"Real swimmers don't wear wetsuits"

Oh and I almost forgot. I like triathletes and don't mind sharing a lane with them any old day even though it is not a sport I participate in. The more the merrier! Regards Spudfin

Glad to see no one has any strong opinions about this one! Hah! :doh: I am a huge cold wimp, and wetsuits allow me to swim longer and colder races than I would otherwise. However, I totally agree that wetsuits and non-wetsuits should not be in the same category - they buoyancy factor is a definite advantage. (Of course, I'm only competing against myself when I'm out there near the back of the pack!)

I have a wetsuit and I use it for OW events here in Washington state even when the water temp is low 70s. I'm not in to freezing, and I like the safety factor of the flotation. You can call me anything you want.

A few years ago I saw a television documentry segment about some guy who was planning to swim all the rivers in a given geographical area - a country, a state, can't remember the details. It seemed really impressive until they actually showed him "swimming"... in a big orange PFD. A cap and goggles and Fastskin-type racing suit is not quite the same as a device that makes a person more buoyant.

I agree that wetsuits are fine for non-masters for getting out and trying open water events..... It really is a non-issue for me as the national federation here in Italy doesn't sanction courses where the water is less than 60°F (16°C) and wetsuits aren't allowed in any case. - Thomas

My brother and I have had this wetsuit vs. purist debate for over a decade. I am a "techie cheater" and he is a silly chilly misguided he-man who cheats by wearing a lid over his bean. I haven't ever worn a tri-suit (I prefer to spend my limited funds on surfing wetsuits), yet I understand that they do make you faster. My suit totaly messes with my stroke, rhythm, breathing, kick, and shoulder flexability. If the water is below 70, I'll suffer the consequences. Maybe if I bought one of those new fangled things I might be able to beat him. Hmmmmm. Or better yet, maybe he'll get me one for Christmas.

Wow, I'm seeing all this USMS discussion board emails showing up in my inbox and I'm asking myself what's up? Suddenly a four year old thread I started comes back to life. FYI – aging has not mellowed my opinion – LOL. :thhbbb: In my youth I was treated to a story about my Great Great Grandfather, a German homesteader in the Ukraine. Although of German descent and a pacifist he was conscripted into the Russian Army. During his time in the army he was known to strip down and take a swim or bath in whatever body of water that presented itself, even in the dead of the Russian winter. Apparently some of his genome has survived in me. Like many people when I get into cold water, I'll shout “OMG it's cold!” But I find it very energizing and have learned how to adapt. Being landlocked at the moment, I'm envious of Surfergirl, a brisk mile in the LaJolla cove without a wet suit, how invigorating! Top it off with a shower and a espresso shot, :coffee: I can't think of a better natural high! Frigid water and exercise equals robust production of endorphins and maybe that's the reason for purism. It is very cool to watch a big wave surfer towed into a wave by a Jet Ski. But it's so much more special when those old school dudes paddle into the big surf with no mechanical help. Same can be said of free climbers just them, the rock and a bag of chalk. There is no denying the wet suit has greatly expanded the number of people who swim in open water environments. Would've the sport of Triathlon expanded to it's present level of commercial success with out it? Not a chance. However the wetsuit is a different animal then other technology that has advanced the world of swimming and triathlon. It's the difference between assistance and benefit! Bicycle racing has benefited from the weight saving materials like carbon fiber frames, aerodynamic wheels and handlebars. Swimming has benefited from Fastskin type technology which makes a swimmer more hydrodynamic. What's the difference between a Fastskin (benefit) and a wetsuit (assistance)? An example; the famous Tour De France stage, the climb up Mout Ventoux. The latest computer designed carbon fiber Trek racing bicycle is a benefit to the cyclist climbing that hill, having a tow rope up the mountain is assistance. The swimming wetsuit equates to a tow rope or in this case water wings for adults. One of the paramount skills of swimming is body position. The ability to “swim downhill” or having the correct body position is the difference between a confidant (not necessarily fast) swimmer and the unqualified swimmer. The wetsuit totally negates the need to learn this skill as it's buoyancy does more then just assist, it forces the swimmer into the correct position. Now all that being said and couple of cliches later: the genie is out the bottle, the clock can't be turned back. All I ask of wetsuit wearers, is to honestly admit the water wing like assistance they provide. On that note, Merry Christmas to all swimmers! P.S. Oh yea, I almost forgot, one of the most excellent benefits of the wetsuit, really super safe sex. ;)

Ah yes..the debate is getting juicey!!! Considering the locations of some of the swimmers and skill levels, it seems there is legitimate rationale for those who desire/need to wear a wetsuit just to be able to get into the open water. For those of us who prefer to swim "naked" I guess we should be happy we have a place to swim in the open water where the temps don't immediately drive a hypothermia situation.... Well, it certainly isn't very warm where I live, and I'm always trying to find a way to get in the water before the end of June. Wetsuits don't come in any sizes that would fit my odd dimensions, and I'm not sure I want to spend so much money on something that I'd only use 3 or 4 times a season anyway. Also, after doing a Swimtrek tour where wetsuits were offered to anyone who needed one, I discovered that there's a bit of a learning curve to swimming in a full one - some of the people on the tour tried them and found them just too hard to get used to. I've been experimenting with non-buoyant materials in an effort to get some earlier practice in. In 2005 I made a high-necked zipper back suit (like a water polo suit) out of Polartec Aquashell. Not entirely successful. It was suffocatingly tight going on dry, then bagged out about 2 sizes bigger when fully saturated. (Boy, did it get saturated!) Still, it did keep some warmth in, except for that icy stream pouring in through the zipper. (Note to self: remember to install a zipper shield next time :doh: ) This fall I made a "rash" shirt out of Chloroblock lined with a teflon coated lycra stuff called Darlexx. Again it bagged out a bit in the water, but that could have been the lack of a suitable pattern. With the teflon coating facing out, it may even have possiblities as a race suit. (Not that someone my size should ever go out in public apparently packaged in shiny white cling wrap! :shakeshead:) I may try again with the Aquashell, or get some very thin (1mm) neoprene and risk blowing the motor on my least favorite machine doing another zipperback suit. I'm sure that wetsuit manufacturers, with their infinitely greater access to high-tech materials, could come up with a non-buoyant "warmsuit" if they really wanted to.

Ah yes..the debate is getting juicey!!! Considering the locations of some of the swimmers and skill levels, it seems there is legitimate rationale for those who desire/need to wear a wetsuit just to be able to get into the open water. For those of us who prefer to swim "naked" I guess we should be happy we have a place to swim in the open water where the temps don't immediately drive a hypothermia situation. Regarding the swimmer with the orange PFD who may have wanted to get rich off writing a book about swimming the rivers...my question would be: who would be interested in reading it? Certainly not a "real swimmer."

don't you think that is bad? i feel very strongly that if you need a wetsuit/surfboard/any other type of equipment in order to feel safe or comfortable in the ocean, you should not be swimming in the ocean!!! I tend to agree with this sentiment a little. I participated in the inaugural (and last) Ironman Utah (2002) where someone drowned. The water was perfectly swimmable (is that a word) if they could attach the buouys so they were not blowing away. Ever since then, triathlon directors are always threatening to cancel the swim because of unsafe waters which sucks for me as I can't bike or run. Encouraging participation with wetsuits is great but ruining my vacation and months of training because you can't swim without waterwings is another thing. The argument is simple: Real swimmers do wear wetsuits when they want to go fast. When they just want to be manly:weightlifter:, they don't (www.swimaroundtherock.com/results.html). P.S. Give it up for resurrected threads from 4 years ago!