What Wetsuit?
Trying on let alone buying a wetsuit can be pretty daunting. ‘What wetsuit should I buy?’ is the most common question we are asked.
First of all we don’t have all the answers as we are all built differently and certain brands work better for certain shapes. We all have our preferences but below we’ve tried to give you some tips, some links to useful reviews and also about the ones our team love and the ones we use with our clients.
Do I need one?
Maybe, maybe not! Everyone’s tolerance to cold water is different. Some people are allergic to neoprene or simply don’t like wearing it, others like every inch of skin to be covered with it! Our advice is see how you go. You might find that you last a winter just in your swimsuit, with a good pair of gloves, boots and warm hat. Chat to others, try on theirs and don’t rush into buying absolutely everything you can lay your hands on.
Shortie or full length?
Lots of people try open water swimming in their shortie surf wetsuits, which is great, but if you want to swim any distance, you might find the surf wetsuit is very bouyant and this might impact on your stroke. There is a real upsurge in swim run events and wetsuit makers have created a hybrid suit that is shorter so you can nip out the water and head off straight into a run. We have clients who love the flexibility of these so they are worth a look. Orca do a nice one as do Yonda.
Our team here starting left to right:
Maggy wears Orca Equip Size XL
Wafa wears Orca Sonar Size M
Kiki wears Orca Open Water TRN Size L
What type should I buy?
Ok this is the million dollar question. Before you fork out any money book in with an open water coach and get them to have a look at your stroke. That way they can advise on the best type of wetsuit for you. Men and Women wetsuits are cut slightly differently and sometimes it can be worth trying on both. I know quite a few ladies who fit much better into a mans version of a particular wetsuit. If you are breaststroking a lot you might start to ache in your lower back if you’re wearing a wetsuit. There are some wetsuits out on the market that are tailored specifically to breast strokers. One of those is made by Zone 3 and is designed to allow an extended range of movement between the legs and across the chest. We have had really mixed reviews from clients who have tried this suit. Some love it some say it makes no difference, so again see if you can hire or borrow one before you make the purchase.
Other things to consider are your legs. If you’re very floaty and have good swimming technique then maybe opt for a suit that has neutral buoyancy. This will avoid lower back ache and the suit will help maintain your natural swim position in the water. A great entry level suit is the Orca Open Water Core TRN. We absolutely LOVE this suit, in our opinion its probably one of the best entry level suits out there and everyone who has tried it has loved it. The Orca Equip is also a fantastic mid range suit for neutral buoyancy swimmers, the neoprene is super flexible and is really long lasting.
If your legs tend to drag in the water slightly, then definitely go for something which has extra panels in the legs to help lift them up. Something like the Orca Sonar or Orca S7 will help combat sinky legs.
Thickness
If you want to swim distance all through the winter and you’re not keen on swimming just in skins then consider a thermal suit. Orca do a thermal wetsuit the Open Water RS1 Thermal which is has great flexibility and reasonably priced as do Zone 3 but their Thermal Aspire suit is a little on the pricey side.
Other than that a standard triathlon suits or open water suit from any of the main brands are a good place to start.
Sima wears the Orca Open Water SW in XL
Size and fit
Our team often hear concerns from clients in bigger bodies about how they struggle to find a wetsuit that fits. We are constantly feeding back to wetsuit providers on this issue as it can be a real barrier to some getting in the water. Generally the more money you spend, the higher quality the neoprene and we have often found it can be stretchier and more forgiving. Our team are a range of sizes and shapes and we all love Orca, but have also heard great things about Yonda and xx for bigger bodies.
Your wetsuit should be snug so that water doesn’t pool in it when you swim, but you should be able to breathe and move your arms well. Swimming wetsuits are designed with more flexibility around the shoulders which is the main difference to surf wetsuits.
Each manufacturer is different so its always worth trying them on if you can. We also recommend Tri Wetsuit Hire as they are amazing at helping you find the right size and you can hire suits out in the short term to give it a go.
A great all rounder suit, which is worth the investment is the Orca Open Water SW. Its a mid price range but it’s such a comfy suit. It has an even body position in the water and has great visibility. All our clients tried this on and the curvier ladies loved it particularly as the neoprene is very stretchy on this model.
Whatever your needs definitely seek advice from a shop or coach as it can be a lot of money to invest if it doesn’t fit properly. Below are some other help articles on choosing the right wetsuit, good luck and happy swimming :)
Outdoor Swimmer - How to choose the right wetsuit
Plus Size wetsuit hire