Best Wetsuits for Swimming:
Top 7 Open Water Swimming Wetsuits
When selecting an open water swimming wetsuit, it is essential to consider factors such as warmth, buoyancy, and flexibility. While most swimming wetsuits are designed for competitive swimming and time efficiency, it is crucial to find one that provides warmth and buoyancy for open water swimmers. This ensures that you stay comfortable and safe in varying water temperatures. Additionally, the wetsuit should offer a good range of motion to prevent fatigue during long swims.
What to Look for in an Open Water Swimming Wetsuit
There are several key factors to consider to ensure you get the most out of your outdoor swimming adventures.
Extra Warmth
First and foremost, the wetsuit should provide adequate warmth. This is crucial for open water swimmers who often face colder temperatures and longer distances. A warm wetsuit will help retain body heat, allowing you to swim comfortably for extended periods.
Comfort & Maximum Flexibility
Comfort and flexibility are also paramount. A well-fitted swimming wetsuit should allow you to move freely and maintain a natural body position in the water. Look for wetsuits with thinner neoprene in the upper body and arms, as this design offers greater flexibility and mobility, making your strokes more efficient.
Heat Retention
Another important aspect is the wetsuit’s ability to retain body heat. Advanced thermal insulation materials can significantly enhance heat retention, keeping you warm even in chilly waters. This feature is particularly beneficial for long distance swims where maintaining body heat is essential.
Durability
Durability and construction quality are also critical. A wetsuit with glued and blind-stitched seams will be more robust and long-lasting, reducing the risk of water ingress and ensuring you stay warm and dry. Investing in a well-constructed wetsuit means you can enjoy your open water swimming adventures for many seasons to come.
Wetsuits for Long Swims in Open Water
Break free from the confines of ropes and walls this season. To fully enjoy this experience, investing in a specialised wetsuit for open water is essential. There are few ways to get closer to nature than wild swimming. Liberating, exciting and free, it’s no surprise more and more people are leaving pools behind and venturing deeper into the wild and taking up open water swimming.
Choosing Your Wetsuit
While visions of plunging into warm, crystal clear water certainly sound appealing, it is often not the case, especially here in the UK. As such, we would suggest you invest in a wetsuit to get the most out of your adventures year round. If you’re new to the sport, this may feel like a minefield, with so many offerings out there, each promoting their own unique features and benefits. For those participating in multi-sport events, a triathlon wetsuit might be the best choice due to its specialised features, while if you are a strong swimmer or new to open water swimming, a thinner suit can provide a more natural swimming experience and enhanced flexibility.
To ensure you end up with the best wetsuit for your needs, we have taken a closer look at a selection of our top picks for wild swimming. It is important to note, almost all the below wetsuits are available in both men and women’s options. We stock a wide range of swimming wetsuits from brands such as HUUB, Zone3, Orca and 2XU.
Best Swimming Wetsuit For Elite Athletes: Zone 3 Vanquish
The Zone3 Vanquish X is an elite-level wetsuit designed for maximum speed, featuring advanced materials like Yamamoto Bio-Rubber for improved blood flow and an Alpha Titanium lining for enhanced warmth without sacrificing flexibility. Strategically placed panels, including Aerodome and NBR, optimise buoyancy and support while keeping weight low. With a laser-bonded neck panel, a 1.5mm molded collar, and an ultra-stretch X-10 Extreme shoulder panel, this wetsuit ensures top-tier comfort, efficiency, and performance for strong swimmers.
Best Swimming Wetsuit For an Affordable Price: Orca Athlex Float
The Orca Athlex Float Wetsuit is an excellent budget-friendly option for beginners, offering a balance of mobility, comfort, and buoyancy to enhance swimming efficiency. Made with high-quality Yamamoto neoprene for its price point, it provides exceptional flexibility, reduces fatigue, and includes an SCS coating to minimise friction for a smoother glide. Additional features like Hydrolite panels for easy removal, an Ultimate Seal collar to prevent skin abrasion, and extra buoyancy for stability make it a great choice for new triathletes and open water swimmers. If you are looking for your first wetsuit or entry level wetsuit for open water triathlons the Orca Athlex Float provides a confidence inducing additional lift and buoyancy compared to other suits.
