Do I Need A Triathlon Wetsuit?
Triathlon wetsuits aren’t just designed to offer flexibility and buoyancy during the swimming part of the race, they are also designed to maintain your body temperature and keep your safe in cold waters. In the UK, a wetsuit is mandatory when the water temperature is below 14 celsius (roughly 57F), where the swimming leg is 1500m. If the swim is longer, the minimum temperature required for a wetsuit is higher, as you’ll be spending more time in the water.
How Thick Should A Triathlon Wetsuit Be?
For beginners, wetsuits tend to be a little thicker to provide more warmth and buoyancy in the water. The sacrifice here is often when it comes to flexibility, with thinner wetsuits designed for elite athletes having thinner neoprene. You should also note that 5mm is the maximum thickness of a triathlon wetsuit, this is to avoid athletes overheating in the water.
A lot of triathlon wetsuits will have a mixture of neoprene thicknesses to maximise flexibility in the areas that matter, while providing buoyancy too.
How Tight Should A Triathlon Wetsuit Be?
Ultimately, you’re aiming for your wetsuit to fit like a second skin. You want it to offer maximum flexibility while being tight to your skin to reduce drag and minimise the amount of water that is held in any empty pockets of the suit. Arm length is very important when sizing a triathlon suit, as you want the sleeves to stop just short of the wrists and be snug under the armpits.
If there’s a lot of wrinkles in your wetsuit, it means that you’ve gone at least one size too high, try one size below and keep working your way down until you have a snug fit around your body, legs and arms, allowing you to carry out the full arm motion while swimming.
For advice on how to pick the perfect wetsuit for open water swimming or triathlons you can visit our blog article: What to look for in a triathlon wetsuit. Alternatively, contact Wetsuit Centre and we can answer any questions and queries you may have.
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