Reddit mentions: The best wetsuits

Wife and I have semi dry suits (mine is the Camaro Stingray but doesn't have the build-in hood) and Whites Fusion dry suits and we've dove both from high summer to middle of winter with snow on the ground in the Puget Sound up in northwestern WA. Both have been very comfortable.

If we're planning a second dive in the semidrys we just leave them on, they're really very comfortable. When you enter the water they do allow a trickle of water in, but it's not like a wetsuit. It's more like a well insulated, slightly leaky drysuit. I wear swim trunks and a tank top under the semidry and they'll be wet when I shuck out of it, but it goes in so slow and heats up quick. But then I run a little hot, so I'm comfortable. My wife is more sensitive to temp, but we've done 80' dives and she's been fine. She actually has more trouble figuring out good underlayers and managing the air fill for her drysuit to keep warm, though they are warmer if you layer right or have a good thermal undersuit.

Overall, I still dive my semidry sometimes because it's less cumbersome, it's easy to don and doff, lightweight, and is a nicer feel in the water from being snugly form fitting. It's very important that a semidry fits you perfectly though, drysuits are more forgiving, it is also nice to wear your comfy pajamas to an early dive and come out fuzzy warm and dry too. I very much like having both and just like you, the semidry was a great cheaper option for us to get started with.

A dozen or so open water sessions would be plenty, and even fewer if you feel completely comfortable during the first ones. You don't need to build fitness in the water. You just need to acclimate yourself to swimming in dark water with chop and practice sighting so you know where you are going.

I recommend you pick a race that is highly likely to be wetsuit legal. A wetsuit can go a long way to reducing the odds you feel open water anxiety. It's soothing to know you will float no matter what.

If your open water practice is limited, you should practice with your wetsuit several times in the pool. Your body rests higher in the water in a wetsuit so the angles of your catch and pull are different. Again, you don't have to go crazy and live in your wetsuit. You just want to be familiar with the difference a wetsuit makes on race day. If all the pools you have access to are too hot for extended wetsuit sessions, core shorts are a pretty good substitute for wetsuit training.

Swim at least one open water day in choppy water. You'll find you have to conform your stroke cadence to the waves so that you breathe as you are coming off the crest. This is easy to learn, but if race day is choppy you don't want to be doing that for the first time that day.

Complete some shorter races so you know what it's like to swim in a crowd. You will get kicked in the face on race days. Getting used to that only comes with practice.

If you were trained to use your kick for thrust with a six-beat flutter kick, I recommend you switch to a two-beat kick. Your kick should be mostly for rotation. Triathlon swimming is about saving your legs.

Good luck and congratulations on taking the first steps!

I second everything u/alekskras said. I started with DaKine boardshorts harness. Switched to Ion B2— definitely more comfortable.

I have a Ride Engine waist harness I very rarely use. Definitely puts a lot more pressure on your lower back (but doesn’t ride up much at least.)

I haven’t used the other Ion board shorts harnesses but that B2 is awesome. I think it’s the best board shorts harness. I’ve tried some others in shops.

I wear 36 waist pants (kinda baggy on me) and the XL fits me perfect.

I wear these 1.5 mil neoprene shorts underneath and the combo is comfy as heck.

https://www.amazon.com/Hyperflex-Wetsuits-Unisex-1-5-mm-Neoprene/dp/B0074XKDP8/

I can ride 3+ hours at a time with no back soreness ever. Get one!

Something like this for the skin suit, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003554ETU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_LsD5CbZFK7QNX I guess you could only wear that but I just put it over my jammers.

These for your feet, Deep See Elastain Fin Socks, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0026PHGRC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8zD5CbWJ2GHYW

For a wetsuit it’s all about fit unfortunately. I’m not very brand loyal on wetsuits, just what fits the best. Ideally you’d be looking for something with wrist and ankle seals, integrated hood, and taped seams. Henderson makes one that I know a few people like, Henderson Thermoprene 8/7mm Semi-Dry Mens - Small https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002XAYF2Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_avD5CbMS2J6JP it didn’t fit me quite right so I ended up with this https://www.xcelwetsuits.com/shop/product/dive/polar-hydroflex-hooded-dive-fullsuit-876

I just got a Mares Instinct 7mm top and 5.5 mm bottom for diving in Central/Northern CA (water is 50-55 deg) and love it. Open cell suit and keeps me very warm, and almost totally dry since it fits so well. From amazon, it came to like $220.

Top: http://smile.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00L8JBZME/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new

Bottom: http://smile.amazon.com/Mares-Instinct-Wetsuit-5-5-Pants/dp/B00FRQDQJY/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1425930119&sr=8-7&keywords=mares+instinct+camo

I just bought an xterra sleeveless tri suit on amazon and love it $109 free two shipping.

xterra wetsuit link

Hey there.

