Cold water swims and wetsuits

1. Cold water can be overcome by training for it. Taking cold showers/baths, cold water swims, trains the mind and body to adapt including those with lower body fat. But it’s not an easy rode. "The struggle alone pleases us, not the victory." - Blaise Pascal 2. My experience says the fraternity of non wetsuit swimmers knows very well what were getting in too and very few are unprepared. 3. Do we not recognize Rugby and water polo players as a tough breed? Yea call purist but that’s what turns are crank. As far as wetsuits go there is a quote from Homer Simpson “If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing.”

Since there haven't been a large number of drownings in OW races attributed to water temperature, I'd suggest that this is a somewhat moot issue. Apparently either the safety precautions are adequate or most people have enough sense to not get in over their heads. Or maybe it's just luck, but that is a huge amount of luck we are talking about. If a race director insists on dangerous conditions, then you should vote with your feet. If a person insists on putting themselves in danger by inadequate preparation, (s)he is an idiot, but as long as (s)he endangers no one else, oh well. Regardless, OW swims have an historical basis in no wetsuits and it is part of the sport. That said, there are plenty of races that will allow wetsuits, so while one may be excluded from a specific race, one is not denied participation in the sport completely. Also, some of us LIKE cold water swims (OK, this is the lunatic fringe), and requiring a wetsuit for a race is a bit too much "nanny-ism" for me, and I'd vote with my feet. As to the purist mentality, we're adults and you shouldn't feel like you have to be one of the "cool kids." I've never worn a wetsuit and likely never will, but the earth's surface is 70% water, so there is plenty for everyone to swim in, even the moral lepers who wear wetsuits. -LBJ :applaud:

Since there haven't been a large number of drownings in OW races attributed to water temperature, I'd suggest that this is a somewhat moot issue. Apparently either the safety precautions are adequate or most people have enough sense to not get in over their heads. Or maybe it's just luck, but that is a huge amount of luck we are talking about. If a race director insists on dangerous conditions, then you should vote with your feet. If a person insists on putting themselves in danger by inadequate preparation, (s)he is an idiot, but as long as (s)he endangers no one else, oh well. Regardless, OW swims have an historical basis in no wetsuits and it is part of the sport. That said, there are plenty of races that will allow wetsuits, so while one may be excluded from a specific race, one is not denied participation in the sport completely. Also, some of us LIKE cold water swims (OK, this is the lunatic fringe), and requiring a wetsuit for a race is a bit too much "nanny-ism" for me, and I'd vote with my feet. As to the purist mentality, we're adults and you shouldn't feel like you have to be one of the "cool kids." I've never worn a wetsuit and likely never will, but the earth's surface is 70% water, so there is plenty for everyone to swim in, even the moral lepers who wear wetsuits. -LBJ

I share your exact concerns Drive. I swam in a couple of triathlons where the temp was about 65 and that didn't sound that cold to me although I hadn't really had a lot of recent experience swimming in water that cold. These were 500M swims that took me 7 minutes so I had no desire to wear a wetsuit because it would have taken me longer to take off the wet suit than to complete the swim (the only sport I am any good at - relatively speaking). But I absolutely froze my ass off to the point I questioned my own safety. I don't know if the original rush of excitement created much of my problems and I would have gained comfort over a longer distance, but I would be scared to find that out. As someone that wanted to venture into OW swimming this summer, the outcast view of wetsuits didn't help, especially since I had no desire to wear one myself for the purity factor and I don't want any speed advantage from it. But I think I have come to grips with the fact I just can't handle it below about 68 and I'll wear a wet suit or find races with warmer water. I could see this becoming a big problem as the sport gains popularity and people go out of their element. But at the same time, I'm not one to stop anyone from doing something they want to do. And as others pointed out, it really hasn't been a problem at all yet so maybe people in this sport really do know their limits.

