How to choose triathlon swim gear by Chrissie Wellington

For my first-ever triathlon in 2006 I borrowed a wetsuit that didn’t fit and it promptly flooded, resulting in me having to be rescued by a kayaker. Since then I’ve gained a little more experience in open water (OW)!

Wetsuits (or wetties) are made of neoprene, which allows a very thin layer of water between skin and suit. This water warms and the insulation keeps you warm. Of course, it is important that as little water as possible enters the suit and is not being constantly replaced by cold water flushing through.

This is why wetsuits should fit snugly. In addition to warmth, wetsuits provide buoyancy, assist in better form and technique, reduce drag and help protect against sharp objects, including flailing limbs.

Choosing a wetsuit

Fit

Trying before buying is crucial when first purchasing a wetsuit and/or if your body shape has changed significantly. Remember that not all manufacturers use the same body proportions – so a medium in one may be totally different to a medium in another. There are women’s specific suits, although I know of many women who actually prefer men’s suits due to their body type.

Neoprene is a stretchable fabric that loosens with wear and relaxes in water, so make sure that the fit is snug when you first try it on, as this will be tightest it will ever be. A properly fitting wetsuit will make contact over most of the area it covers, leaving as little space as possible between it and your skin.

Thicker material is generally used in the chest, stomach and legs to help with buoyancy. The thinner and generally more flexible material should be around your shoulders and arms to allow for freer, unrestricted movement. Make sure you have a good arm reach.

The neck should not be too high or feel constrictive, although there should be a good seal to prevent the wetsuit ‘flooding’ with water (the same goes for the wrists).

I often cut the legs of my wetsuits by an inch or two to make it easier to slip over my large feet in transition.

How can you tell if your wetsuit fits properly?

Price

Suits range from an entry-level around the £250 mark through to top-end suits for £750 or more that any pro would be delighted to use. I would opt for a mid-range wetsuit, unless your budget is very tight, and a top of the range wetsuit if your coffers are overflowing with cash.

Triathlon wetsuits: 14 of the best tested and rated

If you’re on a budget it’s worth looking into end-of-year or end-of-range bargains in the winter sales or considering an ex-hire suit.

Sleeved or Sleeveless

As long as the wetsuit fits properly, 99% of the time a swimmer will be faster in a full wetsuit. And that’s the key – the wetsuit must fit properly so as not to be constrictive around the shoulders and arms.

Although you may be slightly more mobile in a sleeveless wetsuit, it can be hard to get a good seal around the armpit and shoulder, and hence an increase risk of water entering the suit as you swim, increasing drag, chafing and exposure to cold water.

Men or women with really big arms may find it hard to find a sleeved wetsuit to fit, but I believe that if you shop around there should be a sleeved wettie to ….errrm…suit nearly everybody.

A sleeved wetsuit will provide more warmth, and if the water is coolish there is little risk of overheating.

Sleeved versus sleeveless wetsuits for triathlon: which is best?

Goggles

Find a pair that you are comfortable with and allow you to see very well. Make sure they are tight, but not too tight to cause pain around your eyes. Spit is the best anti-fogging agent around, and it’s free! Always make sure to inspect your goggles for wear and tear the day before your race.

I always go to race with two pairs of goggles. A tinted pair for sunny days and a clear pair for dark days. If you have a pony-tail tie it at the nape of your neck (so the goggle strap is above the ponytail bulge). If you are a bloke: cut your hair.

Swim cap

I use a silicon cap in training which, although more expensive, is much more durable than latex. You will get given a specific, colour-coded cap in a race.

If possible, try the race cap on the day before, carefully stretch it a little if it feels too tight. You might consider having your goggle strap under your cap, which can help prevent your goggles getting removed/dislodged in the swim.

Silicon ear plugs

These are very useful if you suffer ear infections and/or if the water is cold.

Get rid of ‘swimmer’s ear’

Vaseline and rubber glove and/or body glide

Chafing is a triathlete’s worst enemy. It is often worse in the sea, where salt creates extra friction. Vaseline is an easy solution to chafing, though petroleum jelly can cause wetsuit neoprene to deteriorate over time.

If you do use Vaseline then applying it with a rubber glove or bag over your hand is a good idea (oily hands affect the catch in the swim).

Many athletes also use cooking spray (such as Pam) for lubrication. There are also some great wetsuit-friendly lubricants on the market, many of which come in a convenient roll-on stick.

Throwaway shoes

Buy some cheap, throwaway slippers/flip flops to wear down to the swim start. This helps avoid cold feet (literally) and prevents any cuts on sharp objects.

For lots more kit advice head to our Triathlon gear section

About

Chrissie Wellington OBE is a retired, British professional triathlete and four-time Ironman world champion. She held all three world and championship records relating to ironman triathlon races: firstly, the overall world record, secondly, the Ironman World Championship course record, and thirdly, the official world record for all Ironman-branded triathlon races over the full Ironman distance. She remains the world record holder for Ironman distance (8:18hrs). Chrissie won the Ironman World Championship in three consecutive years (2007–2009), but could not start the 2010 World Championship race because of illness. She regained the title in 2011. She is the first British athlete to hold the Ironman world title, and was undefeated in all 13 of her races over the Iron distance. She is the only triathlete, male or female, to have won the World Championship less than a year after turning professional, an achievement described by the British Triathlon Federation as "a remarkable feat, deemed to be a near impossible task for any athlete racing as a rookie at their first Ironman World Championships." Since retiring in 2012 Chrissie has completed countless endurance events, from cycling sportives, to marathons and ultra-marathons and even a cross country ski marathon or two! Chrissie was awarded a first-class degree by the University of Birmingham (BsC Geography) in 1998 and a Distinction from the University of Manchester (MA Econ Development Studies) in 2000. Prior to becoming a professional athlete in 2007, she worked for the British Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) as a policy adviser on international development and also managed water and sanitation projects in Nepal. Chrissie now devotes her life to work to improve individual and population health and wellbeing, and specifically interventions to increase participation in physical activity. She is the Global Lead for Health and Wellbeing for parkrun and is committed to engaging people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities in parkrun events, thereby addressing the entrenched health and wellbeing inequalities that impact many countries across the world. Chrissie published her Sunday Times Best Selling autobiography, 'A Life Without Limits', in 2012, and her second book, 'To the Finish Line: A World Champion Triathlete's Guide to Your Perfect Race', in 2017. In 2021, she co-authored and published two fully-illustrated children's wellbeing storybooks with friend and former athlete Susie Bush-Ramsey entitled 'You're so strong' and 'You're so amazing', as a means of sharing messages about belief, trust, love, friendship, trying your best and embracing change. A trailblazer at heart, Chrissie is often advocating for change. In 2014 she joined three professional cyclists in campaigning for and successfully creating a women’s race at the Tour De France. Chrissie was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to sport and charity. She was also named the 2009 Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year and has Honorary Doctorates from the University of Birmingham and the University of Bristol. Chrissie lives with her husband, former professional athlete Tom Lowe, and their daughter Esme in a small village in Somerset.