You are here
Swimwear for Open Water
There are 2 categories.
Category 1
- Suits can only be made from textile materials.
- For men and women:
- the swimsuit shall not cover the neck and shall not extend past the shoulder nor below the ankles.
- the swimsuit can not contains clasps or zippers.
- No rashguards. No armbands. No tape on the body.
Category 2 (other swimwear and wetsuits)
- All other swimwear (e.g. wetsuits, last year’s technical suits like Blue 70’s, rash guards and arm bands.) are permitted.
- No type of tape on the body is allowed, unless approved by the event director or event referee.
- Once the water temperature reaches 78 degrees, wetsuits are not allowed.
Rules for both Categories
- Allowed: Cap(s), neoprene caps, nose clips, ear plugs, wristwatches and grease.
- Not Allowed:
- Any device or substance that helps your speed, like webbed gloves, fins, snorkels.
- The use of any kind of tape that purports to provide muscle compression; muscle, joint, or ligament stabilization; or other physical benefits, including therapeutic elastic tape or similar products, is never permitted in USMS competition.
From: USMS Open Water/Long Distance Rules
http://www.usms.org/rules/part3.pdf
Additional clarification on the use of tape:
https://www.usms.org/rules/20160626_therapeutictape.pdf