In 1986 Dan Empfield put the first “triathlon-specific” wetsuit on his fellow competitors. The triathlon wetsuit has come a long way in those twenty years. I have been selling these types of wetsuits for nearly ten of those years and have seen a lot of things come and go, all promising to be the next best thing. That being said, there is only so much one can do to a wetsuit to make it better. The entry level from one brand will be comparable to other entry level offerings from different brands. This also holds true for high-end wetsuits. You should try on several brands and purchase the one that fits/feels the best for the price-range you are trying to stay within. All of the major manufacturers Orca, Quintana Roo, DeSoto, Ironman (now Blue Seventy), Aquaman, and ZOOT all have wetsuits available that will provide you with the necessities that any wetsuit should. These necessities are;

Floatation – the more rubber a suit has the more buoyant the swimmer or triathlete will be. With increased buoyancy comes better body position and drag reduction. This ultimately positions a person out of the water and into T1 faster and more efficiently.

Warmth – any wetsuit you purchase should provide you with this. One aspect to address concerning warmth is the inside liner of the wetsuit. It should be made of a non-absorbent material that is somewhat flexible.

Flexibility – a good fitting wetsuit should allow one the ability to take a full stroke. You should also be able to simulate rolling from your core and reaching out to both sides.

ZOOT Sports, a triathlon apparel company founded in 1983, launched their WetZoot line last season. However, they are not your normal “new kid on the block.” The person who was responsible for many of the original triathlon wetsuit innovations and was formerly Quintana Roos’ wetsuit developer/designer is now the brains behind the WetZoot line of triathlon wetsuits. In just their second season in the wetsuit business ZOOT Sports has all the bases covered. The Z2 is offered in a sleeveless version at $190.00 and a fullsuit version priced at $260.00. The Z2 is their entry level suit but still comes with catch panels in the forearm and the same unique stretch cuff incorporated in the high-end Z1. The Z1 also comes in a sleeveless version for $300.00 and a fullsuit priced at $450.00. Most other companies are pricing their high-end fullsuits somewhere between $485.00 - $550.00. At $450.00 the Z1 is just as competitive as any of these other higher priced options.

The 2mm thick stretch of blue material that runs up and down both sides of the Z1 wetsuit is one thing that makes this wetsuit stand above the rest. This allows for full chest expansion, shoulder rotation, and arm flexibility. This one feature is unmatched by any other brand. The Z2 also has this 2mm thick panel down both sides of the suit.

Other key features of the WetZoot line are the specially designed low-rise neck collar made of 2mm neoprene that reducechafing and comfortably seals out water while allowing for full neck rotation. The 5mm thickness found in the torso and legs of the suit ensure a perfect “downhill” body position regardless of head position. The unique stretch cuff on the wrist seals water out of the sleeves while keeping the arms light and high during the stroke. This also eases the removal of the arms of the suit when in transition. The back of the calves are constructed with 3mm neoprene which speeds up removal during transitions and is more comfortable running in and out of the water. Fullsuits incorporate a forearm catch panel that helps the swimmer “grab” more water and lessens the chance of “slipping” through the water.

The entire suit itself is constructed with a lightweight Yamamoto neoprene with hydrodynamic nano-scs coating on the outside. The inside liner of the suit is lightweight non-absorbent polyester that increases flexibility and buoyancy while increasing warmth. Seams are glued and blind stitched providing overall flexibility and superior strength. The protected rear zipper reduces drag while the hook and loop attachment anchors the zipper pull in place eliminating accidental unzipping and also makes it easy to unzip on your way to transition.

Consumers have a lot of options when purchasing a triathlon wetsuit. I have yet to find a consumer that did not want the most for their hard-earned money, whether they are thinking about an entry level or high-end wetsuit. The WetZoot line of wetsuits satisfies this need across the board.

The following table consists of the top of the line and entry level wetsuits that can be purchased here in the state. Click here for the wetsuit table.

Ryan Dolan is a local shop manager, triathlete and former national account manager for a leading swim/multisport company.

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