Ultimate wetsuit buying guide for triathlon and open water swimming

You can't choose the wrong one, right?

Behind this guide is me - Daniel, owner of Watery.ie and former elite swimmer for 10 years, but now a recreational triathlete. I have a lot of experience with open water swimming, and have completed several open water and triathlon competitions, and through this I have built up a lot of knowledge and experience with wetsuits. I will try my best to pass this on to you below - but if you are still left with questions at the end, please leave a comment below. I look forward to elaborating :-) 

Updated 2020 with Video: Best wetsuit recommendations by level, price and features

Buy and read more about all the recommended wetsuit models here

Why swim with a wetsuit at all?

Let's get this out of the way first. In Denmark, no matter the time of year, the water temperature is almost always so low that wearing a wetsuit is a must - whether it's for daily open water training or for the competition itself.

But in addition to protecting the body from the cold water by keeping it warm and preventing the cold water from getting close to the body, a wetsuit also brings a lot more benefits:

1. Provides you with increased buoyancy, which is especially beneficial for poorer swimmers
2. Protects you from water and jellyfish
3. Reduces water resistance due to their special smooth surface
4. Gives you the necessary freedom of movement
5. Keep your muscles warm to avoid hypothermia during and after the swim
6. Extends the open water season

So, in addition to its warmth function, a wetsuit actually helps your speed in the water.

Fun Fact: It's not uncommon for the right wetsuit to add up to 2 minutes per 1000 metres swum.

Rules for wetsuit use

The Danish Triathlon Federation has set up a number of basic rules for the use of wetsuits during triathlon competitions and open water competitions. This also applies to when/what water temperature it is required to swim with a wetsuit, how thick the wetsuit may be, etc.

You can find the rules for wetsuit use from the Danish Triathlon Federation here, but basically the following applies to all age-group swimmers (all except elite):

• In water temperatures below 14 degrees celsius, which almost never happens during triathlon events in the summer months in Denmark, the distance can be shortened and the time spent in the water reduced
• For water temperatures between 14 and 22 degrees celsius, wetsuits are mandatory
• At water temperatures above 22 degrees celsius, wetsuits are prohibited (almost never happens)

So if you are going to an open water or triathlon event, you need a wetsuit to swim in.

In addition, you should be aware that if you are using the wetsuit for official Danish and international competitions, the suit must be a maximum of 5mm thick. If it is more than that, you are simply not allowed to swim in it.

Swimsuit, drysuit, neoprene or wetsuit - what's the difference and are there any?

There are so many different names for a wetsuit, but that's also because there are many different suits depending on whether it's a suit designed for triathlon and open water, kitesurfing, diving or other water sports. Here's a definition of the different ones:

Drysuit:
A drysuit is not particularly suitable for various water sports, including triathlon and open water, as it doesn't fit close to the body, but rather "just" covers the body. So don't buy one if you're going to be doing water sports.

Swimsuit for triathlon and open water:
A swimsuit is another name for a wetsuit and is what you need if you're taking part in a triathlon or open water event. They are also the ones we recommend below and refer to throughout this guide.
The characteristics of such a swimsuit are the following:

1. It is made of Neoprene
2. Relatively thin (between 1 and 7mm)
3. Good and natural to move (swim) in
4. Zip that sits on the back

So it's a regular wetsuit, also known as a swimsuit, that you need.

How thick should a wetsuit be and which one should you choose? 

The wide variety of wetsuits are available in several different thicknesses.

Maybe you've already realised that?

In any case, you should pay attention to the thickness, as it is quite crucial for both your swimming and the warmth it provides. There are basically three different thicknesses. When you should use which one is described here: 

• 3mm: This is by far the most common thickness for triathlon and open water swimming. It provides the highest degree of mobility, but also allows you to stay in the water for long periods of time. 
• 5mm: This thickness is typically used for open water training/competitions in spring or late autumn, where the water is less warm but still provides a high degree of mobility. This also provides increased buoyancy. 
• 7mm: This thickness is for people who hate the cold. However, it's not particularly suitable for open water swimming as it makes it difficult to move properly and provides a huge amount of buoyancy, making it difficult to swim properly. A 7mm suit is often used for diving instead of regular swimming.

You should also be aware that some wetsuits are actually 5mm thick around the legs, chest and stomach/hips to increase buoyancy and thus minimise resistance, while the thickness around the shoulders is less to increase mobility there. This combination is actually the most optimal in my opinion, as it gives you both high buoyancy in the right places and full mobility around the arms, which you need to move all the time. 

One last thing you should be aware of, which is also mentioned above, is that if you are using the wetsuit for an international open water or triathlon event, it must be MAX 5mm thick. If it is thicker, you will be banned from swimming in it. 

