Akona wetsuit reviews

wetsuitrentals.com is trying out Akona suits as an option for us "larger than life" triathletes that triathlon websuits don't serve. I volunteered to demo a couple of suits for them. I took a few weeks, and did several open water swims in each suit in Walden Pond and at some of the Boston area ocean beaches. 

Akona Wetsuit reviews

Wetsuit: Akona 5/3 full suit

Specs:  5 and 3mm nylon II neoprene. Glued and blind stitched inside and out. Super-stretch neoprene panels for easy on and off. Glide skin seal at neck, wrists and ankles. YKK #10 Brass zipper. Low profile water sealing zipper design.

Size: 5XL

Review: This suit is very buoyant. So much so, that it makes any sort of real submersion very difficult. While that’s a bad thing if you’re trying to swim breast stroke, it certainly makes staying on top of the water while swimming freestyle very easy. The 5/3 suit is just as the name suggests; a 3mm wetsuit with 5mm panels in the core of the body to provide additional buoyancy and warmth. While this is the standard density for a triathlon suit, the 5/3 does not have the anti-friction coating that most tri wetsuits. I’m not sure how much of a difference that really makes, but larger suits have more surface area, so I would expect there is some additional friction.

As to flexibility, it seems to have more than enough flexibility for freestyle swimming on a short distance course. The shoulders move ok for doing the crawl, though I certainly wouldn’t recommend it for a half-iron distance or beyond. And I certainly wouldn’t recommend it for any other stroke. However, I was surprised that for a suit with somewhat limited flexibility that this suit was fairly easy to put on.

Also, this suit is very warm. For races where the water temperature borders on wetsuit illegal, I recommend another suit, or going without. On an 80 degree day with 74 degree water, I felt like I was overheating even during warm-ups. On the other end of the spectrum, in colder water, I felt very warm, and could remain in cooler water for quite a water without ill effects.

Pros: Ideal for the beginner triathlete who is looking to get through the swim, anyone who worries about the strength of their swimming, or for experienced swimmers who will be relying on the freestyle stroke for the entirety of the race. Will keep you warm on colder race days.

Cons: The suit doesn’t move as well in the shoulders as one would hope for a long distance swim. Lack of flexibility makes it less than ideal for anything much longer than Olympic Distance. Not recommended for warmer waters.

Wetsuit: Akona Quantum Stretch full suit

Specs: 3mm 4-way super-stretch neoprene. Glued and blind stitched inside and out. Glide skin seal at neck, wrists & ankles. YKK #10 Brass zipper. Low profile water sealing zipper design.

Size:  5XL

Review: The Akona Quantum Stretch is a 3mm suit marketed by Akona as ideal for warm water diving. The difference of course, with using a non-triathlon suit for triathlons, is that you’re only going to experience water temperatures at the surface, or just below it. So while this suit isn’t designed for cold weather diving, I found it to be plenty comfortable for cool water swimming. In multiple tests, I’ve worn it in water ranging between 62-74 degrees. On the low end of the temperature, I was cool but not cold, and on the high end, it was not nearly as stifling as wearing the 5/3.

From a buoyancy standpoint, I thought the QS hit the sweet spot I was looking for. When I reached a water depth where I couldn’t touch the bottom, I could still remain absolutely still in a standing position and float without treading water. In the midst of a wave of aggressive swimmers, being able to stand clear of the fray and sight without expending energy to tread water is extremely useful. For swimmers who don’t utilize freestyle stroke for their swims, the lesser buoyancy is a necessity. I found I was comfortable doing breaststroke in this suit, which was not possible in the 5/3, as the increased buoyancy from the 5mm chest panel kept popping me out of the water. The QS kept my legs up, but didn’t interfere with what I wanted to do with my torso.

In terms of flexibility, the Quantum Stretch is close to what I imagine wearers of triathlon suits get from their wetsuits. I ran through all of the standard strokes, and found nothing I couldn’t do in this suit. I did have some trouble with the zipper though. I’m not sure if it’s a design flow, or a side effect of the seal flaps under the zipper.

Pros: Very flexible, good for a variety of strokes. Buoyancy is strong, but not overpowering. Warm enough for water in the shorter swims in the 60’s, not too hot for longer swims in the 70’s. Ideal for mid-temperature sprint and Olympic distance swims and possibly longer.

Cons: Buoyancy not sufficient for weaker swimmers. Perhaps not warm enough for long swims (Olympic distance or beyond) in very cool water (64 or below).