The first time you put on a wetsuit... (Page 2)
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2011-05-13 4:34 AM in reply to: #3494548 |
Veteran 559 | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... 15 min probably or there-abouts. These days, a lot less, I use plastic bags on my feet and a bit of baby oil on my arms. works like a charm. However I do find that until the race starts, I am still pulling it up , esp in the arms, trying to get a snug a fit as posible |
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2011-05-13 4:42 AM in reply to: #3494548 |
431 | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... I'll let you know. I have a total of 12,764 hours accumulated watching the Xterra how-to videos so I'm thinking I'll be pretty good at it. |
2011-05-13 7:46 AM in reply to: #3494679 |
Expert 1544 Alexandria, MN | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... westsider - 2011-05-11 8:30 PM And on the wetsuit note...any scuba divers out there? If so, how does a tri suit compare to a diving wetsuit? (I have worn many scuba wetsuits) Curious. (my apologies for the hijack). Very different. Someone may correct me on the specifics, but essentially I believe that a tri suit is designed for buoyancy and speed, the outside of it is very fragile and has to be taken care of. A scuba wetsuit is designed more for warmth. You would have a heck of a time trying to dive in a tri suit, and would most likely ruin the top when donning your BCD. |
2011-05-13 9:09 AM in reply to: #3496753 |
Veteran 503 Bedford, NH | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... If you are careful, it should not be a problem getting your wetsuit over your watch or timing chip. I sometimes put my watch (310xt) on after I get my wetsuit on as its usually easier to get off than on. I use body glide around the neck line, ankles and wrists and sometimes on my shoulders. Some people trim the bottom of the legs on their wetsuit so they dont go all the way to their ankles, but if you do this, pay attention to where the stitching is. |
2011-05-13 9:18 AM in reply to: #3494713 |
Champion 4835 Eat Cheese or Die | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... Der Juicen - 2011-05-11 8:50 PM i am a surfer, and have used surf suits for some mild free diving. how does putting on a tri suit differ from a surf suit? when i put on a surf suit i typically have a couple plastic grocery bags handy place one over each foot and slide right into each leg, then pull the bags out, pull up the suit and proceed to do the same thing with my hands, 5 minutes to put on a wetsuit is on the long side, and that is doing a towel change with nothing underneath. having tri shorts on would cut down time a bit i would ASSUME. It might be that my surfing suit is too big, but my surfing suit is a lot less restrictive. I can get it on in a couple minutes. It's also a lot less fragile on the outside so I don't have to be as careful. With my swimming wetsuit, I have to be a lot more careful to get the arms pulled on far enough, otherwise there is far too much restriction in the shoulders. I'd say it takes me around 5 minutes to get my swimming wetsuit on. Edited by graceful_dave 2011-05-13 9:23 AM |
2011-05-13 1:29 PM in reply to: #3494548 |
Expert 1544 Alexandria, MN | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... I just watched the Xterra youtube video on how to put on the wetsuit, and they suggest baby powder (similar to what we do with shoes) or using a plastic bag over your foot as someone mentioned earlier. |
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2011-05-13 2:09 PM in reply to: #3494548 |
New user 39 , Indiana | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... SCUBA wetsuits are not as "tight" My tri-suit is just all around tighter making for a much more streamline in the water. It takes me no more than 2-3 minutes for my SCUBA wetsuit and about 10 for my tri-suit. I pay a lot of attention to my thighs and getting it all the way up to my crotch then the shoulders. I have only raced once in it, but someone else has to zip it up, I cannot on my own. The arms and shoulders need attention or they restrict your stroke. I have a cheap 2XU suit and like it a lot. |
2011-05-13 2:20 PM in reply to: #3494548 |
Lethbridge, Alberta | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... I had help and tips from the nice people at the tri shop while I tried on 5 or 6 different wetsuits, some more than once. Yeah, that took some time! I should have logged it as a workout because I was exhausted after, but I think it was worth it. |
2011-05-13 2:24 PM in reply to: #3494548 |
Master 2802 Minnetonka, Minnesota | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... Only a couple of minutes for my tri wetsuit, but it is sleeveless :-) |
2011-05-13 3:39 PM in reply to: #3496753 |
Master 2327 Columbia, TN | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... todd.chestnut - 2011-05-13 1:46 AM I soaked mine yesterday in prep for this Sunday in Knoxville. I'll probably try it on again once I get down there. The only real issue I've found so far is getting the sleeves over my watch. I imagine I'll have the same issue with the timing chip. Any tips there? Oh I also went out and got some body glide yesterday as well. Where are the best places to use for that? I find that body glide is going to be helpful to relieve chaffing. As such, the only place you may want it is your neck. It really isn't some magical slippery substance that helps the wetsuit go on or off much better. Put your timing chip and watch on after the wetsuit. Then tuck them up under the edge of the suit. If you will be keeping your watch on the outside of the suit so you can hit buttons, be very careful when ripping that arm out of the wetsuit.
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2011-05-13 3:40 PM in reply to: #3497747 |
Master 2327 Columbia, TN | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... Climbinggonzo - 2011-05-13 1:29 PM I just watched the Xterra youtube video on how to put on the wetsuit, and they suggest baby powder (similar to what we do with shoes) or using a plastic bag over your foot as someone mentioned earlier. If you try baby powder let me know how it works out. It will turn to 'mud' during the swim, but even before you put your suit on you will be sweaty (because you did a warmup!) so it will cake on you then too.
