Hi all. I'm considering purchasing an entry-level (read--cheap) tech suit for this summer's slate of open water swims and I'm trying to decide whether hydrophobic fiber or taped seams is more important. Any thoughts/experience?
Thanks!
I still think water temp should be a major consideration since there is a big difference between 75 and 65 and sunny vs cloudy. On a sunny and calm day, I could tolerate 75 degrees for that period of time. If it was cloudy, windy/calm, and only 65, I would be in trouble without a wetsuit.
Even a sleeveless wetsuit provides far more thermal protection than jammers (which is none). Check to see if they allow neoprene caps for the race. Although they chafe a bit, they really help keep your head warm - compared to latex or silicone.
I'll second all of the above. Everyone's different in terms of their cold tolerance - I learned a few years ago at the La Jolla Rough Water swim that my lower limit is about 64 in jammers for a 5K ... but that left me shivering under multiple layers for hours afterwards. Whereas, if you watch Kim Swims on Netflix, you'll see her and the other San Fran OW folks frolicking in that temperature.
If you are going to wear a wetsuit, I highly recommend sleeveless - your range of motion is just so much better and you really don't lose much in the way of warmth.
As for the 'stigma' of racing in a wetsuit, I wouldn't worry about it. There will be plenty of others in wetsuits and safety should be your first concern.
Thanks for the feedback everybody!
The water temperatures in Annapolis are now peaking around 77.2 as of late. I had planned on wearing my sleeveless wet suit for the GCBS. But if it breaks 78 I'm guessing the organizers will ban wet suits. Now I'm considering getting some neoprene jammers, like Blueseventy's core shorts. I'm content to wear regular jammers or a tech suit for the Kingdom Swim later this summer, but something about swimming in the Bay makes me want to have that thicker layer of neoprene, haha.
