I took advantage of the current 60%-off coupon on xterra wetsuits and got myself a Vortex 3 for under $200. It seemed to fit pretty well on dry land, tight, but not too tight, no problem zipping it up, no baggy bits. However, today when I wore it in the water for the first time, I immediately got a load of water down the back of my neck, and when I tried to adjust it further, another load down my front. This is the first time I've ever worn a wetsuit, and I hoping I just didn't have it pulled up sufficiently around the neck. I'm going to try it again tomorrow, but in the meantime, if anybody has any advice, I'm eager to hear it.
Also, after my suit was thoroughly wetted inside (top half), I found it very difficult to adjust, so I ended up just taking it off and hanging it up to dry. Is it even possible to put on a wet wetsuit, i.e., should I have taken it off and then tried to put it on again?
Parents
Former Member
I'm tempted, Amanda. Somehow, I've managed all these years without a wetsuit. It was only this year, where we had a cold, wet spring and a nearly nonexistent summer and the lakes took forever to warm up, that I considered buying a wetsuit at all. The pivot point came when I did a two-hour swim in Lake Washington on July 10, with the water temp at 64°, and I got quite seriously chilled. Had I not been in the water so long, I don't think it would have bothered me. I often swim in high alpine lakes, sometimes with the ice still floating on them, so I'm used to cold, but usually in smaller doses. I think perhaps a sleeveless wetsuit might better suit my purpose, which is mainly to extend the open-water season for a few weeks either end. On the other hand, there's also a couple of ocean open-water swims that I'm very interested in, and the ocean around these parts is pretty cold year-round.
I know what you mean! I would extend my lake swimming season as long as possible if I could only stand the feel of a wetsuit. I can't though, can't stand anything touching my neck. I'm just going to do 50 to 50 as usual.
I'm tempted, Amanda. Somehow, I've managed all these years without a wetsuit. It was only this year, where we had a cold, wet spring and a nearly nonexistent summer and the lakes took forever to warm up, that I considered buying a wetsuit at all. The pivot point came when I did a two-hour swim in Lake Washington on July 10, with the water temp at 64°, and I got quite seriously chilled. Had I not been in the water so long, I don't think it would have bothered me. I often swim in high alpine lakes, sometimes with the ice still floating on them, so I'm used to cold, but usually in smaller doses. I think perhaps a sleeveless wetsuit might better suit my purpose, which is mainly to extend the open-water season for a few weeks either end. On the other hand, there's also a couple of ocean open-water swims that I'm very interested in, and the ocean around these parts is pretty cold year-round.
I know what you mean! I would extend my lake swimming season as long as possible if I could only stand the feel of a wetsuit. I can't though, can't stand anything touching my neck. I'm just going to do 50 to 50 as usual.