How to best put on and take off your swimsuit

A wetsuit is not easy to put on. The fact that a wetsuit is often made of neoprene makes it incredibly difficult to put on, and putting one on will undoubtedly take some practice before it becomes kid's play. 

However, a good rule of thumb is always: Take your time and never rush through it. Because once you do, well, there will be holes in your new suit.

Watch this video and become a wetsuit master:

For triathlons, it's also essential that you can get out of the suit quickly after getting out of the water. Here you can't be quite as careful, but it's more important that you take off your wetsuit in the right steps.

Two of Denmark's best triathletes show you how to do it here (start the video at 3:22 - you'll see how):

Basically, you just need to put your goggles on your forehead as soon as you get out of the water, take your wetsuit off your upper body as you run, take off your swim cap and goggles just before the transition zone, and take off the rest of your wetsuit when you're standing right in front of your changing station.

Wetsuit size

The choice of wetsuit size is always the big question. And here, too, many people make the wrong choice.

And to make matters worse, the sizes don't "just" come in small, medium and large. No, they are also available in e.g. small tall, medium tall, medium-large etc. Therefore, you should pay extra attention when reading these size guides and, not least, when measuring yourself.

The vast majority of wetsuit brands have a size guide attached to their wetsuits. These give a good indication of what size you need. Therefore, you should also rely heavily on these when choosing the right size.

The vast majority of size guides use your height and weight as parameters for the right size.

If you're in between sizes, a good rule of thumb is always: Girth before height (or to put it another way: Weight before height), as a few centimetres or three in length doesn't make much of a difference. Therefore, if you fit into multiple sizes, it's more important to look at weight than length. 

I've found size guides for the different wetsuits here:

• Size guide for Orca wetsuits.
• Size guide bull Hurricane wetsuits
• Size guide for Speedo wetsuits
• Aqua Sphere wetsuit size guide - For men here and for women here
• Size guide Zoogs wetsuits:

 

When assessing whether the wetsuit fits optimally, the most important thing is that it fits snugly around the neck. This means that you can barely get an index finger between your skin and the wetsuit at that point. Otherwise, cold water will instantly penetrate the wetsuit and splash around, thus cancelling out the insulating effect.

At the same time, you should be aware that if the wetsuit feels a bit constricting and tight on land, it will most likely fit perfectly once you get in the water. This is because once you jump in the water, the suit will distribute better and feel much more natural.

So the best advice is probably: Always jump in the water and try on the wetsuit before you're sure it's the right size.

Buy, rent or borrow a used wetsuit?

Many new triathletes and open water swimmers consider renting or borrowing a used wetsuit instead of buying a brand new one. The intention is very good, and for some beginners it can also be a good choice if you know you won't use the suit more than once or twice, but a wetsuit just doesn't work as well with multiple users.

In fact, wetsuits work just like shoes when it comes to using someone else's. When someone new wears it, it quickly adapts to the individual body shape, and you end up with a brand new suit. This means that you can never be sure that the wetsuits you can rent or borrow will fit you and your body better than if you bought your own, which will always fit you better.

In addition, most open water swimmers and triathletes also want to be able to try swimming with a wetsuit in the open water before the competition, as it provides a higher degree of confidence and calmness beforehand, and this is in most cases not an option if you rent or borrow a wetsuit.

Should you choose a full or half wetsuit?

A question that many people have, but to which there is actually a reasonably clear answer:

If you are just going to swim in the open water at home or swim in a Danish triathlon or open water competition, then in 99% of cases you should swim in a full wetsuit that has both sleeves and goes down to your feet. Such a full wetsuit gives you the necessary warmth and buoyancy that a half wetsuit does not to the same extent.

The reason why you should still choose a half wetsuit, where the shoulders are free and thus provide more mobility, would be if you are going to a triathlon event in a warm country abroad.

Otherwise, you should always choose a full wetsuit.

Using body cream / Bodyglide for less friction when swimming with a wetsuit

A bad and somewhat inexplicable trend in recent years has been to use Vaseline around the neck and ankles to reduce friction from the wetsuit during longer wetsuit swims. But let's get this out of the way right away: It doesn't really help, as Vaseline actually slowly breaks down in water and slowly destroys the suit.

Instead, you should use something else that is specifically designed to reduce friction when wearing wetsuits. Namely Bodyglide, which is an incredibly popular product specifically designed to make wetsuit swimming much more comfortable. And with Bodyglide, you can rest assured that it won't come off in the water or speed up the degradation process of your expensive wetsuit.

