[Closed] Swimming wetsuit - commando or not?

It's up to you I guess but I always wear trunks.

What might make a difference is how busy it is where you are swimming. I try to remove my wetsuit at the waters edge. Wearing trunks lets me wander up the shore to get dry/dressed.

In 25yrs of surfing I’ve never worn anything under a wetsuit.

I also go commando under my wetsuit, never thought not to tbh.

I used to spend a considerable amount of time in a wetsuit (PADI Divemaster)

I always wore swimmers, but only so to not expose myself in public when getting out of said wetsuit.

For kayaking I tend to leave boxers on underneath.

I always wore swimmers, but only so to not expose myself in public when getting out of said wetsuit.

I've never worn anything under a wettie, in two decades of shite surfing that's one thing it's easy to get right. Re the carpark drawbacks, true story: I was getting changed before I had one of those robe things, towel slipped off just as two old women were walking past. One almost had a stroke. But she wasn't quick enough...

Speedos under. Just to avoid flashing my lad post swim changing really.

Hive mind verdict required to settle dispute!

I go commando under my swimming wetsuit, it’s a 4/3 winter(ish) suit, it’s never occurred to me to wear anything under it. Don’t use it for triathlon or anything weirdo like that, I just like swimming for fun.

Mrs Tyred is horrified by this, and has lined up some of her triathlon friends (she’s not a triathlete BTW) to tell me how wrong I am. One of them ruined her credibility as a witness though by going on to describe wearing underwear under bibshorts.

So, am I right or hopelessly wrong?

You are correct, never wear anything under the wetsuit. Use a towel/poncho thing to get changed whilst preserving my modesty.

One almost had a stroke. But she wasn’t quick enough…

Ba dum tisch 🙂

Usually wear some trunks as I'm usually getting changed in car parks. It's a load easier to get your legs out if you're not having to balance a towel around your waist

yeah quite acceptable as long as you have a method for changing without indecent exposure, but that depends on the temperature of the water....

I don't wear anything underneath a wetsuit, swimming or otherwise.
Don't want chafage.
I normally unzip the top half in the water anyway.
Only wear at most a sleeveless shorty for swimming year round and now it is warm will be back to jammers.
Budgie smugglers are wrong (my opinion anyway).
Got a changing robe anyway so it's easy, plus when it's cold there is nothing to wave around anyway

Trunks for me to make it easier to get changed that's all. I don't care either way for any other reason.

Budgie smugglers to moderate the level of indecent exposure as I'm twanging and grunting my way out of the thing afterwards.

One almost had a stroke. But she wasn’t quick enough…
Ba dum tisch 🙂

The old ones are the best (jokes not pensioners).

And in answer to the question, commando every time.

Always commando unless there's a chance of indecent exposure while changing. Got one of those robe towels last year which work well. The shite weather is now making me wonder whether I "need" one of those fancy dry robe thingummies.

The only time to wear anything under a wetsuit is if it's borrowed and especially if it's rented. I remember all to well working in waterski parks and on occasion hanging up the returned rentals...

One almost had a stroke. But she wasn’t quick enough…
Ba dum tisch 🙂

The old ones are the best (jokes not pensioners)

This used to be my favourite joke. But now I'm old I find (i) the old women don't look that old any more; (ii) they'd no longer need to be particularly quick; (iii) the chances of their having any interest at all are not high.

Does anyone remember rash vests? (As in a vest you wore under your wettie, in the 90s, that gave you a rash.)

I only use a wetsuit if coasteering really rather than swimming and for both I'll have jammer style swimming trucks on, but more for the sake of others I'm with, or might meet.

Towelling poncho changing robes are great, so much better than the carry on with a towel and solve any decency issues.

Does anyone remember rash vests? (As in a vest you wore under your wettie, in the 90s, that gave you a rash.)

I presume that's a quality/fit thing? I always wear them as otherwise I get nasty friction rash in the more moveable bits (armpits and across the chest), and all over if it's a 3+ day event, especially in salt water.

I've got rash tights as well for those events.

The only other thing I wear under it is hiking pads but that's a dinghy sailing thing.

Speedos under for me. I can then strip off wetsuit in full view of the general public allowing them a glimpse of my physical perfection.

No Speedos would end up with me on some kind of register I don't want to be on.

Ideally commando, but as others have said if there isn't a decent changing situation then Speedos help

Speedos. Chaffage. Also Stand in a giant plastic trug then drop the suit into that rather than onto the sand/ground. Car park changing is not just the preserve of surfers - see TTists 😉

I remember all to well working in waterski parks and on occasion hanging up the returned rentals…

I remember being told a story once of a group of friends surfing together. One of them needed a shit, and the others managed to convince him it would be just like pissing in a suit, it would flush through…results were pretty horrific…

Trunks for me, purely for changing in public. Jammer type though as I am certainly no Tom Daley!!

Has no one raised the issue of wetsuit warmers yet?

Does anyone remember rash vests? (As in a vest you wore under your wettie, in the 90s, that gave you a rash.)

I thought it was to stop you getting a rash from your board when you aren't wearing a suit.

depends if you ever think you'll sell the wetsuit afterwards...eww

I'm curious to know what kind of swimming stroke are you doing in a wetsuit that results in chaffing around your nethers?🤪

pissing in a suit

I know I will be alone on this one but I just don’t get this. Why would I want to pee in my wetsuit?

My wife thinks I’m mad, but I never have and never will do this. I’ve not wet myself for over 40 years, just because I’m wearing a wetsuit doesn’t make it ok.

I don’t make a habit of it, but if I need a piss when I’m surfing I’m not getting out and stripping off my wetsuit to have one.

I bet you don’t piss in the shower either..

Pee in it if you have to, but to take a crap like the story up there is a while different level.

