Tri-specific wetsuits are quite different from those made for other sports.

Tri-wetsuits are made for swimming. Thus, they are super stretchy in the arm and shoulder area. The idea is to improve flexibility and reach, and to eliminate or reduce shoulder fatigue.

Other sports do not have the range-of-motion demands of swimming, and therefore are never truly stretchy enough in the shoulder area. (Stiffer neoprenes mean tired shoulders. I've also read that women tend to have faster arm turnover than men, so it's even more important for women.) This stiffer, less expensive neoprene saves alot of money for the manufacturers and is one of the big cost factors in why tri wetsuits tend to be very expensive relative to your average boogie boarding suit.

Tri wetsuits should NEVER be used for anything other than swimming. The neoprenes are not made to be rubbing up against things like scuba tanks, kayaks, etc. One inappropriate outing with a tri wetsuit can destroy it.

Tri wetsuits are multi-paneled, with varying widths (measured in millimeters, typically 1.5 to 5mm) depending upon placements (affects bouyancy) and how much stretch is required in a particular area.

If you are busty or hippy (or short), go for a women's suit. More appropriately shaped in the butt, waist & bust, and with more appropriate torso lengths. Many people feel claustrophobic in wetsuits - having one that fits right will help reduce this feeling.

Full vs longjohn (or shorties): You will swim faster in a full suit. If you care about this, buy the full.

Hope this helps!