At first, without a little practice and some caution, putting on a triathlon wetsuit can be difficult. Wetsuits are tight and do not slide easily on the skin and unfortunately it is not uncommon to ruin them during the first dressing sessions causing small cuts. To make less effort and avoid possible damage, a little technique and a few simple tricks are enough.
Obviously start with the feet. Find a good place to sit, turn the wetsuit almost all the way up to half the leg, and put one foot into the wetsuit. Don't force it yet and make sure the zip is at the back. Then grab the wetsuit on both sides of the leg from the inside (not the smooth side!), point your toes and then push your foot through the ankle opening. Try to do this in one motion, as it puts less stress on the joints of the wetsuit. Repeat this procedure with the other foot. It can help at this stage to put a cellophane bag around the ankle to make it easier to slide or use a massage oil. The important thing is to grab the wetsuit from the inside and be careful not to dig your nails into the outside.
Continue with the legs. Now that your feet are in the wetsuit, stand up and pull the wetsuit up to your waist, turning it up as you pull it up. Proceed little by little, always pulling from the bottom up, taking care to always pull the wetsuit by grabbing it from the inside. Remember that it is a wetsuit and not a pair of jeans: do not grab it from the hips because you would ruin it, but always start from the bottom.
Wetsuits tend to stick to themselves and your skin: gently separate the areas that tend to stick and that are stuck. Do not force the wetsuit by pulling it too hard and proceed very gradually.
Then the arms. The next step is to put on your upper body. With the suit pulled up to your hips you should be able to put your arms through the sleeves and pull the suit over your shoulders. Put one arm in at a time: adjust one arm completely before putting the other in. Pulling the suit over your shoulders will help it fit better around your hips. Swinging your arms will help the suit spread evenly over your body.
Finally, the zipper. While it’s easier to have someone help you zip up, it’s a good idea to learn how to do it yourself. This may take some practice, but it’ll be worth it when you’re in a situation where there’s no one to help you. To make the zipper slide more easily, rotate your shoulder blades and reach your arms behind your head, then pull the cord gently with both hands. Tip: Pull the zipper a little before putting on your wetsuit so you don’t have to fiddle with it behind your back.
One final word of caution: it is easiest to put on your wetsuit legs while sitting, however it can be difficult to find a good place to sit. Stones, concrete, gravel and rocks are the wetsuit’s worst enemies and wetsuits are often ruined on the beach because of this.