Wetsuit maintenance

If you take proper care of your wetsuit before, during and after use, you can significantly extend its lifespan. Six basic tips for better suit maintenance:

1. Rinse the suit thoroughly both inside and out immediately after use with fresh water from the sea/lake. However, the vast majority of Ironman and Challenge events take place in salt water, so be aware of this
2. The suit should be hung to dry inside out
3. When the suit is dry and you need to store it until the next training/competition, always turn the outside inside out and make sure it doesn't get wrinkled during storage, but hangs on a hanger or similar
4. Avoid using sharp nails while putting it on as this will just create unfortunate holes
5. Take your time while putting the suit on. When the thickness is not very thick, you can easily "accidentally" make a hole or two - just ask me ;-)
6. If you do get a hole in your suit, you can patch it with neoprene glue

If you remember these six tips every time you use your wetsuit, you can be sure that you'll still have a usable wetsuit in two, three, four and five years.

Wetsuits for open water swimming and triathlon - is there a difference?

No, it's basically the exact wetsuit/swimsuit you should/can use for both types of outdoor swimming. For both, it's important that the suit provides both buoyancy and a high degree of mobility so that you can move forward as quickly as possible. This is what a proper wetsuit for open water swimming and triathlon will help you with.

Wetsuit for beginners - What you should choose

Many triathletes tend to always buy the most expensive equipment on the market, as it must be the best. But that's not always the case when it comes to wetsuits.

If you are not a former competitive swimmer, but a beginner in swimming and triathlon and therefore not a confident swimmer with a good technique, it is not necessarily an advantage to choose the expensive top model, as these are made for competitive swimmers who do not need buoyancy as much as you do.

In addition, the cheaper wetsuits, which are often designed for beginners, will also be thicker around the legs and thighs, as this will increase buoyancy in places that normally "hang" and thus reduce water resistance.

However, you should be aware that beginner wetsuits are typically made of less flexible rubber and can therefore feel stiffer in the shoulder area than the top suit. In addition, the top models are often more developed, which is reflected in the panels on the side and under the arms, which help to create less resistance.

Price and quality are obviously linked, but the speed of a suit that costs 670€ more than a beginner wetsuit can be minimal for the beginner swimmer.

Therefore: If you are a brand new triathlete / open water swimmer and "just" have ambitions to complete, I would definitely recommend that you just buy a cheap wetsuit for between 200 and 335€. Then spend the money on a better pair of running shoes or a pair of safe goggles, because you don't need the extra features and techniques that come with the more expensive wetsuits as a beginner.

If, on the other hand, you're an accomplished swimmer with several triathlons or open water competitions under your belt, then it's a good idea to start looking at one of the better and thus more expensive wetsuits.

Buy a wetsuit - recommendations for the beginner, intermediate and professional

If you want a wetsuit with the best possible flexibility around the shoulders, a high degree of buoyancy and durability, it simply costs money. But since price is a factor for most open water swimmers and triathletes, I've listed the six best wetsuits based on my experience for beginners, intermediates and professionals:

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Wetsuit for beginners:

These wetsuits belong to the group we call low-cost triathlon and open water wetsuits, both of which adhere to the thickness rule and have the 4 important properties of keeping muscles warm, increased buoyancy, reduced water resistance and yet a surprisingly high degree of freedom of movement (although not as much as the more expensive top models).

These are designed especially for beginner open water swimmers who are not yet sure if open water swimming is for them and need to test themselves. If that's you, then one of these is the one to try:

1. Orca Open Water Core
   
   
   
   
   This wetsuit from Orca called "Openwater Core" is designed specifically for open water swimming.  The suit is made of 2.0-2.5mm neoprene so it's still flexible and can keep you warm in the water. In addition, it's made with "HydroLite" panels that make it easier to remove the suit.  Finally, it has a super cool design where you can't help but be noticed due to the bright orange colour. All in all, it's a great suit that ensures you can swim for longer periods of time with high flexibility without compromising on quality.

Wetsuit for advanced users:

These wetsuits use a different type of neoprene that is slightly more flexible and smoother than the one used for the beginner wetsuits.

If you're determined that triathlon or open water swimming is for you, and you've done a race or two before, you can move up to this class with these slightly more expensive wetsuits, but with increased mobility, a few more colours and some extra panels to reduce water resistance.

• Orca S7

In the market for beginner wetsuits there are many, however, this Orca S7 is the one we recommend as the best on the market.

This wetsuit is designed for beginners and up. This is because the suit has exceptional buoyancy made possible by the Yamamoto neoprene.

There are different thicknesses of neoprene present on the suit which means that it is still flexible, so your swimming is not hampered by the suit. (5mm around hips and legs, 2mm around shoulders and arms)

All in all, it's a highly recommended wetsuit that helps you float more easily without compromising on flexibility when you're in the water. It also has a super cool design.