HUUB Pinnacle Wetsuit
The HUUB Pinnacle (NB) 3:5 Wetsuit, designed with Olympic triathlete Andy Potts, enhances swimming efficiency by addressing common issues like sinking legs and poor core strength. Featuring advanced technologies like Arms Neutral™ for flexibility, Core Control™ for stability, and +43 Foam™ for superior buoyancy, it optimises energy transfer and reduces fatigue. With premium neoprene and a Breakaway Zipper™ for quick transitions, this wetsuit is built for speed, comfort, and peak performance in the water.
Zone 3 Aspire Wetsuit
The Zone3 Aspire Wetsuit is designed for swimmers of all levels, offering maximum flexibility with Yamamoto neoprene and an SCS Nano coating that reduces drag for a faster swim. Aerodome buoyancy panels in the hips and legs improve the body position while the one-piece shoulder and chest panel enhances stroke efficiency and conserves energy. Additional features like a laser-cut collar, Pro Speed Cuffs for quick removal, and a downward YKK zip make it a comfortable, high-performance option for triathletes and open-water swimmers.
Orca Athlex Flow Wetsuit
The Orca Athlex Flow Wetsuit is designed for intermediate triathletes seeking a balance of buoyancy and flexibility to refine their stroke. Made from high-quality Yamamoto neoprene, it offers targeted thickness for warmth and mobility while requiring less effort to maintain stroke efficiency. Features like Hydrolite panels for quick changes and a laser-cut Ultimate Seal collar for reduced irritation enhance comfort and performance during open water swimming sessions.
2XU P2 Propel Wetsuit
An improvement on the earlier version, the 2XU P:2 Propel Wetsuit is designed for speed and efficiency, offering superior flexibility, buoyancy, and hydrodynamics to enhance swim performance. Key features like seamless shoulder and arm panels, intermediate zone stretch panels, and a floating zip panel ensure unrestricted movement and improved distance per stroke. Additionally, the SCS silicone coating minimises water resistance, while the rollbar and 39 Cell neoprene front panel optimize buoyancy and body position for a powerful, fatigue-reducing swim.
2XU P1 Propel Wetsuit
The 2XU P:1 Propel Wetsuit is designed for speed, comfort, and efficiency, featuring 39 Cell neoprene with variable thickness for optimal buoyancy and body positioning. Its SCS coating reduces drag in and out of the water, while a floating zip panel enhances flexibility, improving stroke efficiency and overall swim speed. Additional features like a rollbar for core stability and an internal stretch lining ensure unrestricted movement, making it a top choice for competitive swimmers and triathletes who spend their time outdoor swimming.
Beyond The Pool
It’s this sense of total freedom coupled with the lack of chemicals that unites competitive athletes, leisure swimmers and thrill-seekers. Simply defined as swimming in anything that isn’t man-made, wild swimming spots include rivers, lochs, lakes, seas, reservoirs and more. You can take to the water on your own or as a group, however, it remains safest to swim with at least one other person. With next to no barriers to entry, wild swimming is something we can all enjoy. Providing you have the skill and confidence to swim without being able to touch the bottom, this enriching sport is something everyone should try. With numerous wetsuit brands offering a range of fits and features, there is something available for every swimmer's needs.
Conclusion
By considering factors such as warmth, buoyancy, flexibility, and durability, you can choose a wetsuit that meets your needs and enhances your swimming experience. Remember to look for wetsuits with thinner neoprene in the upper body and arms for better flexibility, and thermal insulation materials for superior heat retention. Durable construction, such as glued and blind-stitched seams, will ensure your wetsuit stands the test of time and keeps you comfortable in the water. By choosing the right swimming wetsuit, open water swimmers can enjoy a safe, comfortable, and confident swimming experience, whether you’re a leisure swimmer or an elite athlete. So, gear up and dive into your next water swimming adventure with the perfect wetsuit!