BlueSeventy pointzero 3+

They're skin tight. There's no way any significant amount of air is trapped there. Certainly not enough to make a noticeable difference in buoyancy.  

Wear one if you want.  At most, you might be gaining a second or two per hundred.  If that's worth several hundred dollar to you, go for it.

If you get one please post a review.  I'm debating on getting one for IMKY this year.

Here is my reply.

If you have the money and money is no object, get it. It is called free($250) speed.

If you are cost vs speed mindfull, you are  FOP swimmer, are you capabale of sub 30min 1/2 ironman swim, if not, back to the pool and bump up your training or spend money on good masters swim team. Work on the engine.

Olympic distance, 1/2 ironman and ironman are worth considering the skin for. Sprints no. You are more likely to gain with a hybrid suit like 2XU super elite and similar suites. They are worn all around and you loose zero time in T1 getting it off, but still provide somewhat of a slick fabric for reduced drag in the water. Regular skin takes time and practice to remove quickly in T1 and if you are not skilled at it, you are bound to loose time that you just spent money and effort gaining.

It is a complex question, not as simple as one may think, considering where money could go toward greatest time gain.

Now, this was just me thinking out loud and in no way telling you what to do. I am at the same crossroads as you are and a deceision will come soon. I have read about 3-5sec/100 gain but not 10sec, this is my first here. I have read tests conducted on that "other" forum. Can be pretty informative in deceision making.

I bought one of the early shorty versions of the BlueSeventy .03 for IMKY in 2007....While I think the coating of the suit does enhance your "slipperiness" in the water.....one of my key reasons for me wearing one is that it allows me to wear my tri top and tri shorts under it with no negative drag effect on my swim (team uni's are not real aquadynamic but tight, etc. for the bike and would be a b!tch to get on over a wet body in T1, even with help and coming in from the swim when I do, the tents are packed.....I don't even go in, just around)......so I look at it this way.....

1)no apparel changes in T1,

2)plus a bit of an aqudynamic advantage,

3)and money being o.k. to spend

....I found it worth trying...

Paul

The rules have changed since the last set of posting.  The suit in the original postings had a rubberized coating which is no longer legal (may vary for some races but I'd read the fine print before purchasing). Blue Seventy does have a textile product that is legal called the PZ3TX.

And I'd revise my earlier improvements to somewhere between 2-4 seconds per 100.  I think there is a certain placebo effect that tends to inflate initial observations.