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Wetsuit for professionals:

Here you get the best of the best in wetsuits, where it's almost a science to make them faster, more water resistant and more buoyant. The finest types of neoprene are used with the ultimate focus on elasticity and comfort. These wetsuits for the professional, seasoned or very ambitious triathletes and open water swimmers are made with the ultimate goal of making swimming even faster with the help of unique panels, etc. So if you don't want to compromise on anything, one of these is the one you need.

1. Orca Sonar
   

This wetsuit from Orca called Sonar is an impressive suit in every aspect. It's extremely flexible and has good buoyancy. In fact, you get 30% more buoyancy, which means you can maintain the right posture in the water.

The suit is made of the well-known Yamamoto neoprene but also has the following features:

- CLS (Core Lateral Stabiliser) are panels that give you transverse stiffness around the abdominal area, allowing you to maintain good posture and thus higher performance.

- 39 Cell, this is another type of Yamamoto neoprene that is highly flexible. In addition, it doesn't absorb water, which means increased speed.

1. Orca Equip
   
   
   Orca Equip is one of the wetsuits that offers maximum flexibility versus its thickness. Aimed at swimmers who have optimal technique in both arms and legs, it's perfect for swimmers who want to minimise water resistance.
   
   The wetsuit is made from the renowned Yamamoto neoprene, which is known for its elasticity, meaning you have maximum freedom of movement.
   
   In addition, the suit is equipped with Super Composite Skin (SCS), which guarantees sublime performance.
   
   As mentioned, the suit is super flexible, making it optimal for the "total swimmer", meaning you can maintain correct positioning in the water and have full control over arm and leg technique.

 

PS: None of the wetsuits above fit you? Then check out our huge (actually the largest in the UK) selection of wetsuits right here.

Extra equipment:

When it comes to wetsuit accessories and wetsuit swimming, there are a variety of products that can enhance your longer and colder open water swims. These include the following:

• Swim bag

A regular piece of safety equipment for all open water swimmers that is also super practical. A swim bag attaches around your waist while you're wearing your wetsuit and then "follows you" when inflated, making you extra visible to jet skis, people on land and boats in the water. In addition, it contains a small compartment inside where you can place your wallet, car keys and phone. This means you can also call for help in the middle of the ocean if you suddenly find yourself in trouble.

We usually recommend a size of 30 litres for optimal buoyancy and storage. Furthermore, the Watery swim bags are available in three different striking colours, so you're sure to be seen in the water.

The swim bags are available with and without a window, if you choose the swim bag with a window, you can see and use the items you have in the waterproof compartment, so you can, for example, use touch via your phone or GPS.

You can see our most popular swim bags without window here.
You can see our most popular swim bags with window here.

• Triathlon goggles

A pair of goggles for open water swimming is not just like any other regular swim goggles. When swimming outside, where the sun is often (at least in summer) high in the sky, the lenses should be either smoke, mirror or polarised to avoid being blinded by the sun. At the same time, the vast majority of open water swimmers prefer a larger pair of goggles with a large frame for added safety.

We most often recommend Watery Mantis for open water swimmers here.

• Visible swim cap

Just like the swim bags, a visible swim cap can make you extra visible in the water, which can be the difference between life and death. Therefore, you should always choose a swim cap in either orange, pink, yellow or similar vibrant colours. Never blue, grey or black colours.

In order to be visible in the water, we have made our own Watery swim caps in striking colours that even match the swim bags.

You can see the selection here.

• Hood, gloves and socks

If you want to start the season early/late, or if you're just cold-shy, a pair of neoprene socks, gloves and a hood could be the solution. Both boots and a hood will minimise the chill on your feet and hat. You could also consider neoprene gloves, although this reduces water sensitivity, but this is an individual judgement. In any case, these products can help make open water swimming a little more watery. Be aware, however. Be aware that these items are not allowed to swim with during open water and triathlon competitions, so it's only for the training leading up to it.

We almost always recommend a minimum of 3 mm, as this is a good thickness for optimal heat retention without compromising flexibility.

We recommend this Watery Thermal neoprene kit here.

• Friction cream and gel:

Bodyglide:

Many open water swimmers experience friction sores or abrasions, especially around the neck and throat. Fortunately, newer suits from the likes of Orca have improved and leave significantly less abrasions compared to other wetsuits.

However, if you are currently experiencing chafing, we recommend that you immediately use Bodyglide here.

Swimeze Quick Gel: 

If, on the other hand, you're having trouble getting into your wetsuit, we highly recommend this gel from Swimeze here.

It's super simple to use and significantly helps you get into your wetsuit faster and easier.

 

Rounding off

We've reached the end of this pretty crazy wetsuit guide. I hope you're much wiser and better equipped to choose your first/next wetsuit. But if you're still left with questions, please leave a comment below and I'll do my best to help you out.