Wetsuits for the Landlocked
April 3, 2018 12:15 PM Subscribe
Help me buy a wetsuit for my 3-year-old for the upcoming pool season!
We live in landlocked Missouri and I don't know anything about wetsuits. I've never bought one or worn one.
We are members of a community pool. It is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, is unheated, and is treated with chlorine. The pool staff closes it if the air temperature is below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but the water can be pretty chilly even when the air temp is fine. In the first few weeks after it opens, the water is definitely chilly, particularly in the morning before it gets direct sunlight. There have also been days in the later part of the summer where the water gets chilly after a couple of rainy days (especially heavy rains). Yet we usually have so much cabin fever that we rush right back to the pool when it reopens. I have plenty of body fat to keep me insulated, but my 3-year-old is often shivering and practically blue even as he's demanding to stay in for another five minutes. So last year it occurred to me that having a wetsuit for him would probably come in handy several times through the summer, keeping him warmer in the pool. But I don't know what to get for this.
Size-wise, my kid is in 4T pants, but has a longer torso such that 4T shirts are starting to look short on him. He is average weight for his height.
Should I buy a wetsuit for my kid?
Should it be a shorty wetsuit or long?
Is getting a 3-year-old into a wetsuit going to be a big fight?
Advice on thickness of neoprene?
Brand suggestions?
Anything I should avoid?
Anything I'm not considering?
We live in landlocked Missouri and I don't know anything about wetsuits. I've never bought one or worn one.
We are members of a community pool. It is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, is unheated, and is treated with chlorine. The pool staff closes it if the air temperature is below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but the water can be pretty chilly even when the air temp is fine. In the first few weeks after it opens, the water is definitely chilly, particularly in the morning before it gets direct sunlight. There have also been days in the later part of the summer where the water gets chilly after a couple of rainy days (especially heavy rains). Yet we usually have so much cabin fever that we rush right back to the pool when it reopens. I have plenty of body fat to keep me insulated, but my 3-year-old is often shivering and practically blue even as he's demanding to stay in for another five minutes. So last year it occurred to me that having a wetsuit for him would probably come in handy several times through the summer, keeping him warmer in the pool. But I don't know what to get for this.
Size-wise, my kid is in 4T pants, but has a longer torso such that 4T shirts are starting to look short on him. He is average weight for his height.
Should I buy a wetsuit for my kid?
Should it be a shorty wetsuit or long?
Is getting a 3-year-old into a wetsuit going to be a big fight?
Advice on thickness of neoprene?
Brand suggestions?
Anything I should avoid?
Anything I'm not considering?
I have a skinny kid and he had a tough time keeping his core temp up.
We have used this type since he was an toddler. Thick around the torso and legs, thin around the shoulders for mobility.
Easy on and on. No prob. Love it.
posted by beccaj at 12:37 PM on April 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
We have used this type since he was an toddler. Thick around the torso and legs, thin around the shoulders for mobility.
Easy on and on. No prob. Love it.
posted by beccaj at 12:37 PM on April 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
2mm should be enough for a pool. 3mm would also be fine, but may be overkill, and might restrict his movement more than he likes. A shorty will be way easier to get on and off, and will keep his core warm; a long wetsuit is more than he needs and probably more trouble than it's worth. You want it to fit tight -- loose folds of fabric or air pockets or too much gapping at the collar mean it's too big, and he'll feel cold. Resist the temptation to size up; he'll likely end up outgrowing it, but too-big wetsuits can feel even colder than wearing nothing at all. Fit will be more important than brand, especially for gear that he'll outgrow fairly quick.
You might try him in a wetsuit vest or top, if you can find one small enough for him -- way easier than struggling with even a shorty suit. Make sure it's in a colour that he likes, and let him help choose it -- if he's happy to wear it, you'll have much less work getting him into it.
Make sure you rinse the heck out of the suit each time when he's done, preferably before you take it home, and maybe also soak it in fresh water when you do get home. Chlorine chews right through neoprene.
posted by halation at 12:51 PM on April 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
You might try him in a wetsuit vest or top, if you can find one small enough for him -- way easier than struggling with even a shorty suit. Make sure it's in a colour that he likes, and let him help choose it -- if he's happy to wear it, you'll have much less work getting him into it.
Make sure you rinse the heck out of the suit each time when he's done, preferably before you take it home, and maybe also soak it in fresh water when you do get home. Chlorine chews right through neoprene.
posted by halation at 12:51 PM on April 3, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'd also consider a wetsuit jacket instead of a full suit if you think you may be struggling to get it on your kid. That's where kid's organs are, and keeping the core warm has a lot bigger effect than keeping extremities warm.
