Spring suit and shorty are wetsuit categories that started on surf breaks. A spring suit gives you short arms and full-length legs. A shorty cuts both the arms and legs short. Swimmers borrow both labels, but a freestyle stroke changes what each cut actually does in the water.
For open-water swimmers and triathletes, coverage matters more than the name on the rack. The real choice is how much neoprene sits over your shoulders and how much wraps your hips and legs.
Shorty vs. spring suit: what the labels mean
A shorty ends the sleeves above the elbow and the legs just below the hip. A spring suit ends the sleeves above the elbow and keeps the legs full length. Both reduce shoulder coverage compared with a full-sleeve wetsuit. That matters because freestyle rotation takes your shoulder through extension, catch, and recovery thousands of times in one session.
Neoprene over the shoulders and upper arms can add resistance and fatigue. A sleeveless cut removes it entirely. Blue70's Glide Short John uses a sleeveless, short-leg design for warm-water swimming. The Reaction Sleeveless keeps full-length legs and removes the sleeves completely.
Shoulder mobility is the first filter
Freestyle punishes shoulder restriction. Every stroke cycles through a long range. Blue70 wetsuits use Yamamoto neoprene in 38, 39, and 40 cell constructions. Higher cell numbers add flexibility. Even flexible neoprene creates more resistance than bare skin over a long swim. A spring suit with short arms still places material exactly where a swimmer rotates. If shoulder freedom is the priority, bare arms often win.
Lower-body lift is the performance piece
In swimming, buoyancy equals speed. Neoprene low on the body lifts your hips and legs, flattens your position, and reduces drag. A spring suit with full-length legs spreads that lift across your thighs and calves. A shorty leaves more of the leg uncovered, so it provides less lower-body support. Beginners gain proportionally more from that effect than advanced swimmers.
Triathletes also care about transitions. Short legs pull off faster than full legs. A shorty can save seconds in T1 when the water is warm enough. That trade-off is real, not theoretical.
Water temperature and swim duration
Below roughly 56 to 58 degrees Fahrenheit, a purpose-built thermal suit adds meaningful warmth. Above roughly 70 to 72 degrees, a full suit can feel too warm over longer swims. That leaves a narrow band where spring suits and shorties earn their place. A shorty works for warm-water swimming, usually above 70°F, and shorter sessions. A spring suit can reach into slightly cooler water because the full legs cover more surface area. Neither is a cold-water suit.
Duration shifts the math. A 20-minute swim at 72°F feels different from a 60-minute swim at the same temperature because metabolic heat builds. If you are training for an hour, lean toward less coverage in the 70°F range. Check the race rulebook before choosing any suit for race day. Wetsuit-legal temperature cutoffs vary by sanctioning body.
Fit and small damage points
Both suits should feel snug on dry land and more comfortable once water enters and warms. A shorty is easier to pull on. A spring suit needs more patience over the hips and legs. Fingernail punctures are the most common damage point, especially when pulling neoprene up the calf or thigh. Use the pads of your fingers, not the nails.
Women's models use Femme Fit patterns, refined at the bust, torso, wrists, and ankles, with a lowered neckline and a longer zipper for easier entry. Rinse any suit in fresh water after salt or chlorine and dry it inside-out away from heat. Small tears repair cleanly with Aquaseal neoprene cement.
The decision in 30 seconds
- Fast T1, warm water, minimal lower-body lift needed: short legs, short arms.
- Better hip position in mild water, willing to spend a few extra seconds stripping it: full legs, bare shoulders.
- Shoulder fatigue after long swims: bare arms first.
- Water below roughly 60°F: skip both and reach for a thermal or full-sleeve suit.
Use the Blue70 wetsuit sizing tool to match the coverage you choose to your measurements. It takes about 30 seconds.
All for the swim.
