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Wetsuits, Skinsuits, and L/S Tri-suits

Paul HoughPaul Hough
in Racing Forum 🏎

The water temperature at Lake Zurich is now in the low 70s.  I expect it to climb a little but stay wetsuit legal for IM Switzerland later this month.  However, I tend to get hot if wearing a full wetsuit in water at the mid-70s.  I'm considering taking a sleeveless, but my EN Trisuit has the arm sleeves.  Has anyone swam in a sleeveless wetsuit - or a skinsuit - with a sleeved tri-suit?   Do any of you have personal temperature cut-offs where you decide to use a sleeveless instead of a full wetsuit?  I only have room to pack one wetsuit (plus a skinsuit) so I need to decide in advance.  Your thoughts appreciated!

Comments

  • Brian Quarton [OLD]Brian Quarton [OLD]
    I would take a full wetsuit, as well as the skinsuit. It is a personal preference. I would accept the slight discomfort. That said, I bet you are talking about a minute, sleeves or none. I think it is fine to have the trisuit sleeves exposed, minimal if any penalty.
  • tim cronktim cronk
    Paul, Personally I have no cut off for temp if its legal I will go full sleeve every time , willing to take the heat for the time savings, I do train in a sleeveless when its warm (mid to high 70's) and its a couple min slower over full distance for me... I have tested the sleeved tri-suit under a swimskin just to see how it feels , no issues whatsoever , I would even bet that a full sleeved tri-suit under a sleeveless wetsuit or a swimskin would be faster than a shoulderless tri-suit... Why? they have proven over and over again in the wind tunnel/aerodrome that fabric is faster than skin, I can only imagine its even better in a thicker medium like water.... I can't believe the market isnt flooded with sleeved to the elbow swimskins now that its legal.
  • Brian HaganBrian Hagan

    Paul,  I used a sleeveless swim skin over the speed suit at Texas (not wet-suit legal) and had no issues (other than my poor sighting).

  • Satish PunnaSatish Punna

    You could use a sleeveless wetsuit over your sleeved trisuit and it probably wouldn't be any slower than bare arms.  You could also leave the top undone and rolled down under your sleeveless wetsuit, then put it on in T1.  Getting into the top while wet might be difficult but some people don't seem to have a problem with it.  

    edit- is a sleeveless wetsuit that much cooler than a full wetsuit?  it's only your arms that are uncovered, which doesn't seem like a lot of surface area (no- offense).  Or is it cooler because water flows through more? . 

  • Paul HoughPaul Hough
    All - thank you for the great input. It's always great to learn from other's experience. I wore the sleeved tri-suit under a full wetsuit at IM Louisville last year and it did not bother me at all. Looks like I'll take the full wetsuit and a skin suit just in case, and pray for cool weather the week before the race! I just got back from running in the heat wondering why the heck I do this!!
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