Look to 1-2mm for thickness; thicker than that is probably overkill and will start to restrict movement on a kid.
posted by craven_morhead at 12:52 PM on April 3, 2018
Look to 1-2mm for thickness; thicker than that is probably overkill and will start to restrict movement on a kid.
posted by craven_morhead at 12:52 PM on April 3, 2018
Using your location from your profile there's a SCUBA shop in your town. Search Google for "town name, mo scuba". Give them a call and see if they can help you.
It might be easier to get your kid into the suit in the water.
Seconding rinse it very thoroughly after use.
posted by gregr at 4:19 PM on April 3, 2018
It might be easier to get your kid into the suit in the water.
Seconding rinse it very thoroughly after use.
posted by gregr at 4:19 PM on April 3, 2018
Response by poster: Some of the jackets and shorty wetsuits that I'm seeing are mostly neoprene but have lycra panels under the arms or along the whole side of the torso. I know this might provide more flexibility but I feel like the panels defeat the purpose of providing insulation around the core. Am I wrong? Is it not that big of a deal?
posted by aabbbiee at 2:20 PM on April 4, 2018
posted by aabbbiee at 2:20 PM on April 4, 2018
When my husband and I go shore diving in Ft. Lauderdale, I often use just a microfiber long underwear set -- easy on, easy off, and machine washable. Wal-Mart carries the women's tops and pants that I buy, but it is probably too late in the season for them locally.
There may be some type of synthetic leggings and rash guards in his size available locally that you can try. Avoid cotton.
Along with cost, ease of putting on / taking off, and washability, rash guards help prevent sunburn and skin cancer. In the ocean it prevents contact with sea lice and other organisms that can cause rashes.
Another idea would be covering the extremities, especially the head. A swim cap or diving cap will do an amazing job of keeping warmth in.
If you go with wetsuits, zippers are important since there is very little give when trying to slide a wetsuit on (pro tip: wet skin / wet garment or dry skin / dry garment). A short sleeve and shorts version can be upgraded with a long-sleeve t-shirt and leggings underneath (pro tip: I put on hose before pulling on my 3 mil wetsuit -- extra warmth and easy on).
Neoprene works by trapping air and water. This is warmed by the body and holds in the heat. If the neoprene is loose, the warmth is replaced by cold water and the benefit is gone. Also, neoprene floats easily and can effect the ability to duck underwater (pro tip: I use a 2-liter bottle of warm tap water poured into my suit just before diving to drive out the air and pre-warm the interior).
We always use large plastic boxes with lids for our dive equipment (large enough for our dive fins) and soak the gear for at least an hour, regardless of the water type. Then we hang up suits on diving hangers (or several plastic hangers held together) and let them drip-dry on the tree branches or a portable clothes rack. Never store wet gear.
While you're at it, check out dive masks, snorkels, dive boots and fins (I prefer the boots and fins combo, since you have to have something on your feet while transporting gear). Table Rock Lake has some nice fresh water diving near the dam, and night diving or snorkeling for crawdads can be fun.
posted by TrishaU at 9:13 PM on April 4, 2018
There may be some type of synthetic leggings and rash guards in his size available locally that you can try. Avoid cotton.
Along with cost, ease of putting on / taking off, and washability, rash guards help prevent sunburn and skin cancer. In the ocean it prevents contact with sea lice and other organisms that can cause rashes.
Another idea would be covering the extremities, especially the head. A swim cap or diving cap will do an amazing job of keeping warmth in.
If you go with wetsuits, zippers are important since there is very little give when trying to slide a wetsuit on (pro tip: wet skin / wet garment or dry skin / dry garment). A short sleeve and shorts version can be upgraded with a long-sleeve t-shirt and leggings underneath (pro tip: I put on hose before pulling on my 3 mil wetsuit -- extra warmth and easy on).
Neoprene works by trapping air and water. This is warmed by the body and holds in the heat. If the neoprene is loose, the warmth is replaced by cold water and the benefit is gone. Also, neoprene floats easily and can effect the ability to duck underwater (pro tip: I use a 2-liter bottle of warm tap water poured into my suit just before diving to drive out the air and pre-warm the interior).
We always use large plastic boxes with lids for our dive equipment (large enough for our dive fins) and soak the gear for at least an hour, regardless of the water type. Then we hang up suits on diving hangers (or several plastic hangers held together) and let them drip-dry on the tree branches or a portable clothes rack. Never store wet gear.
While you're at it, check out dive masks, snorkels, dive boots and fins (I prefer the boots and fins combo, since you have to have something on your feet while transporting gear). Table Rock Lake has some nice fresh water diving near the dam, and night diving or snorkeling for crawdads can be fun.
posted by TrishaU at 9:13 PM on April 4, 2018
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It was a huge pain to get off, and a minor pain to get on. The one we had had strong velcro on the tank part and at the bottom. It also took a long time to dry out.
They were also pretty expensive. If I was buying one today, I'd first ask on my local parenting social media groups to see if anyone wants to get rid of one.
posted by k8t at 12:32 PM on April 3, 2018