It appears that USAT now allow buoyancy shorts in the swim outside of elite and national champs, unless its wetsuit mandatory or water is > 84F.
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WTAF??
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I had to google as I didnt believe it, but seems it is true.
From Bobbie Solomon, Rules Official: As for buoyancy shorts, this is a new rule implemented by USAT as part of an effort to encourage greater participation at the beginner level. The intent is to make the sport more accessible, particularly for athletes who may have concerns about open water swimming.
While buoyancy shorts can provide an advantage, USAT has determined that, at the non-championship level, the potential benefit of increasing participation and helping athletes feel safer in the water outweighs that concern. This decision applies solely to USAT-sanctioned events.
At this time, World Triathlon most likely will not adopt this rule, due to the competitive advantage such equipment can provide.
Bobbie Solomon
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Is it such a bad thing? Ive never worn a pair but I think that seems reasonable/acceptable.
Also likely safer and less effect on swim ability allowing buoyancy shorts at 24-27C water temps compared to a wetsuit at 23C.
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I think so, you go to a US based ānon-championshipā event and now need another item of expensive equipment to stay competitive, as they do make quite the difference.
One of my improvements for ironman was to introduce a āsportiveā ironman all about the medal and tatt and with relaxed rules beyond safety. That would be a good place for this but for me its another layer of dumbing down those that want to race (at any level, most of us raced events even if we werenāt pointy end)
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Doubtful. Although Iām sure everyone will say it.
My thoughts exactly, even though I donāt know what you posted.
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I want a thousand helium balloons strapped to my waist then.
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youād be basically a hovercraft
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Depends how many gels and how strong his stomach is.
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Could use one of those for swim bike and run?
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Probably so as WT rules are mainly about competition, fairness and an equal playing field for various levels from AG to Elite. But nothing to stop national feds having variations to WT rules - like USAT have done here, and BTF have in various areas.
If it increases participation, fine, but if someone has aspirations for podiums or champs then itās of little use to them. No harm in using buoyancy shorts as training aids much like floats, fins etc.
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Iāve never tried them, but are they just āwetsuit shortsā or much more buoyant than that?
Back in the day, there was an Aussie RD called Nick Munting (RIP). He was the RD of the first HIM in Singapore. I think a bit of political pressure was applied and locals could āopt outā of the swim if they wanted to. 
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There is some suggestion (good physiological mechanism, not any clear research evidence) wetsuits contribute to swimming induced pulmonary oedema.
And youāre usually quite set that swimmers arenāt dying of cardiac events, so I do wonder what you think theyāre dying of?
Yes good point, hadnāt considered that angle. Wrongly associated non-championship as non-competitive and was coming at it from a participation perspective.
ETA: Iād love to be a purist and say people should just learn to swim better, but then canāt completely disagree on something that potentially helps people feel better about participating, without affecting others or completely changing the complete point of the event (like say an ebike), especially when itās a smaller version of something we already allow in a full wetsuit
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And presumably there canāt be many non-wetsuit events.
If the argument is that we shouldnāt be allowing assistance or needing equipment then presumably thereād be rationale for reducing the temperature limit on wetsuits, especially for Olympic/70.3 with shorter durations, say towards 20-22C
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Are they quicker than swimskins? Because that is the extra bit of expensive equipment the competitive people who do non-wetsuit swims will already have.
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I couldnt answer for definite, but Iād guess quite a bit for slower swimmers as it raises the hips and lower body (rather than make it slightly more slippery)
I do wonder how much of an improvement a swimskin is these days with the advances in technology of race suits, seamless design etc, and the added time in T1 I wonder if there is any real benefit? Iāve never swam in one myself and havenāt tried a modern āaeroā trisuit so cant really comment on that
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Definitely, swimming is 18c and they swim up to 10k. We have to be mindful that they donāt then get on a bike, with windchill, but elite is 20c (or was iirc) in WT and above that I struggle with wetsuit anyway. Every borderline IM Id done Iāve cramped in the swim. I was shocked when they went from 24 > 25.8 originally as thatās basically anything below a competition pool temp.
ETA:-
I just wonder how many people think Id love to do a triathlon but not without floaty pants and will now have a go. I commented elsewhere about mandatory tow floats and Iād have thought for safety of the BOPāers that would actually make far more sense
Do you remember the story from Kona a few years back when all the portaloos in T1 were blocked up with them.
People had been wearing them under their trisuits and then nipped into the bog to get rid of them before the bike. Probably changed the rule to prevent a river of sh1t through T1.
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They probably would, but not perfect either. Swimming in a BOP ironman is carnage as you canāt trust anyone to hold their line, or have any awareness of whatās going on around them as they donāt have the spare bandwidth. Add hundreds of tow floats into a group whoāve never swam in a crowd before and can guarantee theyāll get caught up
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