Drag difference between skin and wetsuit

[Triton1715]

Greetings All,

I have been doing some research on various wetsuits and skins for pool training and have a few questions. Primarily, I keep seeing discussions regarding the hydrodynamics of a suit and I'm curious how much of a difference it actually makes vs. none at all. Is there truly a significant performance gain due to using a suit vs. a standard swimsuit (mind you, I've been using what amounts to a sea anchor/drag-chute as it is a pair of baggy board shorts)? Generally speaking, I've been comfortable in the pool, temperature-wise. It's definitely cool, but not cold and I know I would benefit from extra warmth, but I'm really looking at this from the "slick" perspective I keep reading about. I'm getting tired of lugging these shorts through the water, but I'm don't know if a wetsuit/skin would have any meaningful impact. Thoughts?

Thank you very much!

 

[Erki]

It depends, but I remember that without suit it took 4 strokes/25m and with suit 3 strokes/25 m. My estimation (not much tested) is that suit gives about 10% of extra distance for max dynamics.

 

[MarcinB]

I don't know whether it was due to decreased drag or to the fact that my legs do not sink anymore, but in my case wetsuit made huge difference. In DNF it decreased the number of strokes per 25m from 4 to 2,5. In dyn the number of kicks went down from 12 to 8.

 

[cdavis]

The above sounds much more like the results of something other than drag. Still, if that's the result who cares why?

How fast you want to go is important, since drag increases with the square of velocity. If you are going slow, there should b e very little or no measurable difference in drag between suit and no suit. Go fast and there might be. Board shorts vs a suit might be different, even going slow.

 

[Triton1715]

Thank you all very much for the responses! It sounds as though there is definitely something to be said for skin vs. wetsuit. . . at least in the context of board shorts. I don't really have anything to compare it to, but when I move, I definitely feel the drag on them and there isn't much coasting that can be done. It's like trying to coast a car that's still in first gear. I think I will have to look into something different to wear for pool training. There is just so much to tweak in my form that it would be very helpful to at least eliminate some of the variables that could cause confusion between poor form and poor attire.

 

[Apneaddict]

On a recent vacation, I used board shorts in a pool... Ad the drag was horrible!!

I often swim / train in speedo shorts... So thats my baseline.

When I put on a tri-wetsuit, it's better for glide, but when pushing off or going fast it balloons.

For competitions, I wear a skin and it's an incredible difference.... But then I tend to swim on the faster side.

 

[MarcinB]

I think the biggest advantage of a wetsuit is that it makes your legs more buoyant. If your legs sink you slow down very fast after each kick/stroke.

 

[rogam44]

In Orca Equip I was able to swim 50m with 8 kicks with monofin. In speedos only I had to use something like 12 kicks. I have very hairy chest/legs

 

[Triton1715]

Rogam44, thanks for the reply. That sounds quite a bit like myself which I think means I may expect to see some significant improvement! Thanks!

 

[rogam44]

Rogam44, thanks for the reply. That sounds quite a bit like myself which I think means I may expect to see some significant improvement! Thanks!

Also buoyancy is very important. Without neoprene I use only neck weight, with neoprene I have to use also weight around my waist in order to be horizontal when swimming.

 

[Triton1715]

I definitely need to get a wetsuit. By the time I completed my training last Saturday, I was shivering pretty good. I just can't make up my mind what to get. Since I live in Michigan, it would seem something suited to cold water would be ideal. However, I only freedive in the tropics (lucky if that's once a year) owing to the fact that I only know one actual freediver here, but meeting up is a near lost cause. He lives in my hometown (where my entire family lives and I grew up), but I now live 3 hours south and, although I'm up there a LOT, there's just never time for me to do anything. . . .kids and family will have that effect ;-) Plus, although I grew up in and around fresh water, it's never held much appeal to me. Boring and dull and very monochromatic, though the zebra mussels sure have increased the visibility the past 10 years or so. Hmm. . . .wonder if I can talk the wife into letting me get both?

 

[cdavis]

While you think about it, you can solve your pool warmth issues with a cheap shorty. $100 is more than enough. That will probably do as well for all your tropical diving, as long as its not in winter.

Connor

 

[Triton1715]

Good point. I actually have an old one I got back when I got into this in 2000, but at this point. . .it's getting a bit snug. Took it with me to Cayman last year and ended up leaving it on shore. It was just so restrictive that I felt like I couldn't breathe. I just need to bite the bullet and get a decent suit though. . .and while I'm at it, a rubber weight belt. I was getting so sick of the old nylon one sliding around all the time. Thanks for the advice Connor!