Having the right gear can make all the difference in the sport of triathlon. Goggles and a cap are obvious necessities, and relatively inexpensive when it comes to the swim. However, there is also the option of wearing a triathlon wetsuit. This article is going to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of wetsuits, when to use them, and how to pick one that is right for you.

Why Use a Triathlon Wetsuit?

Investing in a triathlon wetsuit can provide huge direct benefits to your swimming and several indirect residual positives to the other parts of your race. Especially if you are swimming in open water, which for anything over a sprint distance you likely will be, the wetsuit can help keep you warm, save you energy, and shave noticeable chunks off your time.

Warmth

Maintaining your body heat is essential for the performance of your muscles, your physical comfort, and consequently the mental toll that the swim will have on you. Cold water is the ultimate dream killer, and if you’re all of a sudden thrown into it without preparation, the stress response can be so draining that you’ll have a hard time recovering through the rest of the race.

Triathlon wetsuits are designed to keep you warm through thermal insulating materials of different thicknesses. Depending on the demands of your race and training environments, you’ll want to pick one rated for the temperatures you’ll be exposed to. 

By keeping heat in and water out, you allow your body to conserve energy by not having to worry so much about staying warm as about propelling you forward through the water. 

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Buoyancy

A lot of our energy spent swimming is just staying afloat on top of the water. This, again, can often get more challenging in open water when you have to deal with waves, currents and swells that might disrupt body position and throw off your stroke. 

Triathlon wetsuits can significantly assist in keeping you on top of the water. The materials they’re made of, neoprene in particular, has an inherent buoyancy that is immediately noticeable from the time you put it on and start swimming. This assistance eases both the physical and mental exertion associated with an open water or otherwise outdoor swim. 

In a long-distance endurance sport like triathlon, any edge we can get in terms of efficiency will help to improve our position and reduce the likelihood of injury. As we’re starting to see, the triathlon wetsuit can provide many such benefits.

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Speed

Reducing drag is always one of the top priorities of every competitive swimmer, regardless of their skill level. Triathlon wetsuits are designed to do exactly that. Their snug fit stays gripped to the skin, and forms a seal skin-like layer around your entire body that allows you to glide through the water with grace and ease. 

Many suits have a paneled patterning that are strategically placed to cut through water better, as well. While swimmers don’t have much in terms of gravity to deal with, it is replaced instead by the relentless resistance of the water that quickly starts to feel thick and heavy when swimming at a high pace. The sleekness of a good triathlon wetsuit can mitigate this factor to a large degree.

As already alluded to, the conservation of energy is paramount to a triathlete's success and endurance as the race progresses. Wearing a wetsuit for triathlon can not only get you through the water faster, but have you coming out feeling fresher than you would have otherwise.

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Disadvantages of the Wetsuit

Now that we’ve made it seem like all sunshine and rainbows, let’s talk about a few of the disadvantages when it comes to wearing a triathlon wetsuit.

High Cost

Upfront, a decent wetsuit can easily get into the $300+ range. On top of your bike and running shoes, especially if you’re a beginner, this can be a hard one to swallow. Cost can definitely be a deterrent, and second-hand options come with the risk of not fitting well, strained stitchings, and unknown previous repairs lingering throughout the fabric.

Longer Transition

Wetsuits can be hard to get on and also to get off, which presents us with a challenge when transitioning from the swim to the bike. It might even just be more annoying than anything, but there is a definite risk of tripping on a stuck leg, tweaking a shoulder, or slowing down your time overall. Wetsuit transitions definitely need a bit of their own dedicated practice time.

Dependency

Depending on your gear can hurt you come race day. No matter how good it is, all gear can fail. Maybe not even in the ways you’d expect. Consider something like the water temperature being much warmer than you thought. You’re geared up in your extra thick wetsuit and get exhausted from overheating in the swim. Anything’s possible, and that includes the negatives.

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Should You Use a Triathlon Wetsuit?

They’re certainly good to have on hand and train in when the water temperatures are cold. The different feel of the wetsuit is something you want to be accustomed to and practiced in should you ever need to use one. Using your race as the day to break it in is a definite no-no, as we want to be well versed in all the tools at our disposal for the best chance of success.

Consider the benefits and drawbacks depending on your geography, dedication to the sport, and desire to compete at the highest levels (whatever that means for you). It’s a fancy piece of gear that some would deem essential, and it’s at the very least something with the potential to improve your ability in the sport.

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Wetsuit or not, that body is going to be put through the paces! Make sure it’s in the best shape possible by training with a community of thousands of triathletes worldwide. Dynamic Triathlete is a comprehensive strength, mobility, flexibility and injury prevention program with a library of hundreds of high quality workouts. Sign up for a 7-day free trial by clicking HERE.

Written by Eric Lister – Certified Personal Trainer & Corrective Exercise Specialist