Subject: RE: What type of wetsuit is best? I think both can be useful depending on conditions. The full suit is useful when the water is cold and you clearly need a wetsuit. It will give you the biggest speed/buoyancy advantage although this is a bit less with stronger swimmers. Some people prefer sleeveless if they are uncomfortable with the restriction on the shoulders or have a fit issue due to a bigger upper body. To me those suits feel a lot less warm--maybe best for strong swimmers who have some natural "insulation".
I also have a sleeveless shorty sui that I use for sprint or Olympic distance races when water temps are borderline (barely wetsuit-legal--basically above 72 or 73 ). This happens to describe a lot of summer races in the Pacific Northwest. I also use it for open water training in those conditions and sometimes even cold pools. It gives less buoyancy advantage than a full suit but still some, and is a LOT quicker to get off than a full suit. I have a TYR Category 1 full suit and can't really recommend it. It's warm and buoyant, but I find its bit restrictive (maybe a fit issue ) and haven't been impressed with its durability. I have been very happy with my ProMotion sleeveless shorty, though. I train in it a lot, including in our currently ice-cold school pool, so it's starting to fall apart, but it's held up much better to harsher, much more extensive wear than the other suit and I will happily replace it when it bites the dust. |