Question:
How do the wetsuits differ? Other
than long zippers in triathlon wetsuits,
dive/surf wetsuits much differ?
Do wetsuits made for swim/triathlon
give better comfort and speed than
other kinds of wetsuits?
Answer:
Based on my experience and perceptions
when swimming with a pull bouy,
the triathalon suit I'd design would
have plenty of extra insulation
in the thighs. This would be defensible
on warmth grounds, since there are
a couple of big (femoral?) arteries
that surface on the inner thighs.
I think guys who used to run dog
sleds in the far north wore fur
shorts under thier other gear for
this reason.
The real
reason in a wet suit, of course,
would be to make the swimmer go
faster by approximating the effect
of a pull bouy - yet still allow
a full kick. They differ in design
and material. A triathlon wetsuit
is designed for swimming, freedom
of motion, comfort, warmth bouyancy
and speed. The neoprene is softer
and more flexiable than a surf wetsuit
or dive suit.
Triathlon
regulations for thickness (5mm max
I think) Dive suits etc can be 7mm
or more Tri suits are much easier
to exit from, usually dont cover
right to the ankles and can be with
or without arms. The swimming wet
suits I am familier with are made
out of softer material. They cling
to the body thereby offering better
streamlining.
