Wetsuit Shaming in San Francisco Divides Bay Area Swimmers – WSJ

Cold-water immersion is having a moment these days, with growing numbers of fans plunging into low-temperatures to try to feel better. But in San Francisco, the chatter about chilly water goes much deeper than in most places.

It is home to the great wetsuit divide.

The wetsuit has a long history in San Francisco, popularized by Jack O Neill in 1952 to ward off hypothermia in surfers. With the water hovering just above 50 degrees this month and air temperature in the 50s too that is just one of many hazards Bay swimmers face: they could exhaust themselves fighting strong currents, be bitten by aggressive sea lions, or even cross paths with the occasional ocean tanker. And yet, some Bay swimmers refuse to wear these potentially lifesaving devices because they consider them a form of cheating. Or, even if they like them, as did Ms. Gower, they don t want the hassle of wetsuit shaming.

The wetsuit split is legendary in Bay aquatics. Some local triathlete pages call wetsuits wuss suits. Over the years, in actual cold cases, wetsuits have mysteriously vanished from the changing room at the South End Rowing Club, a 150-year-old home to many Bay swimmers.

via www.wsj.com

“Wet suit weenies” I’ve heard them called. Anybody who swims in the bay has my respect.