ARE ROKA WETSUITS WORTH THE MONEY?

Juan Vergara

TIME TO BUY A NEW WETSUIT AND I WONDER : .... ALL ELSE EQUAL (#WORKWORKS), WHAT' S THE ACTUAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN EXPENSIVE ROKA AND AN AVERAGE PRICED WETSUIT? .... SEARCHING FOR WETSUIT WISDOM WITHIN THE HAUS.

wareagledusty

Juan,

I am a MOP/BOP swimmer, so take this for what it is worth. (1:25 - 1:30 IM swim). I had an Xterra my first three seasons and while it was good I experienced a ton a shoulder fatigue. Last year I tried both a Huub and a Roka and the flexibility in the shoulders was markedly different. I settled on the Huub because it fit me better than the Roka did. One feature that I really liked from their suit was the flexible panels in the calves and biceps. I have always had calf cramps coming out of the water but since switching those issues have gone away. Not sure if it is a placebo effect or not but the physical impact is definitely there. Both the Roka and the Huub are definitely higher quality than my old Xterra.

I should really work on becoming a better swimmer but the ROI for the likely 10 minutes I'll gain is hard to justify. I just run and bike more.

John Withrow

I got the HUUB Archimedes a couple of yrs ago and can't say enough good things about it. From what I understand, the Roka is very similar to the HUUB and if I were buying again, I'd probably just get another HUUB (since I know it fits me great, etc), but which one is better wouldn't be obvious to me if I didn't already know that the HUUB fits me.... there are some freakishly fast dudes wearing the Roka. Dusty hit it on the head, the shoulder and arm flexibility is the reason to get one of these suits. For me the other thing was the thin layer near the neck, because I hated it when a full-sleeve wetsuit choked me, and my HUUB does not choke me. I like the 3:5 concept to keep my legs higher in the water. And did I mention that they look cool...?

Bottom line is that you have every expensive triathlon toy/gear/gadget known to man. Just spend the extra $$ and get an awesome wetsuit to match, you will notice the difference. (I don't know if either suit will make you any faster than another suit, but the Roka or the HUUB will get you out of the water more comfortable and with less arm fatigue than any of the cheaper models)

jimmy augustine

Juan - I have too many wetsuits and can tell you that the Roka MAverick Pro wetsuit is one of the higher ROI purchases that I have made in Tri land. The difference in comfort and ease of shoulder movememnt between my Roka and my cheaper wetsuits is night and day. HUUB is worth a try also.

Mike Roberts

Hey Juan,

Unfortunately, the answer is . . . it depends.  On a lot of things, like budget, body shape, speed, swim style.  Roka is not the only expensive suit out there, as most of the major players have high-end models (Tyr has one that's over a grand).  The big difference is the use of Yamamoto 40, which is thin, stretchy and expensive.  If I recall correctly, you're a good swimmer (sub-1:10 IM), which means you probably don't have body position issues and don't need a ton of less-flexible buoyancy to help compensate for bad position.  I'm in that same boat, and had great luck with my Blue Seventy and Aquaman before their demise, less luck with my current Zoot.  I need flexibility in the back/shoulders and a perfect fit or my stroke suffers.  There are 5-10 models that probably fit my needs, all in the $600-1,000 range.  Which hurts.  I've been trying them on, with my current favorite being the Helix (again). I really liked the Roka features and the customer service, but I was between sizes, went small, and it was too tight.  They let you swim in it for 30 days, return if it doesn't work.  I'm waiting for the Medium to arrive and am hopeful it's the one.  If it doesn't, I will continue the search.  I'd rather swim in a $200 suit that fits perfectly than an $800 one that restricts movement or leaks water.

P.S. I got the Roka on sale, for nearly $200 off.  Look for 4th of July sales in a few weeks.

Paul Hough

About a month or two ago, there was a great wetsuit review in Lava magazine, I think. The author came from a swimmer background and evaluated over a dozen different brands. He talked about which ones were good for folks with a swimming background, which ones were good for most triathletes, which ones did not leak, which allowed for hip rotation and so on. I'm not in the market for a wetsuit, but I wrote down the one I want next based on that very thorough evaluation...and it wasn't the Roka. That said, fit is always the number one criterion.

Al Truscott

Juan …  I'm not recommending any particular wetsuit, but I'll relate why I've been swimming in a DeSoto (not the same one!) for the past 10 years, despite buying two other brands during that time which were billed as "more flexible" and/or "faster". In no particular order:

• Two piece concept allows a lot of mix and match options. For one thing, if you are an odd size (you're what I would call "normal"), you can buy a bigger or smaller top compared to the bottom. You can wear just the bottom in a warm swim (just below cut-off temp) instead of having to get a sleeveless. You can get a three quarter length bottom, useful if you have a big strong kick. You can buy different thicknesses in the arms, for REALLY cold temps.
• The zipper closes down, and does not go all the way up to the neck, providing (a) a much tighter seal around the neck, letting in less water, making it "warmer" and (b) preventing any neck abrasion where the zipper would normally rub. Also, makes for a smoother/sleeker aspect, no zipper covers needed at the neck for protection. Easier neck movement for breathing.
• Believe it or not, it is faster to get out of than a one piece. It does take a bit longer to get on, though.
• DeSoto solves the "flexibility" issue not by using more flexible material, but by designing the fit of the arms to the upper body in such a way that the suit feels most comfortable with your arms out in front (over your head when standing up) and moving freely when you drop them straight down (normal swimming motion).
• The above point is a big issue with the Yamamoto 40 material: it is MUCH more fragile than the 39 DeSoto uses. I used the top of the line Xterra with a lot of that 40 in only a few races, and it just started to get tears and rips in it from less than 5 uses. Not a problem weigh the DeSoto
• DeSoto has over the top customer service. Eg, an overly aggressive wet suit stripper tore the shoulder of my suit @ IM Wisconsin a year into its service. DeSoto replaced it no questions asked, paid for shipping. Also, each time I buy a new piece, someone calls me or emails me within one business day to make sure I've got the sizing right.
• The exterior of the suit is smooth - no ripples in the forearm, no problems with exposed seams, minimal logo. That makes a difference, IMO.
• I found minimal difference in my times in the 39 DeSoto compared to the 40s I've used. For me, the DeSoto is slightly faster.
• Did I mention its warm? Especially when using the 5mm arms? Becoming more important the older I get.

