Like... To sleeve or not to sleeve?
This is one of the most confounding questions for many people looking to buy a triathlon wetsuit. Do I want full sleeves? Or sleeveless? The short answer is there’s no right answer. But here are some things to consider:
More rubber equals more speed. There is no question that a full-sleeve wetsuit is faster than one without sleeves. Just look at the pros and you’ll see that they overwhelmingly choose full-sleeve suits. That additional rubber on your arms saves you a couple of seconds per 100 meters. It adds up!
Because neoprene sleeves increase your buoyancy, we encourage you to wear a full-sleeve wetsuit whenever water temps are comfortable enough to do so.
Sleeveless wetsuits are somewhat less hydrodynamic because they let more water into the suit. It is simply not possible to create a perfect seal around the arm holes of a sleeveless suit.
The most common concern about a full-sleeve wetsuit is that it will limit arm rotation in the water. If you have your wetsuit on correctly and pull up the sleeves fully, this should not be a problem. Of course, every swimmer is different. Some more accomplished swimmers prefer a sleeveless suit because they are better able to maintain a feel for the water.
Sleeveless wetsuits are easier to get into and exit from, and they are typically less expensive that full sleeves.
Sleeveless wetsuits are better for warmer water. Though, many times if it is too warm for a full wetsuit, it’s too warm for a sleeveless one, too.
Your race director will likely contact you with accurate present-time water temperature info closer to the date of your event.
