ZONE3 STREAMLINE

£195 Will the Steamline fill the entry-level swimskin niche?

The Streamline swimskin is said to offer extra core support to negate the loss of buoyancy from a wetsuit for those exotic locations (and even the UK very occasionally) when the water temperature calls for a non-wetsuit swim. It’s described as ‘entry-level’, an unusual pitch as swimskins are typically seen on elite swimmers who want every advantage in non-wetsuit swims. Yet Zone3 also have the Kona Target as their top-of-the-range option, though that has short sleeves so you may prefer the extra freedom offered by the sleeveless Streamline tested here anyway.

We found our size medium exceptionally tight but, after a wrestle, the fit was as we’d expect and conformed well to our body shape. You zip it up to the top and there’s a handy pull cord attached for an easier exit in T1. The leg grippers are a shiny silicon, which isn’t the most pleasant to put on, but when you get going you again don’t feel it the through the water.

In testing, our swim speeds were what we’d expect from a swimskin, around 2-3 seconds per 100m quicker than without, although anecdotally we felt marginally more benefit from the likes of Huub’s Albacore swimskin and Blueseventy’s PZ4TX, which are both more expensive. Overall, though, the Streamline is a no-nonsense option for a faster swim split in non-wetsuit swims, and is worth the spend if you often race abroad. zone3.com

VERDICT SOME TRADE-OFFS COMPARED TO THE BEST SWIMSKINS, BUT IT DOES THE JOB