Does USMS have a "position" regarding wet suits in open water swims? I've read in triathlon magazines that some oppose wet suits as these make a swimmer more buoyant than he or she would otherwise be. With a wet suit, I might be more encouraged to swim those events in colder water. But in terms of insulating against colder temperatures, how much does a wet suit really help?
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Former Member
USMS rules allows the use of wetsuits at the race directors option. See and section 303.6. However in all the USMS open water Championships races I've never seen the meet director allow wetsuits. Call it tradition and making the elements part of the race. In local format races there is usually a wetsuit division. A wetsuit probably allows you to go down another 10-12 degrees of colder temperature tolerance.
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Former Member
USMS rules allows the use of wetsuits at the race directors option. See and section 303.6. However in all the USMS open water Championships races I've never seen the meet director allow wetsuits. Call it tradition and making the elements part of the race. In local format races there is usually a wetsuit division. A wetsuit probably allows you to go down another 10-12 degrees of colder temperature tolerance.
