You probably picked your last wetsuit based on the chest, legs, and zipper. The collar got a quick glance, if that. Yet the collar is the part most likely to cause trouble in an early season swim. A gap at the throat flushes cold water through the suit with every head turn. A collar that rides too high shortens your neck and makes sighting feel stiff. Neither problem shows up on a size chart.
Blueseventy has built swim-specific wetsuits since 1993. The neckline has changed a lot over those years, and the current design sits lower, flatter, and much less intrusive. But it still has one job to do: control water exchange.
What the Collar Actually Does
A wetsuit lets a thin layer of water sit between the neoprene and your skin, and your body warms that layer. The collar controls how often that warm layer gets pushed out and replaced by cold water. Every time you turn your head to breathe or sight, water moves across the neck. Blood vessels run close to the surface there, so a flushing collar feels cold fast.
Head position gets affected too. A high collar that presses upward makes you shorten your neck. You drop your chin. That changes body position and makes sighting harder. A lower collar does not need to be loose to be comfortable. The seal comes from flat contact with skin, not from climbing higher up the neck. That is why Blueseventy moved the Fusion collar down in 2021.
Four Collar Patterns You Will See
- High fold-over with a hook-and-loop tab. This was standard for years. The tab lets you adjust circumference, but extra material can bunch at the front of your throat.
- Low-profile stretch collar. Less material, no folding. The fit comes from the pattern and the neoprene's stretch.
- Lower-sitting collar with a short tab. This is the pattern on the 2021 Fusion redesign. The top edge stays away from the chin without losing the seal.
- Roll-down collar. Common on warm-water and swimrun suits. Minimal coverage and an open feel, with less thermal protection.
Why Blueseventy Lowered the Fusion Collar in 2021
The 2021 Fusion moved the top edge from the upper throat toward the base of the neck, which keeps the suit out of the way when you sight and when you swim with a neutral head. The redesigned collar still seals because it lies flat around the full circumference. No folds, no gaps.
The Fusion costs $420 and is a mid-range suit. It is built for shorter, frequent swims where comfort and durability matter more than race-day thinness. Every Blueseventy wetsuit uses Yamamoto neoprene in 38, 39, and 40 cell. Higher cell numbers mean more flexibility. The Helix uses thin neoprene in the arms and shoulders, which gives it the most freedom in the line. The Reaction at $680 suits longer, more frequent swims. The Sprint at $325 gives a swim-specific fit without the upper-end materials.
Reading a Collar Before You Swim
Put the suit on fully before judging the neck. Bring the legs and torso all the way up, then the shoulders. A collar that feels wrong with the suit half on often settles flat once the suit sits properly.
Check the front first. It should rest against the base of your neck with no fold and no air gap when you look forward. Turn your head as if sighting. The collar should not lift or roll. Slide a finger under it. You want even resistance, not a channel.
If the hook-and-loop tab pulls the collar into a wrinkle, loosen it. The tab adjusts fit; it should not force the neckline into position. A too-tight tab limits head movement and presses the edge into your skin. When you zip up, the collar should not need force to close. If you are yanking, the suit might be too small through the torso, not the neck.
Chafing, Salt, and Turning Your Head
Open water chafing on the neck comes from repeated motion. Every sighting lifts your head and stretches the front of the neck. Every breath rotates your head to one side. A high, stiff collar rubs the same patch each time.
Salt water dries into tiny crystals that add grit. Chlorine can make the collar edge feel tacky against skin. Rinse your suit after every swim. It removes the salt and chlorine that increase friction.
A lower neckline reduces the amount of neoprene touching your throat. That can reduce rubbing after long swims, especially if you have a short neck or a prominent Adam's apple. If you still get a collar mark, check your torso fit. A suit that is too large through the shoulders will shift, and the collar will drag across your skin. Correct torso fit is part of collar comfort.
The Collar in T1
Most wetsuit exits stall at the shoulders. A high, stiff collar catches under the chin when you pull the suit down. A lower neckline clears the chin earlier, so the suit slides over the shoulders in one motion. That matters in sprint and Olympic races where the clock keeps running in transition.
Practice the sequence after a swim. Undo the zipper, pull the collar away from your neck first, then work the suit down from the shoulders. Keep the hook-and-loop tab closed while you pull so it does not snag.
Care and Storage
The hook-and-loop tab is the most abused part of a collar. When it is left open, the hook side catches neoprene and pulls threads loose. Fasten it to the landing patch before rinsing or storing the suit. Rinse the collar in fresh water after salt, chlorine, or lake swims. Hang the suit from the waist or lay it flat. Hanging a wet suit by the collar stretches the neckline and changes the fit. Keep it out of hot cars and direct sun. The collar edge is thin and loses shape before the rest of the suit.
Matching a Collar to Water Temperature and Swim Frequency
Below roughly 56 to 58°F, a thermal suit adds meaningful warmth, and the collar still has to lie flat. A gap flushes the warmed layer. The Thermal Reaction at $785 is fully lined with Zirconium jersey for cold water. Above roughly 70 to 72°F, a full suit can feel warm over a long swim. Many athletes switch to a sleeveless suit or a suit with a more open neckline.
Cold water swimming carries risks. Acclimate gradually, swim with a buddy, and plan to get warm afterward. A wetsuit adds thermal protection. It does not replace judgment.
Where Collar Design Is Heading
The direction at Blueseventy has been toward softer fronts, firmer zipper landings, and collar edges that stay flat through full head extension. Better edge finishing matters more than pushing the collar lower. Most irritation comes from the seam and raw edge, not from collar height.
Neck fit is easier to judge in the water than on a shop floor. That is why the Test Swim exists. Swim in the suit, rinse it clean, let it dry, and you can still exchange it within 30 days of the ship date if the collar feels wrong. Sort out the collar before race morning and you will spend less energy adjusting the neckline and more energy swimming.
Happy swimming.
