two piece wetsuits

This will be my third season using a DeSoto two piece suit.  I love it!

You do have to be a little mindful about the top when you first start swimming.  If you do a swim where you have to jump off a dock for instance you will want to make sure to pull down on the top and get all the water out and then start swimming.  Stuff like that.  An in water start shouldn't cause any issues.  I also never had any issues while swimming.

I had it ride up on me once and that was because I didn't adjust it once I got in the water and it chafed the crap out of my neck.

Just curious, how fast can you get a two piece suit off for transition?  We spent a lot of time cutting the suit and practicing  transitions so that the wetsuit comes off really easy (maybe lose a few seconds from a no wetsuit transition)....but I can't imagine how that would happen with a two piece.

I can actually get the two piece off faster than a one piece.

Does the top have a zipper?  I assume so.....front or back?

I have had both types of wetsuits and much prefer a 2 piece....fits better, more comfortable, easier to get on, and feels less constrictive.

It is fast to get off as you unzip the back and pull the top off, then pull straps down over your shoulders, all while you run.

LB DeSoto has some good videos on how to put on and off wetsuits quickly.

Yeah, we can get out of our suits really fast......I'm just trying to figure out how getting out of a two piece is fast.

I have a 2 piece De Soto that is for sale. Too bad you aren't a size 3. Personally, I think it is easier to get out of a one piece wetsuit. I probably should have cut the wetsuit to make it easier to get on and off. The biggest problem that I had was getting the sleeve over the Garmin. Instead of running through transition pulling the wetsuit down to your hips you're pulling a top over your head which can be interesting if the transition chute is crowded. The top also has to be off before the wetsuit strippers can help you get the bottom off. If you don't use the wetsuit strippers it isn't an issue.

OK....I watched the video....I don't see 2 piece wetsuits becoming part of a really fast transition any time soon.  And in a DL race, it's just one more thing to have to get into the bin. 

But yeah, for most AG races it would work.....I know it'd be fine for me.

But at some point you've got to stop and pull that thing over your head, right?  I know you guys are fast, but I still can't see it not losing some time.  By the time the last leg comes out of a one piece the really fast guys already have their helmet on.  Yeah, I know we are talking about 10-15 seconds here, but that could make the difference in catching a wheel or not....and in a fast AG race that's still time you'd like to have back at the end of the race.  I also realize that my brain only thinks about sprint races, but that's what I like best.

I agree about cutting the suit......this is how much we cut.....you can see the other suits in the pic that aren't cut.....that's quite a bit of lost time.

(wetsuit.jpg)

He's 6'4" so yeah, his calves are long........if he had his way he'd cut them into shorts.    Wearing a wetsuit hurts his swim no matter what so it doesn't matter as much. He gains NOTHING in a wetsuit swim.....and loses ground to those it helps.

Still, that suit flies off of him the way it's cut.