Remember, the DeSoto was designed with copious input from Dan Empfield the guy who first produced wetsuits for triathlons through Quintana Roo, and who basically invented tri bike geometry. He thought a lot about what would make the ideal wet suit.

Paul Hough

Good points by Al. I looked up my gear notes and the suit recommended as the fastest for most triathletes (read - did not grow up with a swimming background) is the Aquaman ART. Other top rated suits were the Xterra Vendetta and Blue Seventy Helix.

Re Al's comments on the material...that is definitely the theory, but in practice I've had the top end Xterra Vendetta for years and haven't yet put a single nick in it. By contrast, I had a lower quality Vector before that and my nickname for the suit was Holy Joe because I nicked or cut it on every use. However I am more careful now and learned how to put the suit on after a couple years practice with Holy Joe!

tim cronk

@Juan... I've been using Xterra Vendetta for 5 years which is the high end from Xterra.... Decided I would try one of the newer designs by Huub or Roka.... After trying them both on I bought the Roka based on fit even though deep down I really wanted the Huub but the Roka just fit me much better.... I then read the write up Paul mentioned and got a little worried as it said the Roka was more a swimmers wetsuit and not as floaty as the others.... All concerns I may have had were settled as soon as I got in the water with it... Wow , extremely comfortable , I can feel the rotation and flexiblity while swimming with less fatigue and it appears to be faster with less effort than my Xterra.... Is it really faster? I don't know , although I have set 2 PR's with it already in my first 2 races this year at the IM and OLY distances.... Like a bike , fit and comfort are most important. In a nutshell , YES high end suits are worth the money IMO..... I purchased mine as a left over for about $200 off...

Juan Vergara

Tks all so much for sharing your knowledge. Bit the bullet and ordered the ROKA ... and by the way: had a long conversation with the very helpful  ROKA people and they totally disagree with the LAVA article´s point of view in regard to their suits being "best for FOP swimmers"; they absolutely defend that their suits will make MOP/BOP faster ... will see!!!

William Jenks

No doubt it will make you faster... just a matter of how much. :-)

There are multiple ways of having good shoulder rotation...the ROKA uses one of them. As everyone points out, though, FIT is huge.

I think this may be the last year for me and my current wetsuit...I'm going to look into the DeSoto. I have NEVER bought a product from them that I didn't think was top flight.

Dawn Cass

Thanks all for the discussions...have been considering Roka myself. Many mention more arm flexibility however if you are getting a sleeveless one, does it make a difference on the rest of the suit?

Thanks.

Dawn Cass

Hello all - just ordered a Roka and a Huub full suit so will see how they fit...everyone has me interested. Also, ordered from trisports.com and they have a "one swim" policy so they even let you try it out in the water and you can still return..nice option....

Mike Roberts

Dawn, I just spent the last month taking advantage of Trisports' awesome WS swim policy. If it doesn't fit, click the link they send you, print the UPS label, tape it on, drop it off. Perfect. Wish I didn't have to use their return policy, but my last 2 wetsuits over the past 6 years put me up on top of the water like a raft and restricted my shoulders to some extent, so I was determined to find the right one. Found it on my third attempt with the Roka Mav Pro. I'm somewhat between sizes, the smaller one was restrictive, but the bigger one was perfect. I float and rotate effortlessly like swimming with a buoy, and the arms seriously feel like swimming with a sleeveless. No leaking despite the low, comfortable neck. Can't wait to race in it (may be a while with the ocean temp at 82). Hope you find the one.

Dawn Cass

Thanks Mike...good to hear you found one...the Roka Mav Pro is one on order, as well as similar Huub. I only ordered one size so hope I don't have fit problems. Do you think they run big/small?

Mike Roberts

I'm 150lbs, the S was 135-150, so I went with it. Constrictive. Folks at Roka said I would fit the M very well, even though it's for 150-170. So, I tried. Only place it's not real snug is around the knees - irrelevant. Think I can lose 5 lbs for IM and it would still fit great. Of course, I wish they made a SM for 140-160. In short, if between sizes, I agree with Roka's advice: size up. But if it's not ideal, keep searching.

Dawn Cass

Thanks Mike, helpful advise.

Sue Chapman

@Dawn - I'll look forward to hearing your thoughts on the Roka full. It's at the top of my list but I'm not quite ready to commit the $$ yet. I did pony up for the Roka sleeveless last year and absolutely love it. Not sure if it's the brand/design or the sleeveless that I like so much as this is the first sleeveless I've had. Also, not sure if there are any "faster" benefits but certainly I don't feel like I'm working as hard.

Dawn Cass

Hello Sue - I got both suits in several different sizes and am returning the Roka. I "wanted" to have it fit but it just doesn't. One size to small...the other one too big in the body and still tight around the lower arms...very odd. I think as someone mentions above, fit is everything and that one just doesn't do it for me. The HUUB on the other hand feels like it fits like a glove so for the moment am going with that one. The only thing that gets me thinking is the fact that it's a breakaway zipper...supposed to be fast out of the water. Have never heard of something like that so am just a bit skeptical but will see.

Trisports had a 4th of July sale with 25% off which took a few hundred off the price. For that, will give it a go!