There seems to be this purist mentallity that using wetsuits, no matter how cold the water is is just wrong. Maybe in some ways that is true, but putting 100s of swimmers in 60 F water for a 5k swim with limited safety boats seems dangerous. How many have actually swam in 60 F water for that long? How many actually know they can handle this water temp for that long? How many will recognize hypothermia symptoms and stop? How many can actually get help quickly if there is a problem? Sure, some of these races have the wetsuit division, but it's always considered not ranked and seems to have this "outcast" type feeling behind it. Should football players not use pads because it isn't manly or pure? Should baseball players not use gloves to catch balls? No, because many will get hurt and it is dangerous. Why is using or mandating wetsuits not the same for water temps that are say below 65 F...or some number anyway? They provide safety to the swimmer by preserving core the temperature and flotation if someone has a problem with the cold water. Yes, they do provide an advantage in the water because of the flotation and being more streamlined, but if everyone is in a suit, it doesn't really matter. And, the reason for wearing the suits is because the water is cold, not because they want to go faster, like the how the tech suits are used. While I have been an advocate of wetsuit divisions to increase participation, I don't wear them and I think I can play devil's advocate and tell you the "purists" point of view. While safety is a legitimate concern, there is a feeling -- as you can tell from the posts here -- that you shouldn't attempt an OW swim that you are not at all prepared to do. There are two aspects to an OW race: the distance and the conditions. You need to train for both. Though it can happen, there aren't that many surprises. From previous history of the race/area you should be able to predict the race conditions and prepare appropriately. The football/baseball analogies are not at all apt. The whole point of OW swimming is to compete on a natural course under natural conditions. If you want to sanitize the race...well, that's what pool competitions are all about, right? It is similar to the difference between cross-country running and running on a track. (Except that you can wear what you want in cross-country. Whoops.:))

All the "purists" who have worn a tech suit in a meet, please raise your hand. I don't know that I'm a "purist," but I race open water without a wetsuit and I've worn a full-body tech suit in select pool races. I'm glad when OW races include both a wetsuit and non-wetsuit division. It increases participation. Plus the wetsuiters look more like seals (the preferred meal of...) I'm also glad that the tech suits are (probably) going away. Now to fully confuse the issue, I have an OW race this weekend and I'm considering wearing my tech suit. Might as well get one last race out of it. :dunno:

I rubberize for warmth. My suits are surfing suits, I just won't spend the money on something I'll use a few times a year. I prefer to swim in my speedo. My rubber changes my body position. I don't like having my feet that high in the water. 66 degrees for a mile swim is my floating cutoff. It will change due to factors I am not allowed to discuss in public.

Most ow swims I've done will allow you to wear a wetsuit, you just don't get scored in with swimmers wearing regular suits. (wetsuits are faster) I know Big Shoulders has a wetsuit division and they are allowing people to switch over up to the night before. I am a bit concerned about the water at bs this year. I am taking a wetsuit. If the water is below 65 degrees I will wear it. If it's over 65 I'm on my own. Last year BS was 68 or 69 degrees. I do no special cold water training and it felt fine to me once I got going. My advice would be a) relax and take off moderately, b)realize things will feel better in about 15 minutes, c) wear 2 caps and ear plugs (I didn't do this last year), d) bring warm coffee or water to drink at the end, e) bring warm sweats and get the wet swimsuit off asap, and f) if you are not trained to go the distance of the ow swim just don't do it. Train properly and try again next year. :angel:

What is the minimum teperature most suits work for? My friend used one, it was probably too cold and he got really sick. We told him the water was way to cold, he ended up paying for it in the end....

Cold water is an individual thing. Some he-men relish shivering after an event, bragging about how they couldn't feel their hands and feet after two minutes. Or, my paddler was concerned dude, I started talking gibberish cause I was like cold, or I like cold water, or I can't understand why those wussies wear rubber... Others sip wine, eat fine foods, and understand that technology was not just an invention for the elite.