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2011-05-13 3:43 PM in reply to: #3495851 |
Master 2327 Columbia, TN | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... dano-oly - 2011-05-12 1:16 PM It also took a couple minutes to take off, mostly because of the wrists and ankles, so I'll have to work on that, too.... Make sure you are turning the suit inside out as you pull it off. And here's something I do that will cause a chorus of screams! After my suit is on, I rub vaseline on my exposed wrists and my exposed ankles and top of my feet. This allows the suit to just drop right off of me. You will hear that vaseline will destroy the neoprene. Well, if it does it destroys it so slowly it will be worn out first...at least with the frequency I use the vaseline trick.
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2011-05-13 4:15 PM in reply to: #3494548 |
Member 51 South Bay | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... another trick that Freedivers/ spearfishermen use for wetsuits that are open cell/ dont have any sort of liner on the inside of the neoprene, is to mix up a concoction of hair conditioner with a bit of water to thin it out. put it in a spray bottle and spray either your body or the inside of the legs and arms and the suit slides right on. the conditioner doesnt hurt the suit, but may be a little slimy after the swim. i dont have a tri suit yet so cant test it out, maybe somebody out there will test and let us all know? |
2011-05-13 5:37 PM in reply to: #3494548 |
Master 1681 Rural Ontario | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... RE: lubrication The back of the neck is critical for me. After a HIM swim in my suit my neck was so raw that it ended up as one big scab. Now I put on cycling chamoise lubricant or a patch of duct tape on the back of my neck for long wetsuit swims. |
2011-05-13 6:27 PM in reply to: #3494548 |
Iron Donkey 38643 , Wisconsin | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... _Deb_ - 2011-05-11 6:59 PM Be honest. How long did it take to get it on properly? Is that question pertaining to the Subject line? |
2011-05-19 7:22 PM in reply to: #3494548 |
Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... I just got my wetsuit in mail and spent the last 30+ minutes sweating buckets trying to get this thing on! It fits really tight and I had a lot of trouble zipping up the suit. My back is pretty wide and the zippers just refused to go up without tugging on it really hard. Also, I feel my body movement is pretty restricted in the suit. Is this all normal for the first time and will it loosen up a bit after using it a few times? I purchased the TYR Hurricane Cat 3 in S/M and I'm 5'9" 152lbs, which would be me in the lower end of the weight range and in the middle for the height range... Now, I'm wondering if I should exchange it for a medium. |
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2011-05-20 5:06 AM in reply to: #3494548 |
Extreme Veteran 837 Wellesley, Massachusetts | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... The first time took about 30 min sweating in a store dressing room. Now I've got it down to about 5 min. Body glide goes on wrists, ankles, and neck. And I keep pulling on the arms and legs until the start of the swim to get it just right. I usually zip it on mown, but there are always plenty of people around to help you zip up at a a race if you need it. The soaking in water trick does work. I do it every year after my wetsuits have been patiently waiting in my closet all winter. |
2011-05-20 8:48 AM in reply to: #3508992 |
Master 2327 Columbia, TN | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... It's not possible to tell if the size is right or wrong yet. There are 2 important things to understand. The first is that you should have someone else zip up your suit. I've never zipped up my own wetsuit. It's entirely 'normal' for someone to have to strongly pull the 2 halves together while zipping it up. The second thing is that it's also normal for a suit to feel like it's crushing you until after you get in the water, dunk down, pull the collar open and let water rush in around your chest. Then do the same at your wrists. Until you get water in there, the suit doesn't relax. It makes all the difference.
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2011-05-20 9:58 AM in reply to: #3494548 |
Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... Thanks for the tips/comments; I feel a bit better about this now. I have Body Glide, but I didn't want to apply it in case I needed to exchange the suit for a different size, the same rationale goes for dunking it in water. Anyway, I tried it on again a second time and it went on easier, but I still feel restricted in it. It fits so tight, I can barely grab a hold of just the suit to work up my shoulder without pinching the skin of my arms in the process and I have to wonder how a layer of water is going to even get in the orifices. I'm used to wetsuits from scuba diving, but none that I've worn in the past fit this tight! |
2011-05-20 1:51 PM in reply to: #3494548 |
Extreme Veteran 458 | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... If you ever put on a Speedo LZR or B70 Nero Comp full body you will find putting on a wetsuit to be a piece of cake. Hike them up as far as you can, pull over hips, hike up chest, pull over shoulders - 1 minute max. Edited by H20 Killer 2011-05-20 1:51 PM |
2011-05-20 2:37 PM in reply to: #3494548 |
Regular 194 Corona | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... I'm a born and raised surfer and have been doing it all my life so wetsuits fit well and go on in less than a minute. When I got my first "tri" wetsuit it was a pain so all I did was spray Pam cooking spray on my legs and it slid right on and when I was done it slid right off. Plastic bags? Really? Try the Pam. |
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2011-05-20 3:11 PM in reply to: #3494548 |
Expert 819 Cincinnati | Subject: RE: The first time you put on a wetsuit... I just got one for the first time. I put it on in 3 minutes flat without any body glide or plastic bags. It seems very unlikely that it would be too big on me - guess I'm weird! |
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