Hi everyone, I am doing my first open water swim (1 mile) at the end of September in Rhode Island. I have never swam with a wetsuit before and have no clue what to purchase. I would like to use a shorty but am not sure if that would be warm enough. It looks like the water temp is right around 70 at that time. Also, would I have to get something like a triathlon wetsuit or would a dive wetsuit be fine? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Most dive wetsuits are not designed for the range of motion necessary to swim crawl stroke. So I would not recommend a dive, paddling or surf wetsuit for open water swimming.
As for shorty vs. sleeveless vs. full body…it is more a matter of personal preference and your goals. IF you are looking for maximum warmth and buoyancy, go full body. If full body wet suits feel like they constrain range of motion in your arm stroke then consider sleeveless. If you are looking for just a little buoyancy and thermal protection a shorty would be fine. The thickness of the material will also impact warmth and buoyance.
The most important aspect is fit. Any wetsuit that is too loose or too tight is much worse than no wetsuit at all. I suggest you find a reputable local wetsuit dealer and try on a variety of sizes and styles of wetsuits to see what fits best and lets you move comfortably.
Most dive wetsuits are not designed for the range of motion necessary to swim crawl stroke. So I would not recommend a dive, paddling or surf wetsuit for open water swimming.
As for shorty vs. sleeveless vs. full body…it is more a matter of personal preference and your goals. IF you are looking for maximum warmth and buoyancy, go full body. If full body wet suits feel like they constrain range of motion in your arm stroke then consider sleeveless. If you are looking for just a little buoyancy and thermal protection a shorty would be fine. The thickness of the material will also impact warmth and buoyance.
The most important aspect is fit. Any wetsuit that is too loose or too tight is much worse than no wetsuit at all. I suggest you find a reputable local wetsuit dealer and try on a variety of sizes and styles of wetsuits to see what fits best and lets you move comfortably.
