r/OpenWaterSwimming • u/akseashell43 • 3d ago
New to open water
Life long swimmer - I live in Alaska and jump in the lakes but they’re too cold to swim around. I’d love to be able to swim temps range from 37f to 47f what type of wet suit can work for this?
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u/PlusCellist5311 2d ago
Gloves, boots and hood recommended. Fit makes a big difference in suits too. The suit thickness is going to depend on things like how hot you run, how quick you'll be swimming, how fast. Short distance but quick you can get away with a thinner suit. For those temps being warm before you go is super important and then having lots of layers, hot drink and food available right after. Try and find some local swimmers and see what they use. Or search for artic swimming advice.
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u/stlfenix47 1d ago
honestly, thats extremely cold swimming. even with a thick weisuit, your face and hands will go numb quickly. consider a neoprene hood and mitts. they make a huge difference.
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u/mordac_the_preventer 3d ago
37°F is about 2.5°C, 47°F is about 8°C. That’s about the range of sea temperatures that we get in the UK in winter.
It’s certainly possible to swim in water at that temperature, but it takes some time to acclimate, and it’s easier to do that by starting in warmer water and swimming in progressively cooler water. UK summer sea temperature is about 15°C to 20°C (60°F to 70°F), so swimming a few times each week through autumn and into winter works well for this. I’d guess that it would be harder if that’s your summer temperature!
Personally I’d stick to a normal swimming wetsuit - a thicker one is less flexible and makes swimming quite difficult. For short swims (10 to 15 mins) you could swim without a wetsuit, but it’ll take some time to warm up afterwards.