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Talk me out of getting a triathlon wetsuit?
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amarie



Joined: 25 Aug 2003
Posts: 233
Location: Corpus Christi, TX

PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 2:18 pm    Post subject: Talk me out of getting a triathlon wetsuit? Reply with quote

Quick backstory -

My windsurfing 4/3 wetsuit ripped beyond repair 2 years ago, and in the interim while researching a new one, I wore my triathlon wetsuit. A session or 2 turned into 2 years of sailing in a tri suit. Now that suit is getting on its last legs (it was old ish even before sailing in it), and I really need a solution.

Current sitch-

I just ordered a nice windsurfing-specific suit, but it fit me terribly and I’m returning it. I was also taken aback by how hard it was to take off, and then I remembered that was the norm with all of my prior surf suits before switching to a tri suit.

I did fully read the recent 4/3 wetsuit thread here and have researched all those brands. I’m a female, and there is not a great selection in women’s suits, not to mention that this front-zip baloney is further diluting the selection. I can’t try on anything locally, so everything I try on costs shipping and time. I am tempted to pull the trigger and just buy another tri suit that I know fits. They seem to cost about half of what a good surf suit costs, so even if it’s less durable, I could theoretically replace it twice as often for the price. Yet it still feels a little ridiculous. I made this little list of pros and cons - what would you do?

Pros to a tri suit:
- It’s entirely slick skin, great for windchill
- Excellent range of motion
- Extremely easy to take off
- Designed for fast swimming - great for chasing escaped gear in the waves
- Even the slick skin is very stretchy, unlike the windsurfing one I tried

Cons to a tri suit:
- Not as durable (although I don’t seem to come in contact with much besides the water and my harness, so the knee pads and reinforcements aren’t really necessary)
- Arms are not loose, although they are super stretchy and don’t feel overly tight either, so again I don’t know that this is a huge issue
- Thickness of the panels is optimized for swimming, not standing, so the arms are a bit thin. But on the coldest days I have a semi dry suit I could wear, so again, a nonissue?

Uggh I don’t know.
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rswabsin



Joined: 14 May 2000
Posts: 444
Location: New Jersey

PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 3:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ms Amarie,

Give this site a look through. https://www.evo.com/shop/surf/wetsuits/full-wetsuits/womens

Yes its mail order but there service is quite good and if you call them and discuss your difficulties, they may give you free shipping labels for returns. I've bought quite a few suits and other wet suit accessories from them with no complaints other than a return for another size.

Good Luck,
Rob
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 3:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My $0.02:
• Your extreme South Texas humidity makes wind chill/evaporative cooling a much smaller factor than it is in much of the rest of the country (in bone-dry NM evaporative cooling made me wear a thin shorty even with the air and water temps in the 90s and 80s, respectively). Thickness/insulation may thus be a much bigger factor than wind chill where you live. And when standing around, a coat/hat can compensate for wind chill.

• Fighting a wetsuit is bad enough if done only twice (on, then off) each day. For people who take their suits on and off many times a day, ease in getting wetsuits on and off can be a HUGE factor, even to the point of preventing that last session.

• Sleeves aren't too snug unless they make your hands get numb or tingly (IMO), and insufficient arm insulation can be overcome by adding a long-sleeved top when necessary.
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amarie



Joined: 25 Aug 2003
Posts: 233
Location: Corpus Christi, TX

PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 3:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rswabsin wrote:
Ms Amarie,

Give this site a look through. https://www.evo.com/shop/surf/wetsuits/full-wetsuits/womens

Yes its mail order but there service is quite good and if you call them and discuss your difficulties, they may give you free shipping labels for returns. I've bought quite a few suits and other wet suit accessories from them with no complaints other than a return for another size.

Good Luck,
Rob


Great site. Thanks. It has good sorting features and good deals. I’m still hung up on lack of slick skin. But if I really can’t find a slick suit, I’ve been thinking about getting just a cheap fabric one, plus a jacket to layer over if needed. Maybe over complicating things, but with a lack of options there’s not much to do.
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DelCarpenter



Joined: 06 Nov 2008
Posts: 499
Location: Cedar Falls, IA

PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 4:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The best judge of what works in an experienced windsurfer's conditions is nearly always that particular windsurfer.

In my particular case: in addition to my shorties & full suits & semi-dry suits I also have two extra tops, one thin like a windbreaker with a neck seal that is near as effective as a drysuit neck seal, and another that is a Kokotat drysuit top for a kayaker. Depending on the conditions each of those tops have been sometimes added to everyone of my other neoprene suits.

Amarie's experience opens up to me a recommendation for considering tri-suits especially for those days with conditions in between "nothing is needed" and "a fullsuit is needed."
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rtz



Joined: 31 Oct 2010
Posts: 296
Location: Oklahoma City

PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 9:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Browse over these or call them to discuss cold weather wetsuits:

https://isthmussailboards.com/windsurfing-wetsuits.html
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LUCARO



Joined: 07 Dec 1997
Posts: 661

PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I cannot think of any reason why you could not continue to use a tri-suit. As long as it provides the warmth you need. I wish my suit had slickskin on the arms/shoulders.
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dmilovich



Joined: 19 Jul 2009
Posts: 99

PostPosted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 11:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Try Promotion Wetsuits in Hood River. They are one of the last manufacturers that use a significant amount of smooth skin. They also have a great line of women’s’ suits and offer excellent sizing advice as well as timely repairs. My g/f and daughter have had many of their suits over the years and been very pleased. My suits have come from them for over a decade.

Promotion also has some neat wind proof urethane-coated fleece tops you can wear over your wetsuit, while sailing or taking a break on the beach, that you could use over your tri suits to extend the range. G/F swears by hers.
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swchandler



Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 10588

PostPosted: Sun Nov 24, 2019 1:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would concentrate on back zip designs that do not include a pullover neck seal because in windsurfing you really don't need to worry too much about forced water intrusion like you can find with surfing.

Speaking for myself, I'm a firm believer in surfing style wetsuits because they are far more durable, and when you are on the water windsurfing they really don't refrigerate you like standing around wet on land in the wind. Moreover, surf shops usually carry a large stock of brands that you can try on before you buy. However, I have to admit that looking for women's suits in surf shops might prove to be more difficult since surfing tends to be primarily a male focused sport.

If I were to recommend a brand, it would be O'Neill. Yet, if I were to consider a different brand, it would probably be Patagonia.
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amarie



Joined: 25 Aug 2003
Posts: 233
Location: Corpus Christi, TX

PostPosted: Mon Dec 16, 2019 11:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know everyone’s on the edge of their seat waiting for an update on this. In all seriousness, though, I’m updating because I know I’m not the only one in this situation. After trying on all the major brands, I bought an O’Neill Epic 4/3 suit. It is one of their low-end suits, but it doesn’t feel that way, as it’s an incredible advance in technology over 10 years ago. It feels like sailing in cozy pajamas. It kept me perfectly warm in 50 degree air/mid 60s water/30mph wind, yet it wasn’t overheating when I wore it in 79 degree air the other day (just as a safety measure in case of a breakdown, due to late day wave sailing with water in the mid 60s). I love the suit. I am still surprised at how well a triathlon suit served me for 2 winters, but the surf suit is lower stress to put on and surprisingly just about as easy to take off, so this has been a good choice. Plus the arms are warmer.
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