I’m in intermediate swimmer doing around 1:15 for IM swim with wet suit. I bought a Blue Seventy Reaction wet suit about 3 years ago when I got into the sport. I appreciate this is an entry level suit and am now thinking of upgrading to something like a Blue Seventy Helix. Is there a time benefit from using one of the higher end suits or is it simply a case of being more comfortable in the swim and getting out feeling fresher? If there is a time benefit are we talking 1-2 minutes or more?
sorry, i was about to start a thread but this is actually another question to add on…how much does the heat make a difference? ever since they turned the temp up to 84 in my pool, i realize how much of a difference that makes on my energy level post swim. i have been debating going sleevless or no suit on borderline swims instead of full wetsuit to keep from overheating. im a relatively strong swimmer and tend to push it, but thought maybe better to focus on finding a good drafting partner and save my energy for the bike.
For me the Helix was 3s/100m faster than a lower end suit from their range when I did some careful testing and racing.
It may not be as much for you but the Helix is certainly an amazing suit.
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Interesting, if that was 3s/100m at IM pace then you are looking at a couple of minutes for 3.8k, not to be sniffed at.
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Pool testing was 3s over 200m of ~2.30 which is a fair bit faster than IM pace for me.
And in a Half (2km swim) I was right around 1min slower than where my training said I should have been.
Probably not a lot. I went from a low end Zoot Synergy to a top of the line HuuB Archmedies and took a minute (roughly 3s/100M) off my best 70.3 swim. That minute cost me $700 
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Thanks all for your input, I need to upgrade my wetsuit in the next year or so anyway so definitely sounds like when the time comes I should be going for a high end suit albeit an expensive way to gain a couple of minutes.
You can go mad with all these speed investments. I’m also considering new bike shoes and helmet but again a combined cost of $6-700 not to mention the discussion on aero calf guards last week…oh then there is the real expense of course of a new bike! Guess I need to put my retirment back a couple of years or give up my Kona dream
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Why do you NEED to upgrade your wetsuit? Mine is 17 years old. It was a midrange suit I believe at the time. I swam my last 70.3 right where I expected based on the times of the top swimmers, my non-WS Olympic times and my training times.
Just curious. Replacing a aging helmet is a safety issue and shoes are a contact point. Contact points (shoes, pedals, seat) are critical to comfort, biomechanics and power transfer.
Even a “superbike” over a midrange Tri bike will still only save you maybe 1 minute in a IM. I think you get more out of more races, more massages, and other training aides.
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Yes you have a point we do tend to get caught up in the hype. My wet suit is 4 years old and has a few cuts though and the rubber is perishing a little in some places (I live in a very extreme climate). I could probably get away with it for another couple of years but they obviously don’t make them the way they did 17 years ago