Half Iron Man

Are you talking about full wetsuit and is the water temp going to allow wetsuits to be used?

if yes to both then absolutely they're worth it. got no clue about $100 one from rei but you can probably find a good one for $300.

if you do get one, use it a few times in open water before race day.

It will give you some bouyancy so will help but it's still a long swim. And if everyone else is using them if you aren't a strong swimmer you'll still get smoked. Practice getting it off when wet, it can be tricky and frustrating when you are trying to get on the bike quickly.

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It’s open water in Maryland. They are allowing wetsuits.

I was thinking a sleeveless with shorts.

My question is Will it ease the swimming process significantly? Or is it just for warmth?

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If you are doing Eagleman, I would use a wetsuit, but a sleaveless. The water can be pretty warm and uncomfortable in a full sleeved wetsuit. That time of the year there shouldn't be jellyfish, but that's another reason to wear one. Swimming in a wetsuit is significantly faster than without one because you are much more bouyant. It will also help save your legs a bit.

I would try to rent a wetsuit rather than buy if you are unsure. You can rent at online shops and they will ship it to you before the race.

wetsuit provides buoyancy in the mid section area which is typically what sinks on novice swimmers with bad form and or getting winded. when this happens you are in a more vertical position creating drag making a bad situation worse. It also can give you a confidence boost knowing you can simply flip over on you back and you will float without having to do anything if you get in trouble / panic.

if you're a novice swimmer or haven't spent time in open water try to get some workouts in it. following the black line is easy, spotting with people kicking you not so much.

Got any other tips for me?

I assume you are coming from the South? Eagleman is basically always the first really hot weekend in the mid-Atlantic. Just be aware that is will almost certainly be hit and the course is exposed. Getting sodium and electrolyte intake right is big for Eagleman. I’m a fan of salt pills. Easy to manage.

If temps allow, I would train without it. Did one years ago where my training partners thought it would be wetsuit legal only for it not to be. They had done 90% of their training in a wetsuit and really struggled with it.

I also did a tri where I had only used the wetsuit a few time to make sure there wasn't any chaffing. Having the wetsuit on for the half helped me breeze through it. If you can maintain good position in the water without a wetsuit you will do better with one. I wouldn't go with a half. Having the legs buoyant so you don't "seahorse" through the water is one of the main advantages a wetsuit gives you.

Not sure REI has swimming wetsuits. If you choose to get one invest in one that is designed for swimming. I have a Blue70 I use occasionally.

Not sure what you got from REI, but Xterra is having a sale.

Xterra

This is the suit I have. For $99, it's hard to beat. It's designed for swimming. And if you find something not on sale, try CO-STRONG in the discount code section. I think it's always %60 off with that.

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do have a sleeved and sleeveless wetsuit. Don't recall the size, but I can look. You can have either if they fit and you want to pay shipping.

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I’ll take them if they are XL. I’m about 230 ish.

I am still fairly new to triathlon (did marathons for a few years first). I did my first 70.3 last fall (finished just under 6 hours - not too shabby on a gravel bike - HA!) I am signed up for another 70.3 in September and love this sport. I clearly have a lot to learn, and this may not be what you are looking for, but a few things folks shared with me that I found helpful (for whatever that’s worth) are:
1) Most problems can be solved by going slower
2) Bi-lateral breathing is a good swimming skill to develop
3) Being in a comfortable aero position on the bike is better than some super aero position you can’t hold
4) People often blow up in the run because they went too hard on the bike.
5) Do the bulk of your training in zone 2
6) The fatigue builds in training and is no joke. Learn how to keep going… but you have to take a rest day.
7) Do at least a short run off of every bike ride (even if it’s only 10-20 minutes). I don’t think I will ever find running off the bike easy, but you can get used to the experience.
8) Speaking of which… enjoy the race experience. You are doing something many people are not blessed enough to be able to do. Go slow and zen the swim at the beginning. Find bliss on the bike and pick your spots to push. Then ramp it up on the second half of the run.
Zen… bliss… ramp.
Finish strong, take an awesome photo and celebrate!

Anyway, I don’t know you… but am proud of you and all the others that put yourself out there to take on challenges like this. We only get one turn on this merry go round. Go get ‘em tiger.

PS - In training, other than maybe a few OWS, don’t wear a wetsuit. In a race, if it’s allowed, wear the wetsuit, swim your typical cadence and I bet you will fly!!!