Subject: RE: Best wetsuit for beginners? Plissken74 - 2008-02-27 7:25 AM
I know that some models are better for beginner swimmers: I am going to make HIM and IM next summer and I see so many brands and models and I feel lost there.
I read around that some models give more buoiancy and a beginner can get more advantage from thos special models.
Can you post your suggestion for a beginner like me? I can swim 1km in the pool in 19'30".
If you're going to race those distance, I wouldn't say that you're a beginner.
My advice is to try lots of them on. Some fit differently than others, some are 2 pieces, some are sleeveless, and it's more a question of comfort than anything else. And the sizes are just difficult to work out from a catalog. If there isn't a store near you, then I'd speak to a customer service rep and get a few sent out to you, returning the ones you don't like. It would be worth the return shipping cost. Believe me, chaffing in salt water is not fun.
Or, if you have some open water races coming up this summer, see if you can rent a few different suits for a test drive. Some races have links on their sites for rentals.
As for me -- I have an Ironman Stealth, which I bought at the end of a season, so it was about 1/2 price. That's the other suggestion I have for you. Just like with cars (at least in the US ), wetsuits are cheaper in September than they are in March. So if you don't absolutely positively need one this summer, you might save some serious $$$ if you wait until fall to buy it.
Good luck! |