Arm warmers under wetsuit

They take FOREVER to put on if you're wet. I swore next time and every time I 'd put them on and wear them for the swim.

Things to think about:
1). Wouldn't they get wet?
2). If they got wet, wouldn't they add weight and slow down your stroke?
3). Would they come off while taking off the wetsuit?

used Arm coolers and compression calf and compression shirt under wetsuit for Ironman France.  Worked great, but they were coolers so they dried fast.  Not sure how well warmers would work as I don't own any.

My guess would be that you'll be a bit chilly until they dry out... my coolers dried quickly in the summer sun

If your arm warmers are wet, are they really going to help you at all on the bike anyway? Evaporative cooling sucks at those temps!

With it 40 degrees at the swim start, I had exactly the same experience at IMFL last year.  It seemed to cost me a few minutes, but since this was my first IM, I had bigger things to think about besides a little extra time in T1.

This thread got my attention, though, because I was thinking about posting the same thing.  Next week for Savageman, it could be cold in the mountains in the morning, so I think I might want some additional thermal protection, but don't want to take the time in T1 to put them on.

How warm do you expect it to be when you start the bike? 

Wet arm warmers won't keep you warm if that's your goal.  They will keep some wind out, but probably not enough to offset the evaporative cooling as they dry (or...they could stay wet the whole time)

If you're worried about being cold at the start of the bike, take the time to dry off in T1 and put your jersey on in T1.  Yes, it'll cost you 20-60 seconds and the video may show up on the internet, but how much time will you lose biking with a low core temp?  (I did an OLY a while back and it was around 60F at the start of the bike, and I never did warm up riding in the wet tri-top.)   As for the warmers, pull them over your hands in T1 and then work them into place as your arms dry in the first mile or two. 

I would suggest throwing on a very light weight wind-blocking vest in T1 instead.  No need to dry off, easy to put on even when wet, and will provide just enough warmth to your core to keep you happy.

That's good to hear.  Your description is what I expected.  I might give it a try next week, but I doubt I'll get a chance to test it out ahead of time, because of all the flooding we have right now.

I did it last weekend when checking out the site for this weekend's race.  I won't be doing it for the race itself.

Like others have mentioned, while wet, they did nothing to keep me warm on the bike.  By the time they dried off, I didn't need them anymore.

My first tri this year had a swim in the mid 50s. Best advice I could give, which helped me out tremendously, is to:

1. Get neoprene socks

2. Get ear plugs

3. Do some short practice swims in the water to get use to it (it can be quite a shock otherwise)

I don't think you'll need the under shirt, usually a wetsuit is just fine and when you come out of the water and unzip and release all the water, you'll find it's actually quite warm because the trapped water heats up rather quickly.

Arm warmers under wetsuit works great.  Impossible to put on in T1 if arms are wet.  Even thought they are wet when starting the bike leg, they keep you warmer and dry quickly.  I think they work great.

Oh and swim REALLY fast to keep warm

Interesting thread, since here in the northeast this nice cold front moved thru, and let me tell you the Atlantic ocean isn't getting any warmer.

I would think that, after removing the wetsuit that a quick press-over with a dry towl would help to soak up any excess drips, leaving you with a damp arm warmer? I may be trying this next weekend myself.

Roll them up.  Starting from the wide end (i.e. upper part of the arm) roll them towards the wrist making a sort of donut (with the inside of the arm warmers out).  To put them on in transition put it on like a bracelet and unroll.  Super fast if you've preplanned...I did this for IMFL last year and it works for leg warmers too.

Also works for compression gear....

I think they will function less effectively if wet.