Triathlon Wetsuit

Well, what you are describing is how wetsuits are designed to work.

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4910502_wetsuits-work.html

Surfers and divers wear wetsuits to stay warm in chilly waters. Wetsuits, which typically are made from a synthetic rubber called neoprene, are designed to trap a small amount of water against an individual's skin. Your body heat quickly warms this water, creating a liquid layer of insulation.


http://www.explainthatstuff.com/howwetsuitswork.html

A wetsuit is made from a synthetic rubber called neoprene and it's designed to fit you very snuggly. As you step into the ocean, a small amount of water seeps into the wetsuit between the neoprene costume and your skin and stays there. Your body quickly warms this water up to something approaching normal body temperature. So now, between you and the sea, there's an insulating layer of warm water—like a personal, all-over body radiator! Some wetsuits are lined with a thin layer of metal such as titanium and copper to reflect your body heat back inside. That helps to keep you even warmer than a normal wetsuit.


For a wetsuit to work properly, the water has to stay inside and stay warm. If a wetsuit fits badly, or water can seep in, the warm water that protects you would constantly drain out and be replaced by cold water from the sea. So the seams of a wetsuit (where the separate panels of neoprene are joined together) are held together with special waterproof tape. They are also "blind-stitched": instead of the stitch holes going all the way through, they go only part of the way through the neoprene from the inside. That means there are no stitch holes in the outside of the neoprene to let in cold water.

Sweet, thank you!  That helps alot!

Anythoughts on the 2XU:T0 as a wetsuit?

Pete

The above information is inaccurate to say the least.  

The insulating properties of the wetsuit are in the air bubbles in the neopreme.  Yes water gets inside the wetsuit but the best made/fitting wetsuits have close to no water exchange and as little water in them as possible.  The warm water that is inside wetsuits is warm because it has stolen heat from your body and will continue to do so as long as you are in the water.

The itchy/uncomfortable feeling is probably sweat from your exertion.  Since you get this feeling and you are hot, I suspect you have a well fitting/well made wetsuit that does not have alot of water exchange to wash out the sweat.  You didn't mention the thickness of the suit which determines its insulating abilities but if you are hot, you may have a suit that is too thick for the water temperature you are using it in.

Look at different thicknesses (a thinner suit) of the same make and size of the wetsuit you are wearing, although rental shops may not have all the thicknesses available to rent.  If there is no thinner wetsuit of that type you may want to look at a skin (wetsuit without the neopreme) type suit.  You get the better friction charactoristics of a wetsuit but lose on the insulating properties (which is fine if you are hot) and lose the bouyancy provided by the neopreme (air bubbles).

Another option is a different wetsuit that perhaps allows more water exchange (poorer insulating properties) so you wont be so hot.

Even though you are in the water, you can still overheat considering the exertion of racing in the swim leg.

Edited by Mrdaner 2009-06-19 11:14 AM

Pete - I haven't used the 2XU Team wetsuit (I use the Velocity) - but can tell you as a retailer of 2XU that the Team and Competition are the best selling of the 2XU (at least for us). So I don't think you can go wrong with that suit (IF it fits you).

Everything you are describe sounds very normal to me, I wouldn't worry too much. All wetsuits will "leak" somewhere usually around the zipper but may also let some water in around the neck. That is why they are called wetsuits. A wetsuit that fit like a second skin and didn't leak at all would keep you warmer.

The air bubbles in the neoprene offer both insulation and flotation.

When you stand up, some water will run down your leg, that is normal as well. What you want to be concerned about is letting too much water by wearing a suit that too big but it doesn't sound like you have that problem.

Mine feels hot and itchy too in the chest if the water is warmer than usual. If so, I just flood my chest for a second and that makes it better.

I recently rented the same brand wetsuitrental.com, but mine was an XXL.  I then went to a swim clinic and the Instructor said I should go one size smaller.  I thought mine was tight,but when I got into the water it loosened up a bit; didn't affect my swim.  So this next time I plan to try a sleeveless in the XL size, just to see what the dfference is like.  I am a newbie so I don't know all the tech. info. related to wetsuits so I will leave that to the others.  I too plan to buy used from Wetsuitrental after this next race.