If you’ve ever wrestled a wetsuit onto dry, post-sunscreen skin five minutes before a race start, you know the feeling: it’s tight, it’s grabby, and you’re suddenly convinced you bought the wrong size. You haven’t. You just haven’t learned the tricks that turn a ten-minute struggle into a calm, two-minute routine.
Putting on a swim-specific wetsuit - the kind designed for open water and triathlon, not surfing - is a skill. And like sighting or bilateral breathing, it gets easier every time you practice it. Here’s the method that keeps the shoulders free, the seams healthy, and your pre-swim heart rate low.
First: Understand Why It’s Tight (That’s the Point)
A swimming wetsuit works by fitting closely enough to trap a thin layer of water against your skin, which your body warms for insulation. It also lifts your hips and legs into a faster body position - buoyancy equals speed. To do that, the suit has to be snug. On dry land, that can feel borderline compressive, especially through the torso and legs. In the water, it relaxes just enough to let you move freely.
If the suit slips on like a sweatshirt, it’s too loose. If you can’t breathe deeply once it’s seated, it’s likely too small. The middle ground is the sweet spot, and the donning process preserves that fit without damaging the neoprene.
What You’ll Need
- Your Blue70 wetsuit (any model - the technique is the same)
- Plastic produce bags, thin plastic grocery bags, or dedicated wetsuit socks (optional, but transformative)
- A flat, clean surface to stand on - grass, a towel, or a mat
- Cool, dry hands - no sunscreen, body glide, or oils above the ankles and wrists until the suit is on
Step-by-Step: The Low-Drama Donning Routine
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Turn the suit inside out - legs only.
Start with the wetsuit right-side out. Fold the upper body down so you’re holding the legs. Reach inside each leg and grab the ankle cuff, then pull it through so the leg is inside out, stopping just above the knees. Leave the rest of the suit right-side out. This gives you a shorter, more manageable tube to start with.
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Bag your feet.
Slide each foot into a plastic bag. The bags eliminate the friction between dry skin and dry neoprene liner, so your foot glides through the leg opening without catching. This single step saves more fingernail punctures than any other habit. If you use wetsuit socks, same principle.
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Work the first leg up to the knee.
Slide your bagged foot into the inside-out leg opening. Grab the neoprene from the outside - your fingers should touch only the outer surface, never pinching the thin inner lining - and inch the leg up past your ankle, calf, and knee. Once the leg is seated knee-high, peel the bag off and pull it out through the foot hole. Repeat with the other leg.
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Pull the suit up carefully, not forcefully.
With both legs in to the knee, grip the neoprene at the shins and work the suit up your thighs in small tugs. Never yank from the waist or hip panels. Use flat hands and a patient, shimmying motion. Once the legs are fully up and the crotch panel is snug against your body, the lower half is done.
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Settle the torso.
Now pull the body of the suit up over your hips and waist. For women’s suits, Blue70’s Femme Fit designs include an extended zipper length that helps clear wider hips with less tugging - a small detail that makes a real difference when you’re on your own in transition. Work the neoprene up your lower back and belly, then slide your arms through one at a time. Keep the shoulders relaxed; don’t reach skyward until the suit is fully on.
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Zip up and lock down the neck.
Have a buddy draw the zipper cord upward smoothly. If you’re solo, use the long leash - every Blue70 wetsuit includes one - and pull in a straight line. Once zipped, the neck seal should sit flush without gaping. The Fusion model, redesigned in 2021, features a lower-sitting neckline that maintains the watertight seal while significantly reducing that “I’m being gently strangled” sensation. Tuck the leash into the back panel so it doesn’t flap on the swim.
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Dial in the shoulders last.
This is the step that prevents the mid-swim arm fatigue people mistake for a bad fit. With the suit zipped, reach across your body and pull excess neoprene up from your biceps and lats toward your shoulder blades. On a Blue70 Helix or Reaction, where the shoulder panels use extremely flexible high-cell Yamamoto neoprene, you’ll feel the difference immediately - the material moves where it’s supposed to, freeing your catch and recovery. Do a few slow arm circles. The suit should feel like a second skin, not a straitjacket.
Quick Trouble Spots
- Heel tears: Always use bags or wetsuit socks. Every fingernail puncture and heel tear is preventable. If you do snag a seam, a thin smear of neoprene cement (we carry Aquaseal) will seal it.
- Zipper won’t close: Gently press the two sides together from bottom to top before pulling the cord. If you’re fighting it, something is twisted or bunched - stop, reassess, don’t force it.
- Excess bunching behind the knees: Smooth it upward with flat hands. A little billowing in the lower legs is normal; chase a clean fit through the thighs and hips.
Practice at Home, On Purpose
The time to learn this is not race morning. Try on your wetsuit at home twice before your first open water swim. You’ll build muscle memory, identify any personal pinch points, and - most importantly - confirm the fit under no pressure. Blue70’s Test Swim policy lets you take the suit for a real swim and still return or exchange it within 30 days, as long as it’s clean, dry, and unmodified. So don’t just stand in it. Get it wet. That’s where the suit comes alive.
A Suit That Works With You
All Blue70 wetsuits are cut for swimming, not surfing. That means the freedom starts in the design: flexible shoulder panels, buoyancy panels that lift your hips without locking your rotation, and necklines that keep water out without choking. The donning process is the last step in getting that design to perform. Get it right, and your wetsuit disappears before the first buoy.
Find your size in 30 seconds with our sizing tool, and take it for a swim. Happy swimming!
