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Imaz wetsuit

brianrobkelly@hotmail.combrianrobkelly@hotmail.com
in General Training Discussions

 I have a sleeveless wetsuit I always use.  I hear the water is pretty cold for imaz.  Can I get by with sleeveless, or do I need to get one with sleeves. I do not want to be freezing on the bike

Comments

  • GMAN 19030GMAN 19030

    I wore a sleeveless at the 2010 Syracuse 70.3 when it was still in late-September. The water was 62 degrees which is what we can expect at IMAZ. I was really freakin' cold. That stated, you're coming from the Arctic Circle up there in MN so maybe you're more accustomed to cold water than I am coming from Texas.  I'm wearing a fullsleeve.  No question about it,



    I'm contemplating a neoprene cap and booties.

  • Woody FreeseWoody Freese
    As a cold watre candya$$, and having done AZ - go w/ a long sleeve if you can. Add a neoprene cap and booties. It's cold - and very, very murky
  • Paul HoughPaul Hough
    Full sleeve for sure. I didn't use booties but did go w a neoprene cap plus Vaseline on my face and top of my feet. Even with that my right foot was a little numb from the cold by the time I got out.
  • CyclingmaniacCyclingmaniac

    I raced IMAZ and also volunteered in the swim area.  My observation is that definitely a long sleeve especially if a cold water wuss like myself!   I wore neoprene cap and a long sleeve wetsuit and was very comfortable.  Those that came out of the water at < 1 1/4 hr seemed fine.  Those coming out of the water closer to the 1 1/2 hr mark were having difficulty.   There were a couple of instances where they pulled people out of the water after 1 1/2 hours and about 30 plus racers ended up in the medical tent due to hyperthermia

    The only way to know if you will be OK is to test.  Air temp will be somewhere in the low 50s.  Water temp has been as low as 61 or 62 degrees.  Not sure if you have the opportunity to mirror those conditions, but if you can, do it!  

    Have a GREAT race! 

     

  • Steven FordSteven Ford

    I did full sleeve and neoprene cap last year, my partner wore a long sleeve and she can stand the colder water better than me and she said she was glad she did.

  • JenRichJenRich
    I wore a sleeveless last year. I was cold, but survived. I think most people had full sleeves. I hate full sleeves, and opted for comfort over warmth. I don't think the cold bothered me more than expected. It did take me awhile to warm up on the bike though...
  • Michele CellaiMichele Cellai
    I am going sleeveless, heated shirt (battery pack and on/off switch, I wear it scuba diving too), Neoprene cap. It is what I did at IMSG, 62 degrees. I was just starting to get cold when I finally made it out of that nightmare at 1:45, 30 minutes longer than expected.
  • GMAN 19030GMAN 19030
    I have to ask... why not just wear a full???
  • Paul HoughPaul Hough
    Heated shirt? I guess it doesn't short out in the water or else you might be the only electric eel out there! What is the name of that product?
  • Michele CellaiMichele Cellai
    Full sleeve cause my shoulders to ache. And since I aggravated an old labral tear, I am really trying to be good to my shoulders. (aggravation was due to helping my sister at a party, not training).

    My heated scuba shirt: http://www.heatedwetsuits.com/thermalution-15m-heated-undersuit/

    My DH bought it for me so that I would enjoy scuba diving more than I already do. I hate to be cold. It was his idea to try it for triathlon. So last April, here in MA, I started OWS with it and was very happy with the result.
  • John WithrowJohn Withrow
    @Michelle- my guess is the shoulder aching from a long sleeve is due to the quality and/or fit of the wetsuit. I swam in a short sleeve for a long time regardless of water temp because every long sleeve I tried both choked me (to the point of claustrophobia) while swimming AND made my shoulders tired (and I have big strong shoulders). Then I bought a Huub Archimedes http://www.huubdesign.com/product_archimedes.html And it is Pure bliss to swim in. Doesn't choke me at all and I actually feel like it helps my arms instead of just making my shoulders sore. The top half is so flexible it feels like you're not even wearing a wetsuit at all. Quite possible the most comfortable wetsuit in the world...
  • GMAN 19030GMAN 19030
    Michele,
    I agree with John. The shoulder ache and all that is more than likely due to having a poor fitting wetsuit.
  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    FULL.
  • John StarkJohn Stark

    FULL!

    Water can be chilly.

     

     

  • Michele CellaiMichele Cellai
    Um- no- shoulder ache is labral tear that I opted not to fix years ago and aggravated in June. Cause it aches now at the end of a long swim in sleeveless. I love my full, that was not the problem. I just have found something that works better for me, a battery operated shirt that unless I forget to charge it, is ALWAYS toasty warm. Believe me, I am a cold weanie and would wear the full if I thought it was better for me, but after much testing, this works for ME. And by testing, I mean OWS in 53 degree water.
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