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First wetsuit experience
Jules
Posts: 987
in General Chat
I gave the wetsuit a try today, first time ever. I thought I'd report back for the curious.
I'm doing a couple of open water tris this summer and my tri club are starting open water swim practice in a couple of weeks. I thought I'd do things in stages and have a go in the wetsuit in the pool first.
I swim at lunchtimes in an old Victorian baths, proper swimmers, not anywhere full of kids. So I got a couple of glances in the suit but not too much alarm caused!
First impressions, hot - obviously the point is the open water will be colder! After that wa-heey, floaty time! A serious lack of sinking. My feet felt odd.
Swimming in the thing seemed quite a bit easier than without one. I tried a couple of sets of four lengths, after which I was too hot and took it off. I went back in just in my trisuit for a comparison. Timewise I was about 8 seconds quicker over 100 yards (Victorian pool, remember) in the wetsuit.
I'm really looking forward to the open water training now!
I'm doing a couple of open water tris this summer and my tri club are starting open water swim practice in a couple of weeks. I thought I'd do things in stages and have a go in the wetsuit in the pool first.
I swim at lunchtimes in an old Victorian baths, proper swimmers, not anywhere full of kids. So I got a couple of glances in the suit but not too much alarm caused!
First impressions, hot - obviously the point is the open water will be colder! After that wa-heey, floaty time! A serious lack of sinking. My feet felt odd.
Swimming in the thing seemed quite a bit easier than without one. I tried a couple of sets of four lengths, after which I was too hot and took it off. I went back in just in my trisuit for a comparison. Timewise I was about 8 seconds quicker over 100 yards (Victorian pool, remember) in the wetsuit.
I'm really looking forward to the open water training now!
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Do you know when Chester Tri will be doing OW sessions? - I can't see anything on their website. Thanks
First session, Saturday, was good with hardly any waves and sswimming felt quite fast - 2nd session was today and was a bit more like hard work - a bit more choppy but its all good experience.
The suit is awesome, really flexy and bouyant with just the right amount of lift around the hips to hold me i the perfect swimming position. I would really recommend it to anyone who is a good swimmer over a 3.8 as that has little too much bouyancy..
Iain.
Took me about 15 mins to get in the wetsuit... man it was tight, and hot! Cold shower was lovely and after filling my suit up with water it felt a lot better. Wished I'd put some lube on though as trying to get out was a struggle! In my weakened state I didn't have the energy to pull my arms out and initial laughter turned to frustration and anger. Eventually got out, but probably took around 7 mins!!
Lesson learned... Body glide all over next time!
Oh and Flavadave, the wetsuit will get stretchier the more you pull it on and off and get it wet so keep jumping in that shower!!
I have the Foor HQ1 from triUK and its a smart looking suit for the price - will have to see how it holds out over the summer but am sure I shall be keeping it at the end of the hire period, even if only as a training suit for next season.
how much difference is there between 5:3 and 3:2 (presume you're referring to the general neoprene thickness in millimetres?).
I've got a flexible 5:3:2 suit I use for kitesurfing (badly), and figured I'd use this for my OW tri's this year, prior to buying _another_ piece of watersports kit.
Will be doing London in August (but I don't think Excel docks ever gets _warm_)....
was reading on slowtwitch that it's buoyancy that really makes the difference to swim performance, particularly in the leg department, so figured I may be better off.
Oh, and if anyone wants a story about the trials of getting out of a wetsuit... i once had to drive home in mine as I couldn't get out of it (so cold after a February surfing session....)
Getting _in_ is easy - plastic bags on hands and feet work wonders!