Triathlon wetsuits come in four types: full cut, sleeveless, short cut, and jersey bibjohn. Neoprene is the most common material used for warmth and buoyancy. Each type can be tailored to a swimmer’s ability and style, with advantages and disadvantages for each.
Triathlon wetsuits are designed to provide optimal warmth and buoyancy on the surface of the water. Maximized buoyancy increases swim speed while conserving valuable energy during a triathlon and training. There are four main types of triathlon wetsuits including full cut, sleeveless, short cut and jersey bibjohn. The main difference between these types of triathlon suits is the amount of material that covers the body.
Neoprene, or neoprene-like material, are the most common fabrics for triathlon wetsuits because they provide warmth and buoyancy. The lightness of the wetsuit can be changed to suit the style and skill of the swimmer by varying the placement and thickness of the neoprene in the wetsuit. This allows each type of triathlon wetsuit to be tailored in some way to a runner’s swimming ability and style.
A full cut triathlon wetsuit, also sometimes known as a full suit, provides the most body coverage of all wetsuits. It starts at the neck, completely covers the arms, and extends down the legs to the ankles. Advantages of the full cut suit include providing the greatest overall buoyancy, reducing drag by streamlining the body, and preventing water from flowing through the suit. This type of suit can lead to overheating, and is also difficult and time consuming to wear.
Sleeveless triathlon wetsuits are sleeveless wetsuits. This type of suit provides great buoyancy, but is slightly less aerodynamic. The seal around the arms is good, but when compared to the full cut, some water drag can be created as water passes into the suit during arm movements. Sleeveless suits aren’t as warm as the full cut suit, and it’s a bit easier to get into.
Short cut or knee length tri suits are sleeveless suits that stop at the knee. These wetsuits provide good buoyancy and moderate streamlining. This type of wetsuit exposes more of the body’s surface, reducing the chances of overheating. These suits are also quite easy to put on and take off.
A jersey bibjohn is a two-piece wetsuit. The main part looks like a pair of tight-fitting overalls, completely covering the legs, but leaving the shoulders and arms free. The top of a form fitting wetsuit provides coverage for the torso. This design offers full coverage, like the full cut style, but with greater ease of dressing. Buoyancy and streamlining effects are excellent with this model, and the manufacturer claims that this style provides better range of motion for the arm.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
