Winter has already arrived but that is not a problem for us, who love to go swimming in the sea, because fortunately there is a tool that allows us to continue swimming at any time of the year, it is the neoprene swimming suit.
To give you an idea, a neoprene suit will allow you to swim at temperatures below 22º. In fact, at these temperatures, its use is usually allowed in open water and triathlon competitions, and is even mandatory at temperatures below 16º.
FIRST, A SPECIFIC NEOPRENE SUIT FOR SWIMMERS
It is important to start by clarifying that the wetsuit for swimming is totally different from other specific wetsuits for other sports such as surfing or spearfishing. Swimming neoprene is designed specifically for swimmers and all models have a series of features for this, such as a great fit, shoulder flexibility, sliding finish, different thicknesses, etc.
WHICH NEOPRENE TO CHOOSE
Generally, almost all manufacturers have a low range (€200-300), medium (€300-500) and high range (€600-700). In addition, some brands have specific wetsuits for special disciplines such as “swimrun” and some cheaper entry-level models with a lower and almost uniform thickness of about 1.5-2.5mm (€120-200).
The arrangement of the panels of different thicknesses and their qualities is usually the biggest difference between high-end and low-end neoprenes. For example, while in low-end neoprenes, the neoprene pieces in sleeves can be 2mm in C38 (38 cells), high-end ones can have a thickness of only 0.5 mm in C44 (44 cells), improving flexibility in the shoulder area.
LOW, MEDIUM AND HIGH RANGE
The increase in flexibility in the areas that move the most is one of the reasons why the use of high-end wetsuits is usually recommended for experienced swimmers, while open water swimmers or beginner triathletes are usually advised a thicker lower-range neoprene, gaining buoyancy, although some elasticity is sacrificed.
It should also be noted that higher category neoprenes, contrary to what one might sometimes think, are sometimes more sensitive and fragile , and cracks may occur if they are not treated very delicately given their minimal thickness in some areas.
In short, it is not just a question of price, but also the use that is going to be made of it and the type of swimmer. A good choice could be a low-end wetsuit to start with or if you are not sure that you will get much use out of it, and move on to a higher range when you have more experience and continuity, although it can also be a good option to opt for for a mid-range to avoid the temptation of wanting to change the neoprene in the medium or long term. In any case, whatever the model chosen, a specific swimming wetsuit from a reference brand will always be a good purchase, as it will fulfill the main function of allowing us to swim in open water at low temperatures.
WHAT SIZE TO CHOOSE
The size to choose varies depending on the manufacturer and in addition to height, it takes into account other parameters such as chest width, waist and/or weight, like this one from the official Speedo website . In any case, at online points of sale, it is common for a table to appear with the model specifications. I would like to recommend speedo for the perfect swimming wetsuit .
