Short Sleeve Tri Tops

...and for the record, yes, I have googled this and been on about every Triathlon gear/clothier website I can find. Thanks, again, for your help!

Several people I know will just throw a cycling top on in T1 and run with it too.

Having the full front zip makes it much easier to get on than a tri top, just a few seconds really.

2XU has just come out with short-sleeved tri tops using the same fabric they use in their regular suits (Ice-X). I race in the latter in the tropics (a black suit no less) and find it's pretty good at keeping me cool. Will probably order one of the sleeved models this summer and try it out in training and shorter races first. For some reason it's always my shoulders that get fried, especially in the tropics, no matter how much sunscreen I use, so it would be great to find a comfortable top with sleeves.

Desoto
Hubb
Castelli
Kooplus

All have short sleeve tri suits, go to there sites as they may not be sold through other sites yet.

You can wear sleeved tri suits in WTC races as of 2016.

Thank you, Everyone, for the advice! I'll check out the additional websites and am reassured to know the sleeves are now legal during the non-wetsuit swims. That hadn't even crossed my mind! Whew!

Yes, did an IM brand race on Sunday and the rule book specifically mentioned short-sleeved suits were okay. They cannot cover the neck or extend past the elbow, though. (Which at least the 2XU suit I looked at doesn't.) I saw quite a few athletes, mostly guys, wearing them. I'm wondering if fit will be an issue for me--seems like the arms need to be pretty tight not to take on water on the swim, and I have skinny arms. But too small a size and it might be too small elsewhere. Will have to see.

Glad to see this thread was going to start one.
Recent article in triathlete magazine about half-sleeved trisuits was wounder if anyone that wears different sizes on top and bottom has tried one of these one piece. I wear medium or large bottoms with large to xlarge top. I would worry about chaff. Imagine risk of chaff with two piece versions as well.

That is my issue as well and one reason I prefer one piece suits. (I have a small waist relative to the rest of me, and tops that fit at the chest tend to flap around at the waist and drive me nuts on the swim.) For most brands, I am a small for the shorts and a medium for the top. My 2XU sleeveless one piece is medium and fits fine. I would guess that with a sleeved one piece, you would go with the top size for comfort on the swim in particular. You don't want the sleeves chafing or your shoulders restricted, or your chest compressed so much it feels hard to breathe. Having the shorts a little on the big side shouldn't be much of an issue, as most of these suits have a pretty substantial degree of compression. I have worn the one piece for lots of races including several HIM, and had far fewer chafing issues with it than with regular tri shorts, but this is different for everyone, probably depends on body, suit, and saddle and interplay of those.