forget the wetsuit!!

First, good luck in Alcatraz, DianaC. And if I had any experience/advice on that swim, I'd share it! But I just want to say I'm grateful for this thread. I'm new to open water swimming... will be doing a mile swim in Sept. for which I doubt I'll need a wetsuit since I expect the water will be fairly warm still. But I'm thinking longterm too... of a longer swim next year... and wondering if it might be a good idea to invest in a wetsuit. I don't much like the idea of something constricting my movement and that seems to be the big drawback I've heard about. But also maybe it will widen my swimming/racing options, since I will be able to choose some colder water races... altho some races don't allow wetsuits even in colder temps. In one of my swims, the website recommended wetsuits b/c the ocean temp was in the mid sixties. My coach said he didn't think wetsuits were needed and that he never used one. I was just as glad b/c I didn't feel ready to spend the money, and as it turned out, I was fine w/out one. I noticed pockets of colder water, but mostly the temp was comfortable...on the cool side but still okay. So I'll be watching this thread w/ interest.

I have always heard that wetsuits provide little benefit to good swimmers but help beginner to intermediate swimmers. I think anything over about 68 degrees and a wetsuit isn't needed. I swam in an open water 1.2 mile race in mid May this year and the water was about 66 degrees. Most of the serious swimmers didn't wear wetsuits. Of course, all the tris wore them. The best female swimmer there did not wear a suit and the cold water definitely affected her swimming. She said she was cold the whole time. Personally, if I had a westsuit, looking back now, I would have worn one. With the water chilly, I didn't feel compelled to warm up adequately and therefore I was sore as crap the next day. Another good swimmer that day wore one the first time and freaked out about the constriction about halfway through and had to come back to shore. I guess the morale of that story is to swim with a suit a few times before the race.

Hi Diana, Are you doing the Alcatraz Sharkfest on 9/16? I will be there. I did it last year and about 80% of the people wore wetsuits. I wore a sleeveless shorty wetsuit because I didn't have a chance to get in the water the day before the swim. They announced that the water temperature was 60 or 62 (can't remember which). I felt that I could have gone without the wetsuit. My time was about 45 minutes. Last year's swim was in July. I don't know if the water temperature will be about the same, colder, or warmer. I would suggest that you bring it with you. Try to get in the water the day before the swim or early the day of the swim. You should be able to tell if you want to wear it or not. There were several people swimming off the beach at Aquatic Park every day. It is protected area and has a buoy line parallel to the beach. Pay attention to the race instructions the day of the event. Last year they told us to stay to the left coming in to the finish area. I did and got pushed to the right by the current. This took me right through the opening to the beach. I a couple of dozen people hanging on to the pier on the right trying to fight the current to get in to the finish area. Good luck on the swim. Have fun.

Alex Kostich once wrote an article describing the virtues of wearing a wetsuit. He pointed out that the wetsuit made you more bouyant. In my experience, I have found this to be true. I have also found that it makes ME swim faster. A couple of caveats though. First, my wetsuit does not have arms. Second, I don't swim the same way with a wetsuit as I do without. Without a wetsuit, I kick with a strong six beat kick. With a wetsuit, I don't kick very much and I think of my body as a surf board. The arms are used to pull the surf board along.

I can't stand wearing a wetsuit either. I have one, but haven't used it in two years, then again I haven't swam open water in two years either! For me I don't see it making me any more bouyant at all since I float pretty well. I have a very slow to non-existant kick and have never had a problem keeping my legs near the top of the water. I'm sure most people are faster, but I'm willing to bet that I'm not, or not enough to justify wearing it.

Originally posted by DianaC The big test will come this September. I am going to do the Alcatraz swim and am seriously considering not wearing the wetsuit. It is only 1.5 miles, and the water will be cold, so I am taking it with me, but will decide when I get there. Still not sure what I will do on that one. I would love to do it without a wetsuit, but I probably won't decide that until I get to SF and see how the water is. Anyone out there have any recommendations for/against a wetsuit for Alcatraz? It will be my first time. Diana, I recently did the Alcatraz swim that they held at the FINA Worlds, without a wetsuit. The temp was in the low 60’s and I found the swim quite comfortable. At the end of the event a number of the people who did wear wetsuits commented that they wished that they had not worn it. None of the non-wetsuit swimmers commented that they wish they had one. If you’ve done some cold water swims (under 70) then you might as well give it a try. If not, take a couple of short practice swims in the bay before the race. And the real secret is to stay warm before the start of the race. Good Luck

A wet suit definatly makes me faster. Proof of this came last year when I swam Alcatraz for the first time without a WS. I swam very strong and had great training leading up to the race. Despite feeling strong, I was almost 4 min slower than the previous year (same current and wave conditions). Also I was 4 min behind my lane partner that I swim with and pace faster than every practice. He wore a WS, I didn't, and he was 4 min faster! So when I swim a triathlon I wear a WS to give me the same advantage as everyone else does, and its legal. I like the type without sleeves. Im a leg drager, and barely kick at all when ever I swim. So the WS keeps my legs on top of the water and stops them from being an anchor pulling me down. During Open Water Races I like to swim without a WS. DianaC, as for deciding wether to swim Alcatraz without a WS, try a practice swim the day before in Aquatic Park. I was in your shoes last year and after my trial swim in Aquatic Park I went for it the next day and felt great about it. The water temp is +/- 60 degrees, though 2 weeks ago it was 70 degrees for the FINA Open Water Swim off of Alameda Island in the SF Bay. I think it is colder off of Alcatraz because it is exposed more to the open ocean. This will be my 4th Alcatraz swim and it is my favorite, good venue, well run and lots of fun people.

I wonder if there is a correlation between liking wet suits and liking using pull bouys. I would think that people who are good at pull sets would benefit from wearing a wet suit while someone that doesn't like or isn't good at pull sets would also struggle using a wet suit.

Originally posted by cantwait4bike I noticed the fastest swimmers had no wetsuits. Most Swimmers who swim on a Tri relay team don't own a wet suit. I don't think they see a need for one. Most triathlets on the other hand wouldn't be caught dead without the latest greatest speed enhancing model.

I swim tri relays, but I do wear a wetsuit. First, I don't like cold water and I consider 79 degrees cold. Second, I have been beaten by wetsuit-clad swimmers when I did not wear one. "Pride" you say. Darn right!