Wetsuit ?/Opiniions

I'm not familiar with this specific suit or brand, but I would hold out for a swim (triathlon) specific suit.  In my opinion it's worth the extra money.  They are made soley for the purpose of swimming and you will appreciate the differences.  Here are some benefits over what I saw on the REI suit:

1.  thicker neoprene (5mm) in the torso and sometimes legs for more bouancy keeping you higher in the water (ie: faster)

2.  typically seamless and zipper int eh rear to keep it slick in the water (ie: reducing drag)

3.  no padding (such as the knee pads) to keep it smooth in the water

4.  Also, I would go with a full suit as opposed to a sleeveless.  Typically when you need a wetsuit, you will want the arms for additional warmth.

Not sure if you ended up going to Redtop mtn last weekend, but if you did, you will know that the water is still pretty warm.  while it could cool down this week, I ended up taking my wetsuit off this past weekend in the middle of my swim as I was getting overheated.

I hope that helps.  That's my 2 cents anyway.

You will be unhappy with that suit in the long run. Like the above post states- the neoprene around the body in a tri wetsuit is 4-5 mm to help with bouyancy. 2mm is just not enough material. Also the material on a tri wetsuit is more "hyrodynamic" or slick by design to help you glide through the water.  I tried to swim in my old surfing wetsuit last year in a sprint and it was terrible and took forever to take off in transition. I personally prefer sleeveless for the lesss restrictive feeling, but as you get into the much higher quality suits the sleeved ones are the ok.

Promotion has some great wetsuits for a very reasonable price and you get a BT discount.

http://pan.beginnertriathlete.com/adclick.php?bannerid=100&zoneid=0&source=&dest=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.beginnertriathlete.com%2Fcms%2Farticle-detail.asp%3Farticleid%3D237

The only thing that will help you with at SCHIM in to keep you a bit warmer, but the water temps are quite tolerable there still, and in my opinion not worth investing in a suit that you will want to upgrade almost immediatley

and I dont think they would let you return a wetsuit that has been used (although I know REI has a very liberal return policy)

How tall are you Nat? You are welcome to borrow my suit if it fits you.

I third the above opinions, that isn't a tri wetsuit. Although I disagree with the sleeved vs sleeveless statement. I have never had a sleeved wetsuit in 8 years of triathlon and have never really had a need for one. Short of IMCDA or Alcatraz you shouldn't need sleeves. I did Lake Placid in '04 with a sleeveless and was fine.

Good info, thanks.

I am hesitant to shell out $$ for a wet suit when 1 I am not sure of commitment to tri's and 2. I would rather put my (unfortunately limited $$) towards a new bike. So I just grabbed this one thinking if it was really cold it might work and would be better than nothing. But if don't need to use I am planning on returning it.

 Sigh. I was just being hopeful.

 I did swim at Redtop Sun and I was w/out a wetsuit and I thought it was quite warm--even with the outside temp being 60. I was not cold at all. So I had decided I would be fine w/out but then I got the update re the HIM  that said "bring your wetsuit" and I got worried about it being cold. I also checked online and it said the temp at Allatoona was 85 degrees. So I am thinking if it is 70 degrees that is going to feel really really cold.

Honestly I would prefer to go without and I can stand somewhat cold water but I don't want to be so cold it hinders my swim.  Hopefully REI will tell me I can swim in it and I can see if there is any drag or not.

what to do what to do  . . .

Greg--hopefully it won't be cold. That is what I have been banking on.

Brett--I'm 5'5. smallish with giant calves (though just fat right now cause of taper)

Thanks for the offer of lending. I appreciate that. I have acutally had several people offer to lend me a suit but I am by nature a destructive person so I have declined. I can't deal with the stress of ruining someone's wetsuit.

Like I said, I would just prefer to go without. I mean, this is my 2nd tri ever, first this year  and first HIM. I know though that I can swim the distance in a decent time but my bike time will suck no matter  and I'll probably fall apart on the run so it isn't like I am even a competive force out there. I am just worried about being so cold it puts me in danger.

Just be prepared as 1) last  year the course was long (I swam a 38:xx and I haven't been that slow since my 1st HIM), 2) you will be swimming into the sun, 3) the water was a wee bit chilly if I remember correctly.

My suit would be to big, my wife's suit might fit you if you change your mind.

Have you been taking sandbagging lessons from neal?

No, I am the opposite of a sandbagger. I am the type that thinks they are better than they actually are.

That said, I had a dream last night that my bike took me 7 hours. My swim was in 32 minutes and I pr'd the run but it still took me 9 hours because my bike was so bad. I was very sad.

Good question. I will see if I can find that out.

I did prepare for it to be long and I  think I will be okay if it is too long. I won't really love that but I have swam 4000 yds straight in the pool and over 5k in one pool session so I won't freak out after 35 minutes and I am still swimming. I did buy tinted googles to anticpate the sun. Sigh. I might just have to be cold. I am going to see if I can find out the water temp and that might help me decide what exactly to do.

Not picking on you specifically here (and not trying to hijack the thread) but wetsuit vs non wetsuit in transition is a non issue. If you practice with it enough there is virtually no difference. Like I said not picking on you, but I have seen this misinformed opinion bandied about on here way to much this year.

As far as wetsuit vs no wetsuit, you are giving up a competative advantage, but you should be fine (as in no risk of hypothermia) without one.

Thanks all for the advice/opinions. The wetsuit is a no go. It is going back. I met up with Doug and Steph at their n'hood this morning. I could totally see the difference in their suits and in mine just in the process of watching them fight themsleves into theirs.

I swam a 50 and I hated it. I don't think it offered any bouancy and I don't know if it made me warmer. Didn't matter because I could get past having the water in it. I just didn't like having it on.

I got out of it and swam 2000 without it just fine. I wasnt cold--in fact it was nice to swim in a bit colder water since the water was definitely colder than the Allatoona was last Sunday and much much colder than La Fitness.

I think I can deal. I will just channel those morning swim prcatices in May as a kid. If my 9 yrold fatless body could handle it for an hour I am sure my fat 37 yr old body can handle it just fine for less.

But, as Brett pointed out, I do hate that I am losing a competive edge. Really though, as I am chosing to see it, in the whole scheme what is a few minutes on the swim when like I've said before I am going to be so slow on the bike.

Again, thanks for the tips and maybe it will be so warm that no one gets to wear one, bwhahahaha.