My Tri Training: Buying a Used Wetsuit

Arend Pryor
Aug 9, 2017
3 min read

If you're like me and new to the triathlon scene, sooner or later you're going to wondering if you should get a wetsuit. Wether you need one or not depends on where you live and the rules of the triathlon so be sure to check. In some cases, wearing a wetsuit is against the rules.

I'm out in California and the event I'm signed up for is a Sprint Triathlon that takes place in October with an open water swim in the bay. Now before I get into the story behind the wetsuit shown above, I'll give you some helpful resources for deciding on a wetsuit. I've decided to go the used route since this is my first event and I'm not sure if this will be a thing for me yet.

Wetsuit Reviews:

Best Entry Level Triathlon Wetsuits: Name says it all
Best triathlon wetsuits review 2015 - These will be the suits you'll find used on eBay

SWIMMER Magazine Wetsuit Review:

Where to Shop:

I've found a few websites that sell used wetsuits, but eBay has been the best resource so far

Sizing:

In a perfect world, you should take a trip to a shop that sells the brands of wetsuits you're interested in and try them on to get a feel for what you like and how they fit
In reality, you probably won't do this if the nearest shop isn't in town. In this case, contact sales or support for the company that makes the wetsuit(s) you're interested in and ask for a recommendation on sizing. The support rep at Blue Seventy was more than happy to do this for me based on my build, height, and weight.
Once you start shopping, pull up size charts for each brand of wetsuit you want so you can refer to it when needed

The Story:

Ok, you probably wanna know about that Blue Seventy wetsuit pictured above. After a bunch of research on triathlon wetsuits, I basically had it narrowed down to the following brands: Blue Seventy, Xterra and Zoot.

So I start poking around on eBay, very excited at the thought of buying a wetsuit, but at this point, I was only looking to see what was out there and get a feel for pricing.

After a bit of looking, I come across the Blue Seventy Synergie wetsuit pictured above...it's got 1 bid...putting it at $19.99...it looks awesome...and it's my size! I hit the Bid Now button like a shark attack it's prey, frothing at the mouth with excitement.

I upped the bid to $45, nothing crazy, which put the max at $21 and me winning the auction. And then I read the description. Not too bright.

"Good condition men's blueseventy full triathalon wetsuit. Size is SMT or Small Tall, see size chart in photos. A few repairs and two small tears in right arm only (see photos), otherwise good condition throughout."

Repairs and tears!?! Tell me again how this is in "Good Condition". Surely there are others as dumb as me that'll end up out bidding me and this problem will take care of itself.

Nope, only one more bidder came along and he pushed the price to $42 bucks before moving on. So now it's mine and on it's way.

Ok, so maybe I'll use it for practice. Who knows, maybe it's not that bad. I've heard Aquaseal can work wonders, so maybe I can patch it up and end up using it for the event. It's my first triathlon and I'm not trying to spend a bunch of cash. If I end up digging the sport, I can always invest in a better suit later.

Did I also mention I'm currently the high bidder on the patched up fella shown below as well? Yep, I bid on this XTerra Vortex 3 after assuming I'd be outbid on the Blue Seventy.

Honestly, I think I'm on to something here. This seems to be a great way to get a higher-end wetsuit that'll give me the mobility and comfortable fit I'm after so I can enjoy my first race. After all, it'll be my swimming technique that'll slow me down slightly, not the holes I've patched up. Which is a great time to mention this resource.

Wetsuit Care and Repair: