T1 Help -- How do I get out of wetsuit?
 

My first wetsuit tri is coming up in 6 weeks (Live in Florida, usually no need for them). I just bought a new wetsuit--Quintana Roo Ultrajohn (long leg, sleeveless) and tried it on. I was expecting it to be very snug, and it is. Does anyone have any suggestions regarding getting out of the wetsuit quickly or know of any good reading on the subject?

Thanks in advance.

I spray pam onto my body to help it slide off after the swim... I know it sounds wierd but it works.

Practice taking it off.

A little bodyglide on your ankles and the suit's lower legs helps it fold over itself and come off without that awesome "cartoon treading on a pool of glue" look.

Are you standing in your living room practicing? LOL!

They come off MUCH easier when wet. Don't sweat it. Wear it in the shower, get it nice and wet (inside and out), then try taking it off.

Steve

+1. Bodyglide is good stuff.

Jim

I'm always a little dizzy coming out of the water, so it helps if I can sit down to get it off my ankles.

I've been using a wetsuit for 10 years and I still struggle to get it off. I use Body Glide and/or Pam. Taking it off at least half way when you exit the water is helpful. Then being able to stand on the bottom portion of the suit at the feet to pull it off the rest of the way is helpful. Some do find it easier to sit down to do that, since you can be a bit dizzy coming out of the water.

The way I generally find fastest is to stomp on it. Bodyglide/pam/conditioner help the wetsuit slide off but the technique is more important really. after you get out of the water, unzip it and pull it down to your waist on the run to transition. When youre ready to take it all the way off, basically hold the top of the legs and step out one leg then the other. The wetsuit should be somewhere around your knees. Once you are at this point is where the stomping comes in. Step on as much of the wetsuit as possible with one foot and pull the other out as far as you can, you really have to jerk your leg out for this to work well. Usually I get it to my ankle and stomp it once more to get it all the way off, then repeat with the second leg. With practice it is not hard to fully strip a wetsuit in about 10 seconds.

My QRoo wetsuit is a pain to take off too, the outer neoprene skin isn't as slippery as my Orca wetsuit and the extra thick neoprene around the ankles/calves doesn't help. :lol: :(

I've actually been thinking of finding a shop to modify the wetsuit by installing zippers along the back of the calves so i won't have to spend a minute or two wrestling with the damn thing to get it off. :D