Recommended Gear for Open Water Swimming

Wetsuits

The most important feature in buying or renting your first wetsuit is fit.  Choose a retailer that lets you rent the suit you are looking to buy first to ensure that you have a good fit: 

You should be able to breathe comfortably in the water (not too tight around the chest) and move your arm freely. 

Check that the seams or stitching around the neck or well hidden or minimal. If they are rough, they will give you bad neck burn, although this can be minimized to some degree by using body glide (ie. odourless deodorant stick). 

You should NOT have water sloshing around in the suit, coming in the wrists or leaking constantly down the back of the neck. Water sloshing in the lower back area indicates he sizing or cut of the suit is not right for you. Ensure that you know how to properly do up your zipper and neck seal before evaluating your suit. Someone in the shop should show you how to do it by yourself. Use a mirror to see how it works so you can do it by feel at the beach. 

Some suits are quite fragile, be sure to learn how to put them on without tearing or ripping the suit. The fragility often translates into suppleness and flexibility and extra warmth. Quick tip: Pull on your wetsuits from the inside using the more durable nylon fabric to pull the suit up. The outside of the suit will tear easily if your fingers or nails dig in. 

Do not leave your suits out to dry in the sun as the UV rays will degrade your neoprene. If you swim in chlorine, salt water or in lakes with algae or questionable water quality, be sure to rinse your suit out with fresh water. Salt water especially will cause your zippers to jam and eventually become immobile. 

Proper sizing and care for your triathlon or open water wetsuit will ensure that you are fast and slippery in the water like a dolphin for years. 

Gloves, Booties, and Hoodies

Cold water swimming sometimes necessitates using gloves or socks/booties and a hood for extra protection.  Using them will changes your stroke efficiency and ease of movement to some degree. So take that into account when you swim. 

In gloves, look for a good snug fit, although not circulation loss fit, so there is good power transfer to the water. Look for a light glove that has the least nylon on the outside of the glove, so it does not become soaked and carry lots of water in the material. 

Outside of swimming specific equipment, we have used MEC paddling gloves, freediving 3 finger gloves, and surfing gloves. By far the surfing gloves (XCEL drylock gloves $65 - no nylon on the backside of the glove; rubber instead) are the best of what we have tried so far.

With regards to socks, you can get paddling socks from MEC or diving socks from a dive shop. For Spring and Fall swimming, you will also probably want a neoprene cap or hood of some sort.

Wetsuits, Swimming Gear and Rentals

Where to buy and rent wetsuits and equipment: 

Triathlon / Swimming / Rentals

Pacific Multisport - Vancouver (rentals also available)

Tri Geeks Multisport  http://www.trigeeks.ca/webstore.htm - Surrey

Speed Theory - Vancouver

North Shore Athletics - North Vancouver

Tri 3 Sports - Coquitlam

Swimming Gear

Pacific Multisport - Vancouver (rentals also available)

http://www.trigeeks.ca/webstore.htm - Surrey

Speed Theory - Vancouver

North Shore Athletics - North Vancouver

Splash Swim and Cruise - 2950 West 4th (cross street is Bayswater), Vancouver 

Sport Check - Park Royal, West Vancouver

Just Swimwear - Dowtown Vancouver

Tri 3 Sports - Coquitlam

Team Aquatic Supplies - North Vancouver

Other Sources of Wetsuits and Swimming Gear

http://www.craigslist.com Potential to snag great deals on wetsuits, gloves, booties, hoodies, etc. Search for keywords: "triathlon wetsuit", "wetsuit", "swimming wetsuit", etc.

Gary Parsons - Vancouver There is a local swim event organizer (http://oceanman.ca) and local lifeguard, Gary Parsons, who distributes NeoSport tri-suits, which are a very cheap and decent suit at around $200-300.

You will want to mention that you were recommended by Sea Hiker to receive the best price. He is pretty good at letting you test the suit out before you buy, so ask if it is ok to do so if you pursue it.

If you have any questions about equipment that is not covered here, please contact us.