consideration because a loose fitting wetsuit will let cold water in and keep you from swimming fast. A suit should fit you tighter than regular clothes do. In fact, it should pull against our crotch and armpits when it fits well.
There are many brands of triathlon wet suits: Ironman, Orca, Xterra, DeSoto, Zoot, Aquaman, QR (Quintana Roo), ProMotion, etc. Each has its own style of shaping the garment. So, one brand might suit you better than the other and a more expensive brand does not necessarily mean it is the better one for you.
Fabric thickness – Thicker fabric means more warmth and buoyancy. This is because there are more cells with air embedded in thicker fabric. Unfortunately, it also means the fabric will be stiffer. So find out first the temperature of the water where you will be swimming in. This way, you buy the suit with the best thickness.
Wetsuit Layout – The thickness of a wet suit fabric is not the same for the entire suit. This is because some areas require more warmth and others require more flexibility. In general, the shoulder and arms should have thinner neoprene than the chest and some parts of the legs.
Seals – A tight suit is not enough to keep the cold water out. It is also important to have proper seals at the neck, wrists, and ankles.
Finances – Money is always a consideration. When looking for the right suit, check out only the ones that fit your budget. If the ones available are not good enough maybe you should save more money first. Adult triathlon wet suits cost from $54.99 to $600.00 while the suits for kids are from $39.95 to $160.00.