wet suit review help

I love mine, but it is the project x, great suit though!

x2 on everything that has been said. I would wait on spending big $$$ for when you know exactly what you want.

I also wanted to recommend a 2 piece. It seems a bit weird at first but I love my DeSoto 1st wave suit. Just give them a try. With the 2 piece, you wont have that feeling of the suit pulling on your crotch when you raise your arms. Seems way more comfortable to me.

2XU is a find brand - they make excellent suits.  As do at least a half dozen other companies.  Wetsuits are mostly made out of the same material.  Yamamoto 38.  Each manufacturer lays it up slightly differently, then adds its own features.  Strechy panels in various areas, special zippers, coatings, little things on the arms to make them pull faster, etc.  You pay more for more features.

The other thing that goes on is that the less expensive suits tend to be a bit stiffer and more bouyant.  Better for poorer swimmers.  The very expensive suits tend to have more features and be more stretchy, but less bouyant.  Better for better swimmers.  In actuality- there is probably very little if any 'speed' difference between the suits.  the real difference comes in how it fits you, and even more important than that- how well you install it on your body.  yes- installation is more important than the actual fit of the suit.

here are a few reviews worth reading- just to give you a feel about wetsuits in general and some of their salient points:

http://university.tri-sports.com/2012/04/30/2xu-v2-wetsuit-a-collection-of-valid-features/

????http://university.tri-sports.com/2012/07/10/de-soto-t1-first-wave-wetsuit/

http://university.tri-sports.com/2012/07/05/synergy-endorphin-wetsuit/

http://university.tri-sports.com/2012/05/21/value-leader-orcas-s4-219-full-wetsuit/

http://university.tri-sports.com/2012/05/14/blueseventy-helix-and-fusion-wetsuits/

The R:3 is likely a fine mid-range suit.  If you found a different brand's mid-range suit on sale- that probably wouldn't be a bad choice either.  Not against looking for a good deal on a suit- but no reason to buy a cheap suit just because it's your first one.  you'll be keeping this and racing with it, hopefully, for years to come.  Get a decent one.