Buoyancy - The rubber used to make wetsuits naturally floats. Depending on how well you already swim this floating effect can be very helpful. The higher you float in the water the easier/faster your swim. For many, this is the biggest reason to buy a wetsuit.

Warmth - Swimming in cold water can be a horrible experience. A wetsuit provides a certain degree of warmth. When you get in the water with your wetsuit, water will seap into the suit. The suits are designed to hold a small amount of water and then keep it there. Your body warms that layer of water and it forms a barrier between you and the cold.

Flexibility - Triathlon wetsuits are made with different thickness and styles of rubber to maximize flexibility. The more flexible the suit, the more freely you will be able rotate your arms and shoulders, resulting in less fatigue.

Hydrodynamics - Most triathlon wetsuits are now manufactured with a silicon surface treatment that makes them slippery. Typically this will make the suit slippery to the touch and even more slippery in the water. Even without the treatment, a triathlon wetsuit will inherently reduce the amount of drag you create in the water.

There are three main items in triathlon wear : full, sleeveless, and two-piece suits.

Again, the choice is purely personal, as each different competitor enjoys a the feel, protection, and mobility of different suits.

The full suit is a one piece suit that covers arms and legs.

This suit is the best multisport suit and can complete cover the arms and legs completely or only cover the legs to the knees and the arms to the elbows.

Sleeveless suits are a one piece suit that stops coverage at the shoulders, but continues to cover the legs to either the knees or the ankles.

Finally, two-piece suits employ mix and match system for triathlon clothes that can include long or short bottoms with long tops, short tops, or no tops at all.

If you are interested in purchasing a multisport suit, consider the difference in the neoprene.

Suits made for surfing, kayaking, or diving are made from thicker, less movable neoprene that may not be flexible enough for the demanding sport of a triathlon.

Tip: A cool trick,  put bodygide on the heels of your feet it makes it Much easier to get take the wetsuit off!