A swimskin is a thin, non-buoyant race suit built for warm-water swims. A wetsuit is a thicker, buoyant neoprene suit that insulates and lifts you in cold water. The difference matters because picking the wrong one means either overheating and fighting a wetsuit in warm water, or shivering through an open water swim without the buoyancy and thermal protection that a wetsuit provides.
What a swimskin actually does
A swimskin sits on top of your regular tri kit or swimsuit. It covers your torso and, depending on the cut, your arms. The fabric is thin, hydrophobic, and designed to smooth the surface of your body as you move through the water. There is no neoprene, no foam, and no meaningful buoyancy.
Blue70 swimskins are engineered to reduce drag by giving water less to grab. The material sheds water faster than bare skin or a textile swimsuit, and it compresses just enough to keep everything streamlined without restricting your stroke. Because the suit is so thin, you keep a direct feel for the water; you’re not floating higher or fighting a buoyant suit that changes your body position. In a race where a wetsuit isn’t allowed or would be too hot, a swimskin lets you carry some of the hydrodynamic advantage of a covered surface while staying within the rules and staying cool.
The Blue70 swimskin story
Blue70 has been racing swimskins since the pointzero3 suits worn by Kona winners in the mid-2000s. That lineage evolved into the PZ series, and the brand was the first to introduce a short-sleeved swimskin, in 2016, giving athletes overhead coverage without the arm restriction or heat build-up of a neoprene sleeve. The current swimskin lineup builds on that work with fabric and patterning refinements that target minimal drag and maximum freedom in the shoulders. (Check the swimskin collection on the site for the latest models and cuts.)
When to reach for a swimskin instead of a wetsuit
Think of water temperature as the switch. When water climbs above roughly 70 to 72°F, a full neoprene wetsuit can turn a long swim into an overheating struggle. Sanctioning bodies will often ban wetsuits at those temperatures as well. That’s the swimskin’s moment.
A wetsuit, by contrast, thrives in cooler water. Blue70 wetsuits use Yamamoto neoprene in 38, 39, and 40 cell grades, which provides buoyancy and insulation. They lift your hips and legs, improve body position, and keep you warm during training and racing. The flagship Helix, the workhorse Reaction, the entry Sprint, and the cold-water-ready Thermal Reaction all serve those functions for different water temperatures and athlete needs. The swimskin doesn’t attempt any of that. It exists solely to shave drag on race day when the water is warm.
Always verify wetsuit-legal temperature rules for your specific event. Cutoffs vary by organization and year, so don’t rely on memory.
Key differences at a glance
- Buoyancy: Wetsuit: significant lift from strategic foam panels. A properly fitted Blue70 wetsuit keeps your hips high and reduces drag by correcting your body position. Swamskin: none. You’ll swim in the same position you’d hold without a suit; only the surface drag changes.
- Thermal protection: Wetsuit: neoprene traps a thin layer of water that your body warms, providing insulation. Cold-water models add a Zirconium jersey lining for extra warmth. Swamskin: none. You’ll feel the water temperature directly through the fabric.
- Material and thickness: Wetsuit: 1.5mm to 5mm Yamamoto neoprene, depending on the model and panel location. Swamskin: thin, hydrophobic textile, often with a compressive weave. No neoprene.
- Fit and feel: Wetsuit: snug on land, more comfortable in the water. The fit restricts breathing if it’s pulled too high on the torso, which is why donning correctly matters. Swamskin: tight like a race suit, but you can breathe freely. It won’t alter your reach or catch, so your stroke stays natural.
- Race function: Wetsuit: mandatory for cold-water events; a performance advantage at any legal temperature because buoyancy equals speed. Swamskin: optional in warm-water events where wetsuits are banned or impractical. It’s a layer you add for milliseconds, not a survival tool.
How to wear and care for a swimskin
You’ll put a swimskin on over your tri suit or one-piece right before the swim start. Unlike a wetsuit, there’s no zipper wrestling or delicate neoprene to protect from fingernail punctures during changing, but the fabric is still thin and needs careful handling. Pinch the material with your fingers, not your nails, and pull gently. In transition, the swimskin strips off like a tight jacket; no buoyancy to peel over your ankles means a cleaner, faster T1.
Rinse the suit with fresh water after every saltwater or chlorinated swim and let it air-dry out of direct sunlight. The hydrophobic coating and fabric integrity will degrade faster if you leave sweat, sunscreen, or salt drying in the material.
Warm-water racing puts you in a narrow window where a wetsuit is too much and a bare tri kit leaves speed on the table. A Blue70 swimskin fits that gap. You can explore the full swimskin lineup, along with size charts and fitting guidance, at blueseventy.com.
Dive in.
