I’m going to need a wetsuit for the Half Ironman. They say the water will be 68-70 degrees and wetsuits are highly encouraged (and if they’re allowed, I should wear one — they make you faster). The problem is that I have no idea what to get! And triathlon wetsuits ain’t cheap!
I’m not sure how much I’m willing to spend, and I’m not sure what size I am. But my biggest question is: sleeves or no sleeves? I read somewhere that sleeves are really for water below 60 degrees. But if I’m buying a wetsuit, a part of me says that I might as well get one with sleeves in case I decide to do any other cold water triathlons someday…
If any of you out there have an opinion, let me know!
I have a high tolerance for heat, and almost none for cold. I went with sleeves.
I have an Orca suit that I bought on ebay, new with tags. If you don’t generally have trouble with clothing sizes, the size charts for the different wetsuits should give you all the info you need.
If you’re still not sure, you can try on wetsuits somewhere, then search online for a better deal.
Never had on a wet suit, even after losing a bet, but have had very good shopping experiences at Tri On The Run, they will steer you right.
How long will you be in the water for? At that temperature, I would probably recommend a shorty (short legs, short sleeves) especially if its only going to be an hour or two. They are pretty versatile. If you don’t want to buy one, you may be able to call around to dive shops to rent one. You might also just consult at a dive shop with someone with experience and they might have a suggestion too. I’ve rented them on occasion for snorkeling. I’ve never had to wear one with long sleeves, the short sleeves have always been sufficient, even for going water skiing on a lake after the spring melt (of course, I’ve never gone SCUBA diving before).
I would get sleeveless.
B goes scuba diving Seattle (brrrr!) and wears a sleeveless wetsuit with a shorty wetsuit with short sleeves over the top.
He says the thickness is by far the defining factor – a thickness suitable for 70 degree water will not be suitable for colder water – which is really another argument for sleeveless.