Full Body Swimwear Pseudo Wetsuit for Cool Water Swimming

We have been experimenting with swimming in our outdoor pool, set up with a Fastlane current generator, in spite of winter creeping in upon us.  That has meant being creative with apparel we had on hand, while shopping and planning for other possibilities.  Greg found some full body spandex suits being sold as costumes. The suits were listed as having the same basic fabric content as regular swimsuits, so we ordered some.

For several years now, I have worn polyester workout swimsuits called  Dolfin Uglies, so the nylon/spandex suit felt extra soft and stretchy.  It also let more air through than the fleece lined running pants had.  It didn’t have any lining, so I opted to wear a one piece swim suit underneath.

I accidentally put it on backwards at first, not realizing the face was completely fabric covered.  The zipper was uncomfortable around the face and pulled strangely along the neck.  I gave up any idea of wearing it that way.  Next, I put it on properly.  It fit much better over the face this way, however, I knew I wouldn’t be able to breath adequately during swimming.

I was able to see enough to make it to the bathroom mirror with a permanent marker.  Following the bone structure of my eyes, cheeks, and chin, I marked where I would cut away for a face hole.  I was concerned it wouldn’t be large enough for the goggles to work, but it turned out to be more than enough.  I used a zig zag stitch (about 1/8 inch wide) to finish the edge (no other hemming).  I was left with a bit of black marker on my face, but it washed off easily after the swim.  It did bleed some color, so be careful what it touches.

The suit did get a bit see-through when wet, but it moderated the cold decently as I was getting into the water.  I was definitely warm enough while in the water, but not too warm.  I was pleased that there was no pulling or discomfort with movement due to the suit.  The fabric around the face was not even noticeable, except that my head was slightly warmer and I couldn’t hear very well.  I did go ahead and wear a swim cap under the suit, to hold my hair up on my head.  The elasticity of the spandex suit’s head section did not have the strength to hold it in place.

When it came time to cut out the face hole for Greg, we cut it a little smaller.  This kept it up on his chin some, where he says it stayed for the duration of his swim.  His goggles also worked fine.  It also brought out the character in him.  🙂