How To Choose A Wetsuit | Open Water Swimming & Triathlon Wetsuits

Wearing a wetsuit in a triathlon can significantly aid your swimming. It can keep your body warm, it helps to make you more buoyant and it even works as protection from other swimmers.

There are so many different styles of wetsuits, with different features lending themselves to different types of swimmers. So, we’re going to be running you through how to choose a wetsuit.

The main things to consider when buying a wetsuit include:
- The sport the wetsuit is designed for (you want a triathlon or open water swimming wetsuit!).
- Your body position in the water.
- The fit of the wetsuit.
- How warm the wetsuit keeps you.
- And finally, the cost of the wetsuit.

Let us know how you chose your first wetsuit in the comments below 👇

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Are you faster swimming in a wetsuit? Let us know in the comments below 👇

[ArmandoVictorForno]

Great piece of advice.
I found that my measurements (chest, waist and weight) fit in one size, whereas my height falls into another size, one step larger.
I wasn't really sure if buying the smaller size was the right choice

[kspindle]

I did my first duathlon on Sunday! I would have never been able to finish it without everything that I learned from you. Thanks GTN!

[brandonrittenour]

Very informative, but I was hoping you'd share some specific brands you recommend that are decent quality, but on the cheaper end for beginner swimmers.

[EDUComputing]

Very helpful video. That beach is superb, it's called Golden Bay and is in Malta.

[annabellebrodeur]

Merciiii (thanks!) oh yes i want more video of you ahahahhahah 😂 i would like a top 10 best wetsuit something like that, im checking to buy arena carbon one.. but roka and orca seems nice too.

[ericpham]

Should we include light metal mesh for protection against shark teeth and direct energy weapon

[nadakodsia]

Thank you so much for your explanation, very helpful . 👍👍👍

[rodjacob]

Thanks for posting this video, very informative. I am not a triathlon swimmer, but enjoy sea swimming to keep fit and swim front crawl for an hour or so. Throughout the summer months I swim just in trunks in Cornwall where the temperature ranges from around 13- 18 oC. I would like to swim throughout the year and in other regions of the UK where sea temperatures are lower- down to around 8 or 9 oC. Which sort of wetsuit would you recommend?

[SimplicityForGood]

how to choose between a full length and half length wetsuit!?! a lot of people started using swimrun suits for swimming... is it as good!?
why or why not go with short legs!? found one with long arms but knee-short legs..
-how much colder will I be in that compared to if it was full length on the legs!? can I feel warm enough in October in 12 degrees water in a suit with short legs but long arms compared to one with Full length legs?

Gonna buy my first suit and there are too many!

[FrogwomanOrgReloaded]

Thanks, that was actually quite helpful! :-)

[MrShoji]

I have questions about damaging from chlorine water in swimming pool. Because manufacturer instructions said that don’t use wet suit in chlorine water, so that means I can not practice swimming with wetsuits in swimming pool. I know there is wet suits cleaners, but still wet suits will get damaged from chlorine water. As far as I know, there is only one wet suit which is chlorine resistant...please give some advice or options.

[MrShamding]

Worth noting that the back zip in swimming specific wetsuits does restrict flexibility. That's not to say they are not flexible but design wise they are not as flexible as they could if they used a horizontal chest zip like surfing wetsuits. However a chest zip is not suitable for getting out of quickly.

[esoteric]

hate to be that guy but there's some misinformation in this video. i'll just touch on the neoprene in this comment.

1st: not all 5/3 or 3/5 4/2 etc etc are the same. contrary to what was expressed in this video, the first number does not always denote upper body and second lower body. many times the first number refers to the chest only, while the 3 will denote arms and legs. sometimes the first number will be the chest as well as the shoulders and upper legs while the second number is only the forearm and calve area. the result is sometimes that first number will only be ~20% of the whole suit, and sometimes that first number will be ~70% of the suit. this greatly affects both the buoyancy and thermoregulating of the suit in question. often time suits will even have 2mm areas. for instance the suit i use for winter is the 5/3 synergy endorphin full sleeve. this is how the manufacturer describes it's 5/3: 5mm thick core buoyancy panel / 3mm lower legs and back / 2mm arms and shoulders.

2nd: the neoprene thickness isn't always measured the same way. some manufacturers measure both the inner and outer lining as well as the neoprene itself to get their numbers. obviously this leads to a huge deviation, depending on how they're measured.

3rd: how the neoprene panels of the suit are put together makes a huge difference. most tri specific suits are fused/glued but a few will try to use stitching. these suits are cheaper and you may be able to get away w/ this type of suit if you're not planning on swimming in cold water.

4th: not all neoprene is the same. there are two main types, w/ many subtypes w/in these categories. petrol derived and the limestone derived. petrol is typically cheaper, less buoyant and doesn't regulate temperature as well. limestone is more common in triathletes with the subgroup Yamamoto being the most common. within Yamamoto you'll come across 38/39/40. these numbers determine both it's buoyancy and fragility. the suit i use is Yamamoto39, which is the second highest buoyancy while being the most resistant to tears.

that covers the neoprene (mas o menos) however there's still a lot of info out there about wetsuits, and believe me when i say that the brand of your suit, is not always consistent with it's quality.

tl;dr 5/3 =/= upper/lower

[rus]

How much time difference would you expect between entry level ($200-$300) and pro ($700+) wetsuits during ironman distance for someone who swims the distance at about 1 hour?

[TamaEnergy]

I have the 2XU M:2 and it isnt that classic slippy material im confused

[Goerkiwuns]

Hey Global Triathlon Network,
i have issues to find a guide to design nice open water trainings. I got no idea how to do it and what u can do to improve the speed in open water. It would be awesome if u did a video on that,

[brandx]

I want one for nippy night pool in Mumbai during rains and winter

[bharatthapa]

Any wetsuit suggestion for newbie who just want paddle boarding all around in South England water? I am thinking whether 7MM or 5MM.

[.-]

Hey i want to ask you soon i will swim 10miles on temperature 16 c and i want to know do i need wetsuit or no?