How to Wear a Wetsuit Correctly?
Putting on a wetsuit has always been a challenge. However, below we will show you how to put it on without problems and without damaging the suit.
Before starting, you must take some details into account before putting on your wetsuit.
TIPS BEFORE STARTING
1. Avoid putting the suit on quickly
To put on a wetsuit, it is essential to stay relaxed and do it slowly.
You will surely get warm while you are putting on your suit the first time.
You will start a sweat. You will begin to overwhelm yourself and think that it is not your size, that you do not go in there. But don't worry, this is normal and often happens to many people.
The only thing you can do is try to find a place in the shade and calmly put on your wetsuit. If the suit is your size, it will fit you just right.
2. Do not damage the suit with your hands
Many manufacturers and websites recommend putting on the neoprene the first few times with gloves. Latex or similar gloves.
It's a good idea. However, it is much more vital that you have short nails to avoid tears.
And it is even more vital that you do not grab and pull on the suit. It would help if you moved it with your palms, making pressure.
Don't grab a piece and tires. Doing so will be at that moment, when inadvertently, you apply too much pressure and, when you brush it with your nails, you end up tearing it.
3. Bags on feet
To put the feet in, many people use a plastic bag so that the leg slides down the leg of the wetsuit.
It is as simple as putting your foot in a plastic bag and then putting it through the neoprene leg, making the foot slide until it comes out at the bottom end.
This trick is handy and can also be used for the hands.
Be careful when removing the bag. If the suit fits you very tight, it may break from the pressure, and a piece remains inside the wetsuit.
To avoid this, use a somewhat thick plastic bag, and be careful when removing it.
4. Lubricant to put on your wetsuit
You can use a wetsuit lube the first few times you put on your suit or if it fits you.
Smearing yourself with lubricant before putting on the suit will help you slide your suit much better when putting it on.
However, you should avoid petroleum-based lubricants, as these can damage your suit over time.
Use them to put on your suit and to prevent it from rubbing on you while swimming. If you are a triathlete, it will also make the process of taking it off easier.
Taking into account these tips, we can start with the steps to put on a wetsuit.
By following these steps and recommendations, I assure you that you will not have problems.
HOW TO WEAR A WETSUIT CORRECTLY?
1. Prepare the suit
Unzip the suit and fasten it at the inside of the crotch.
Then turn the top part so that it hangs out and do not turn the sleeves, leave them in their natural position, so it will not bother you in the next step.
This way, it will not bother you in the next step (do not turn the sleeves, leave them in their natural position).
And remember that the zipper always goes in the back, except if it is a model for SwimRun.
2. The legs
Stick one foot into its corresponding leg with a plastic bag or other proper way to dress up wetsuit pants.
Pull up on the leg to snap it into place.
Don't grab or pinch the suit to pull; grasp the leg with your palms and press up.
Don't expect the bottom end of the leg to fit exactly at your ankle. Raise it to a point midway between the ankle and the calf point.
Depending on which wetsuit model you have, you will have to leave the leg's lower edge at a different height.
Do not be scared and think that it is too small for you.
The Dive & Sail wetsuits, for example, are very focused on triathlon and are shorter than usual, being right on the edge of the twin.
You mustn't raise the entire leg to the crotch or not put the other leg.
When you have come up to the knee and adjusted the lower end for height, put the plastic bag on the other foot and follow the same process with the other leg.
Once the two legs are the same, keep raising the thighs until the waist of the suit reaches your waist.
To finish adjusting the crotch of the suit to your body,
you will probably have to pull further up. But wait.
As before, avoid digging in your nails or grabbing part of the suit. Scroll up with your palms.
The neoprene fabric is very stretchy, and without displacing the lower end, you can reposition the material so that the crotch fits perfectly.
Once in place, if the suit is your size, your legs should be wrinkle-free, snug, tight, and the crotch in position.
If the crotch is in place and you have wrinkles on your legs, you will need to lower the lower end closer to the ankle.
If the bottom end is where your calf starts and your crotch is not snug (you cannot spread your legs freely), you will need to keep moving more material up.
3. The arms
Put one of the arms in its respective space.
Some suits have rough panels or other details, making passing your hand over the forearms difficult because they are pretty tight.
If so, use a plastic bag as mentioned above.
Roll up the sleeve until you reach the end of your hand, and keep pulling it up a bit more.
As with legs, generally, don't expect the edge to be on the same wrist.
It is essential to mention that part of the sleeve's neoprene material will be gathered in the middle of the arm.
Raise it gently until the shoulder is more or less in place, just enough to allow mobility in the arm.
Now do the same with the other arm.
Remember always to keep your nails short and also not to pull the wetsuit to pass your hand.
4. Shoulders and neck
Move the material from the arms, little by little using your palms, until the suit's shoulders are in place.
The front of the collar of the suit should fit just in front of your neck.
Do not be afraid to raise the shoulders of the suit too much; if there is excess, you can easily fix it by lowering the sleeves.
It is essential that this is correct to close the zipper of the neoprene without problems.
The idea is that, when closing the zipper, it does not pull on the shoulders to bring them into place.
If not, you can gradually damage the joints between the zipper and the suit.
5. Zip-up
Once all these steps have been carried out, it only remains to close the zipper. All wetsuits have a cord with which to zip up your suit.
Although many times this does not make it easier.
If your wetsuit is too tight (as it should be), it will cost you to close the zipper.
To close your zipper, you can choose the following tips:
-Ask for help
You can ask for help from a teammate or any other competitor.
Everyone will understand that this is a difficult thing to do.
-Get down
Squat down; this will be similar to holding the bottom of the suit, only more firmly.
Stay in that position as you zip up to more than halfway through.
Works perfectly with very tight wetsuits.
Finally, note that the inner zipper protector as well extended. You can protect yourself from scratches while swimming.
If you already have the zipper of your wetsuit closed, everything is ready.
THE LAST ADJUSTMENTS
-Make sure that the zipper flap is closed correctly. You do not want the suit to open while you are swimming in the middle of the sea!
-Make sure that the armpits of the suit fit snugly against your body. That you can raise your arms stretched above your head and in front.
If you have small pockets in the armpits, you will have to roll up the sleeves, as I explained before, so that the end will be a little higher.
If the armpits are in place and have wrinkles on the sleeves, lower the sleeves' ends a little.
Also of Interest:
How to Get into a Chest Zip Wetsuit?
How to Store a Wetsuit Correctly?
How to Glue, Sew & Repair a Wetsuit?
Can I Wash My Wetsuit in the Washing Machine?