If I have to wear a wetsuit in order to do an event ...

...would you rather I just don't show up? I've found my tolerance to cold water is just not that great - I think around 68 degrees is my breaking point. I've done a few 500M swims in triathlons at around 65 degrees and my experiences were completely miserable to the point that I won't do it again - especially over much longer distances. I don't even feel safe doing it. I have my eye on a few races in Lake Michigan which is what I have been really looking forward to having grown up swimming in this lake all my life. This feels like the real deal and something that I would have thought was right in my element until I realized my tolerance is not what it used to be. But it looks like the chances of the lake being over 70 will be slim unless I catch a sudden heat wave. I have absolutely no desire to wear it if the water is warm enough. And I have no interest in the bouyancy/speed factor from it. In other races on inland lakes I have overheard some derogatory comments towards wetsuit wearers, although these were more justified because the temps were in the low 70s. It does seem like cheating. I recently swam a 1500M in 26 minutes so I doubt I will be stealing any awards (some of them I think have seperate divisions anyway). But I feel like I would be cheating myself and it wouldn't make me feel better if all the real open water swimmers were ripping on me. On a purely personal note, if it were me, if I don't enjoy it, I won't do it.

personally, i would like to see as many swimmers participating in as many OW events as possible. i do take issue with events that encourage the use of wetsuits for speed (like the chesapeake bay swim).

On a purely personal note, if it were me, if I don't enjoy it, I won't do it. Are you saying if you have to wear a wetsuit you won't do it? or something more general and deeper? I still have never even worn my wesuit that I've owned for two years, not even for practice. But Lake Michigan could go from 75 to 60 overnight and at that point I have to either bail out or wear it. I guess maybe I am just not cut out for the sport since getting off on the cold water seems to be a big part of it from what I've gathered.

I say go for it. It's all about enjoying your personal experience. I always say that no one is ever going to pay me to do this, so I better be doing it for the fun of it.

I have no problem with wet suit wearers. I say the more the merrier. I DO prefer that the event have a separate wet suit division for those that choose to wear them. I've also never seen any outward display of disdain to wet suit wearers at any event in which I've participated. Only comment I've ever heard was this past weekend by a wet suit wearer who jokingly referred to himself as a "cheater swimmer" at the start line. I also have no problem with tri-atheletes entering open water competitions just as long as they don't crowd the front at the start particularly if they stand little chance of keeping up with the lead pack. Had a couple of otherwise nice tri-folks do that this past weekend which led to more contact at the start than necessary, but as I said, they were otherwise nice, and I hope to see them again at other events.

...would you rather I just don't show up? Of course not. If you feel you need a wetsuit, and they are allowed, then wear one.

Thanks in part to Mr. Chaos's influence, I've shed my wetsuit in recent years and become an advocate for going naked whenever possible. When it comes to others wearing rubber, I do my best to encourage others to consider participating in events without wearing a wetsuit for the experience. However, at the end of the day, I'd rather everyone jump in the water than stay on the beach, so Herb, if you feel that you need to don the wetsuit to participate, go for it. I wore my wetsuit for the first time in 3 years this spring at a tri for pretty much the same reason as you. Water was about 70, so it would have been doable w/o the wetsuit. However, I was set to stand around for about an hour before starting with temps in the 60s, slight drizzle and light winds, and I made the call for comfort.

Herb, I am with you. I freeze very quickly. When the pool here is at 78-79F I can get chilly. My body does not retain heat at all. If you are that uncomfortable, like me, forget it and do a warm water race. On the flip-side I have learned I have a strong advantage when it is a longer race in warmer or very warm water; and I can train just fine in a 86-87F pool. Go for tropical warm water races. My 1st OW race was the Bonaire EcoSwim and the water temp was about 82F. Forget the Great Lakes....

I wouldn't mind if you showed up, but it sounds like those comments really bother you. Bottom line: if YOU want to do the event, show up. There is a definite anti-wetsuit bias in open-water swimming, which is partly understandable since - in my experience wearing one - they make one swim considerably quicker, but if the event allows one (or has a separate category for them) you are totally within your rights to wear one. Ignore those comments and swim for the fun and the experience. Have fun.

personally, i would like to see as many swimmers participating in as many OW events as possible. i do take issue with events that encourage the use of wetsuits for speed (like the chesapeake bay swim). Chaos I'm with ya, after completing most of my bucket list races with last weeks Alcatraz Challenge without a wetsuit I've been looking to go east next year. I'm considering the Chesapeake Bay Swim, as it's the biggie with the history but I don't like that they encourage the use of wetsuits. My favorite swim, the 3-mile La Jolla Roughwater, which I've done many times, it's not much shorter then the Bay Swim and has history of analogous water temperatures and they don't even have a wetsuit division.