I dont know about anyone else, but a few of my fluid friends swear by neoprene dive shorts

Something like this - https://www.amazon.com/Cressi-Lido-Lady-Black-Pink/dp/B074QV2JF9/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=neoprene+short+suit&qid=1574776845&sr=8-9

You could even binder under it.

Full set of dry warm clothes, towel, and blanket in a dry bag that is quickly accessible.

Stay close to shore.

Be prepared to change your plans if the weather is not co-operative.

Also - no personal experience with this or recommendation, but this might be interesting for you to consider/look into:

https://www.amazon.com/Knee-High-Surf-Co-Wetsuit/dp/B075SWKC2B/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Depends on the weather, might be too warm for the kiddo?

I bought an Xterra mens Large Volt wetsuit on Amazon for a good price. I'm 6'4" and 182lbs and it fits great on me - used it at a HIM and Full IM

Looks like quite a few ideas to be found on Pinterest if you look for "kids scuba costume":

https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=kids%20scuba%20costume

It also looks like you can get wet suits for as young as 2 if you wanted that part of the play suit to be more realistic:

https://www.amazon.com/Cressi-Kids-Sleeve-Swimsuit-Black/dp/B07DS831BH/

Retired collegiate swimmer, I went a few years of racing without having a wetsuit. The water temps at my local races tend to be 70-80 F during summer months. Last year I did get an Xterra and have enjoyed it so far. I would go sleeveless and something a little on the thinner side since you probably dont need the buoyancy. You could also look at a swim skin which will probably be my next swim related purchase since I'm comfortable in cooler water.

I have been attempting to solve this problem for myself for several years, and I have had some success. I wear SPDs on my commute and don't want to have to use platforms in bad weather. It is really hard to find completely waterproof shoe covers. So far, I have found two kinds that I am happy with.

It is not completely clear from your post whether you are also wearing raingear while you ride (i.e. rain pants). If you are, then these: Showers Pass should keep your socks dry as long as you keep your pant cuffs over the top of the shoe cover, so that water running down your leg doesn't enter at the cuff.

I cut out a hole in the bottom of those so that I can clip into my pedals. In heavy weather, a small amount water will eventually leak in through the base of the shoe around the cleat plate. I counteracted this with duct tape on the inside of the shoe under the insole. Has worked so far.

I am thinking of upgrading to these [Endura Overshoes] (http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=17096) because they look warmer and more durable.

If you are not wearing rainpants, then I think these overshoes are still the best bet, and you can cinch the ankle cuffs better using those velcro pant cuff reflector things if you are getting a lot of leakage.

Oh yeah, and in my DIY efforts I bought a pair of wetsuit booties that were several sizes larger than my shoe and cut out holes for the pedal clips. Warmer, more waterproof and more durable than typical bike overshoes, but a little clowny since my feet are already kind of large.

Yes.

Something like this?

If you're a woman there are also looser swimming garments marketed to Muslim women often called "burkinis"

I have a pair, they’re great I should’ve bought more socks for them. Also check out these , i wore them in California and specifically got them for surfing

Do you like surfing?

If so, it is worth the investment.

If you don't, it is not worth it.

Don't overthink it brah! This isn't an MBA program. Buy a wavestorm (comes with a lifetime warranty) and this suit. Your total investment would be ~$334 . You can surf year round here in the bay area, you just get bigger waves in the winter which is why it is considered the prime season.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01IFXYV08/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1494513438&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=xterra+wetsuit&dpPl=1&dpID=51nlQN40AeL&ref=plSrch

This is a pretty goo deal on an xterra volt I just invested in, shipped 4 days before it said it would too.

I'm not sure about the differences between triathlon and surfing wetsuits. The first thing that comes to mind is how hard it would be to take off quickly, which is accounted for in tri wetsuits. It looks like the Patagonia has a front-zip though, so I'm sure it wouldn't be hard.

Probably a full body wetsuit or dive skin (dive skins are thinner I think, usually Lycra instead of neoprene). Something like this maybe? You could probably get a long sleeved rash guard, but I don't know about legs. For small scale coverup you could use something like beige colored kinesio tape.

OH! One more question, since you seem to know what you're talking about - I'm buying my first wetsuit...Do you think a 3/2 shorty is a good call for right now in SD? I'm willing to buy another warmer one if I decide to surf through the winter, but for now I need something to get me through the early summer. Thinking about getting this one - any thoughts?

Sorry for all the questions but how would something like this work out? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002JPWZ0W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_x7pdzbT80ZZ4V or is there specific brands I should be looking at

do you mean something like this? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003554ETA/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_b2SsoWh_c_x_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=VVNT3K8PJS9TDDY62E0E&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=81891df0-d02c-5be3-9f5b-9783532bd209&pf_rd_i=2259067011&th=1&psc=1