Pissing in a wetsuit, and pissing in the shower are definitely both ok.

Why would I want to pee in my wetsuit?

Could be worse. I sailed with someone who mid race went for a wetsuit pee.

Only to remember he was wearing his new drysuit... #sloshyfoot

Much the same as wearing other clothes I find a good pair of briefs best inside my wetsuit. Never liked the feeling of tackle pasted to the inside of my leg.
As for weeing in your wetsuit, if you’re a regular user of any sort of a decent wetsuit you really need to consider whether pissing in it is a great plan.
Also as a kitesurfer I use ankle straps to prevent water shooting up the legs, so if I wee then I’m walking around with a wetsuit full of wee for the next few hours... Although some wetsuit cleaning shampoos seem to infer it’s quite acceptable...

https://www.wetsuitoutlet.co.uk/2021-rip-curl-piss-off-wetsuit-shampoo-w2poff-p-6562.html?products_id=6562&source=googleshopping&lang_ovd=en&ds_rl=1279491&gclid=CjwKCAjwqIiFBhAHEiwANg9szoXFhGu7gcRkHMY6mgjFcc0bwRE2iQEMVFO2KRKYiTX6v9--_cZPOBoCrTsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Ah ffs, in North Sea, in Feb, for a 2 hour surf fired by strong coffee, you'll find two types of surfers: those admit to pissing in their wetties and liers. There may be some freak bladdered dehydrated outliers to this rule, but I've never met one and certainly not got changed in the same van 🤮

Slightly different tho, the guy who pissed copiously in his cheap 3:2 with untaped seams whilst walking down to the beach, treating the folks sat each side of the path to a fine spray...

(Poo story is one of Al's, still monkeying about up and down the NE. I have never asked for details or verification, wanting neither.)

Ah ffs, in North Sea, in Feb, for a 2 hour surf fired by strong coffee, you’ll find two types of surfers: those admit to pissing in their wetties and liers.

Surely you can hold it for 2 hours?

I also sail on a couple of London's water supply reservoirs, so if I pee'd then a few million people would be drinking it 🤣

I'm in the "I don't understand why you would unless absolutely desperate camp".

1) Modern wetsuits are pretty dry, it's not getting flushed out anytime soon. Especially if you tuck your boots/gloves in.

2) Do you piss in the car? The beach is rarely further than a motorway service station.

I also sail on a couple of London’s water supply reservoirs

Sitting in a boat is not bobbing about in the north sea in February. I wear modern top of the range suits (believe me!) and they absolutely do flush when you come off a wave, duckdive, or whatever. You stay just about warm but are very conscious of being in cold water. I've never heard of using straps or anything on ankles. As for tucking in boots/gloves, what else would you do if not hiring for the first time?

Ankle straps are very good for kitesurfing as you are travelling at speed and otherwise the spray can give you massive balloon legs.

The beach is rarely further than a motorway service station.

Do you piss on a beach?

Do you piss on a beach?

Not all the time, but location depending there may well be a toilet block. Failing that I'd rather piss behind a sandune though than in my clothes. 🤷‍♂️

Sitting in a boat is not bobbing about in the north sea in February.

I think you underestimate how wet dinghies are 🤣. You could argue the opposite too, reservoirs are generally a lot colder than the sea over the winter months.

Veary rarely worn anything under my surfing suit, but do wear budgie smugglers under my swimming suit and kick pants, mainly for ease of getting changed at the pool or lake as the swimming suit isn't as easy on/ off as my surfing suit.

I think maybe what you're doing whilst wearing the suit does comes into it. I'm normally sat in a kayak, sailing a Laser etc so don't want to sit in my own pee.

However even if swimming/surfing isn't the whole point of a wetsuit (beyond the thermal properties of the neoprene) is that it holds water next to the skin which warms up and acts as a insulation layer. Constant flushing of the warmed water would make it less effective?

db is right, if you pee into a wetsuit then the pee goes from body temp to water temp making you feel cold, and you get p1ssrash which isn't good.

if the pee is just flushing straight out then the wetsuit needs to fit better, I have a MTM freediving wetsuit with smoothskin inner that I need to slosh some cheap hair conditioner through to put on but there are still traces of the conditioner when I take the suit off because it's that efficient at holding the moisture.
I appreciate that a swimming wetsuit will have more flush than a diving suit though.

I appreciate that a swimming wetsuit will have more flush than a diving suit though.

My diving suit is semi-dry. I really try not to piss in it.

kite sufing, diving, sailing... I think what we learn is that only a surfer knows the feeling... 🙂

I endured a full hour lecture as GB Youth Squad sailor (next seat was a certain Mr/Sir Ainslie) on going to the loo while bobbing around in a Laser / 420 / etc.

A few 'highlights' include women using the daggerboard slot as a seat.

No.2 could be hiking over stern.

Trapeze and squeeze

(etc)

The old ones are the best (jokes not pensioners).

Though pensioners are grateful.

I wear trunks just to make it easier to change.

But my mate wears a full tri suit under his as he is so hairy the hairs get caught in the zip and jam it. He is VERY hairy though.

I think maybe what you’re doing whilst wearing the suit does comes into it. I’m normally sat in a kayak, sailing a Laser etc so don’t want to sit in my own pee.

wouldnt a drysuit be a better choice for sailing anyway?

But my mate wears a full tri suit under his as he is so hairy the hairs get caught in the zip and jam it. He is VERY hairy though.

Could he not just put some sort of hydrophobic coating on his hair then he wouldn't need a wetsuit and would float on top of the water like a giant pond skater

Slight digression: rashies cut down friction and make paddling/swimming easier and save you from burning up in the heat, don't knock em. Trunks can give you rashes.

I know I will be alone on this one but I just don’t get this. Why would I want to pee in my wetsuit?

To warm yourself up.