Blueseventy Thermal Helix wetsuit review
Blueseventy's purpose built thermal cold water swimming wetsuit got a score of 95% from ed Helen Webster when she put it through its paces
Aquaman and Desoto both have suits that provide warmth in chilly waters, but the Blueseventy Thermal Helix is the first tri wetsuit we know targeted purely at swimming in colder temperatures. Designed to allow you to extend your open-water season, or to swim longer distances in colder waters, this suit will make a noticeable difference to many triathletes, especially those sensitive to the cold.
Cold water swim wetsuit launched by Blueseventy
Essentially, the suit is Blueseventy’s flagship Helix but with a warm, orange, fuzzy lining of mid-weight zirconium jersey added. Initial impressions are that the wetsuit feels more substantial, but once on you don’t really notice it. The performance is superb and, as we got into our swim, we barely noticed the difference from the ‘normal’ Helix suit.
Flexibility is also excellent with a full range of movement around the arms, while the suit gave the support and body position you’d expect from a top-end suit. We experienced no water ingress and, despite forgetting our lube for a 3.8km session, we didn’t see even a hint of chafing. Our swim speeds stayed consistent, too.
As for the thermal properties – in cooler 13ºC waters we managed probably double what would usually be a ‘comfortable’ swim, but then even up to 20ºC water we didn’t find the suit uncomfortably warm. This means that if you only want to invest in one suit but struggle with the cold, you could probably get away with this in most conditions. Plus, there’s only a £50 levy on the normal Helix, so pricing is more than fair
Verdict: like wearing a wetsuit that gives you a big fleecy hug!
Contact : www.blueseventy.co.uk
Debbie Graham
Senior digital editor 
