Article written by Niki Jamieson

We get lots of questions coming in each week asking this very question, so we decided to put together a series of three articles outlining what you should wear during each leg of the triathlon. Swimming is part one (read below). Triathlon Bike is part two and Triathlon Run is part three.

Wet Suits and swim Suits: There are triathlon swim suits and triathlon wet suits you can buy. TYR, Speedo and Hind are the top name brands, but you should choose something that is comfortable, fits well and is within your price range. Remember, you get what you pay for, though!

When you race, you should wear a somewhat tight swim suit or wet suit to avoid dragging too much water with you. Be sure it doesn't impair the movement of your limbs or cut off the circulation to any of your limbs.

When choosing a triathlon wet suit, you should consider the temperature of the water you will be swimming in. This will help you determine whether you should buy a full length wet suit, a short wet suit or something in between. There are so many different types to choose from, but trying them on and making sure that you buy one that fits snug, but is not constricting, will be your best bet! Check these out this unisex triathlon wetsuit .

Our pool swimmers say that any ocean swim requires a wet suit, but in fact, that's not so. You have to check with the rules for the event. Some allow wet suits and others don't. Our suggestion is to bring it with the intention of wearing it and then ditch it before the race if the event is a "no wet suit" event.

For Women: Women can choose from many styles when it comes to swim suits. There are a variety of one-piece swim suits with different patterns and lots of options when it comes to two piece triathlon suits. For the well-endowed ladies in the house, you may want to wear a bra under a one piece swim suit. Read more about which triathlon bra is recommended.

For Men: Men have options now too! Back in the day, men had two choices: A Speedo (small swim suit that left little to the imagination) and big loose heavy trunks ( that dragged the entire ocean with them). Both made the sport of swimming less attractive to the majority of males at some point because each had their drawbacks.

At last, top brand makers like TYR, Speedo and Hind have a line of men's swim suits that are less revealing and make you more streamlined in the water. They come in different patterns and lengths too. Some lengths end just above the knee and others end somewhere on the thigh. They are comfortable and you can also use them as bike shorts if you don't mind not having the padding in the butt area.

Sunscreen: Sunscreen is a must! Put this on before the swim to avoid wasting time during the race. This one won't make your face break out either!

Goggles: Woman and men should wear both swim caps and goggles for best results. There are many different brands out there and the best thing you can do is try on the equipment before you buy it. Goggles come in all shapes and sizes just as our faces do. Go to your local sports store and spend some time trying on the goggles so that you have something that is comfortable and fits well. If you find that the pair you bought leaks when you get in the water, take them off, dry them off, put them back inside the package and return them. If the store does not let you return them, keep them and find another sports store and continue your search for the perfect pair. Fortunately, goggles are rather inexpensive and you can afford to make a couple of mistakes. Having the right goggles makes a HUGE difference in a successful swim.

Transition:

• Take off the wetsuit (if you're wearing one)
• DO NOT TAKE OFF YOUR SWIM SUIT; DO NOT PUT ON UNDERWEAR; DO NOT PASS GO; DO NOT COLLECT $200
• Visit our Triathlon Swim Section to read more great tips!