First, I know "cold water" means something different to everyone. I live in Florida, so cold water to me is anything below about 70 F. However, I have a question/comment about using/not using wetsuits in cold water swims.
For most triathlons, if the water temp is below 78 F, they allow wetsuits...I think it's more like 75 F or so for the pros. So, I'm wondering why so many OW swims don't allow or (for safety) require wetsuits?
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.
Anyway, just some thoughts and questions for the group.
Dave
Parents
Former Member
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.
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.
