VESTED TRI-SUITS

A quality sleeveless tri-suit is an essential multisport garment. Here we put five men’s and five women’s onesies through their performance paces…

Short sleeves, or the ‘traditional’ fully sleeveless tri-suit? There are pros and cons to both, with many elites and an increasing number of agegroupers deciding nowadays that the claimed aero benefits and sleeker appearance of shortsleeved suits are a better investment. Even so, we still see pros rolling their short-sleeved suits down to the waist for the swim, before putting them on fully in T1 during long-course races, so clearly some still appreciate more freedom of movement under their wetsuits.

It’s here where the benefits of a vested suit come in, as for shorter races it’s probably not worth the time you’ll lose in T1 pulling the rest of your suit up on the go; plus, it’s not allowed in races held under British Triathlon rules. There are also fewer seams that could potentially cause irritation on a vested suit, and of course less material often means they’re lower in price than short-sleeved equivalents.

As we were testing the suits in full lockdown during winter, we were unable to test in the water to assess quick-drying properties, but we’ve noted these where relevant without it affecting the scoring. What we did was ride and run in them as much as possible, awarding marks for comfort, fit and value.

TRIMTEX DRIVE TRI SKINSUIT

€179 With Trimtex’s bold claim that this suit has ‘a perfect ergonomic shape’, we had high hopes for the Drive Tri skinsuit, the most expensive suit on test. First impressions were good, thanks to the practical mesh-panelled design and two roomy mesh back pockets. The material has a soft satiny feel, which in practice proved to be quick-drying and breathable. The lock zip and zip garage are also good additions for comfort, but the high-rise neckline rubbed at the back, losing it precious points. We were impressed by the rigorous sizing questionnaire on the website, yet felt the suit ran a little big for a ‘skinsuit’, which didn’t help the non-existent support in the chest. The real winner here is the wide and über-comfy, laser-cut leg grippers, let down only by the Cytech chamois pad that though claiming to be seamless, felt scratchy on the stitching. trimtex.eu

VERDICT AERO OFFERING BUT LACKS FINISHING DETAILS AND COMFORT CONCERNS AROUND NECKLINE

TENOLA INSPIRE ITU STYLE

£90 New British brand Tenola officially launched in 2018, with their range of affordably priced race suits, swimsuits and wetsuits. Their ITU-style suit is primed for hot temperatures and claims to have UPF 50+ protection. The cut-out back mimics the classic swimsuit-style and the compressive material is very thin and breathable, supposedly treated to be water-, cream- and oil-resistant. On the bike, padding is minimal though very breathable and the flatlock stitching reduced discomfort. On the flipside, we found the leg grippers to be too thin and there’s a distinct lack of pockets, which is at odds with Tenola’s claim that it’s suitable for six hours in the saddle. The slightly oversized chamois becomes a little nappy-like on the run, which is a shame as we’d expect it to fit a little snugger in this area. tenola.com

VERDICT PRIMED FOR SPRINT TRIATHLONS IN HOT CLIMATES; SHAME ABOUT THE BAGGY CHAMMY

2XU ACTIVE

£85 Aussie brand 2XU’s Active range comes up trumps with this affordable and quality tri-suit, the trendy ombre colourway and sleek mesh side-panelled design scoring extra points with us. Three reasonablysized, easily-accessible, elasticated back pockets are ideal for gel-stuffing. Along with a medium-sized hydrophobic chamois, comfort and fuelling is a clear priority, and we’d wear this suit for any and all distances. Made from stretchy SBR SKIN LITE material, we liked the smooth feel but felt it lacked support for the muscles, not helped by the sizing running a little large despite our tester perfectly matching measurements for a size small. Markedly, the Active has no support in the chest area, necessitating a sports bra to be worn underneath. The main drawback, though, is the narrowness of the leg grippers, lacking the comfort and style of a wider band. uk.2xu.com

VERDICT GOOD QUALITY FOR A GREAT PRICE, WITH PLENTY OF FUEL-STORING OPTIONS

CASTELLI CORE SPR-OLY

£110 Castelli’s recent foray into the tri market sees the launch of their cheapest suit, the Core. Despite the basic black colourway, this suit has a lot to offer. Perfectly true to size, the Core is flattering and fits snug to the body thanks to the reduced seams and elasticated neck and arm holes. Designed for short distances, the suit has a smooth-to-the-skin felt lining instead of a chamois pad and a quality-feel, lightweight fabric. The longline fit, meanwhile, flows down through the legs towards this test’s best silicone leg grippers. In terms of fuelling, there’s one roomy, envelope back pocket that Castelli claim will stay secure on the swim, though we found it difficult to access. Unlike other suits on test, the Core’s zipper is located on the back with a long pull cord – worth bearing in mind if you like to unzip at the front when hot. castelli-cycling.com

VERDICT HIGH QUALITY BUILD WITH SOME NICE TOUCHES FOR SHORT-COURSE RACING

SPEEDO FASTSKIN XENON

£70 Speedo’s new Xenon suit has a number of features to keep you cool and streamline, including a mesh racer back and side panels. Markedly, it’s the only suit on test to have integrated bra support, which is a big plus for this tester. The compressive Endurance10 fabric feels supportive and durable, and also claims to have high chlorine resistance. On the bike, comfort was provided via the wide bonded leg hems with silicone grippers and the 2mm moulded chamois, which is padding a-plenty up to Olympic distance –much further and we’d need more thickness. The two back pockets are secure and can fit a couple of gels a-piece, yet the envelope design makes it difficult to slide any wrappers back in on the fly. Despite no zip garage, we found the true-to-size suit had a quality feel to it and were impressed by the low price. speedo.com/uk

VERDICT TICKS ALL THE PERFORMANCE BOXES AT A HAD-TO-LOOK-TWICE PRICE

YONDA ARGENTO

£119 The ITU logo on this suit from British brand Yonda gives you a good idea of who it’s aimed at: speedsters who wouldn’t intend to use it for anything above Olympic distance. Every second counts, so there are no pockets to store snacks and the padding is merely a thin fleecy material sewn onto the main fabric. Lycra Energy fabric promises UV protection, compression and stretch. We can certainly vouch for the latter as our size medium was very closefitting, despite the size guide suggesting we should’ve had plenty of room. Flat seams increase comfort, but we found the heavyduty reverse zipper a little rough against the skin. The leg grippers fit well around the thighs, and we found the suit breathable on hard run and ride efforts. yondsports.com

VERDICT MINIMAL YET EFFECTIVE SUIT FOR SHORT-COURSE RACING, BUT YOU MAY WANT TO GO UP A SIZE

BIORACER TEAM

£99 Bioracer’s Team suit has a number of different fabric innovations that should keep you cool and comfortable at all distances up to half-Ironman. The ‘Aquaracer’ fabric on the legs has a hydrophobic treatment that Bioracer say dries 40% faster than Lycra, and underneath are some large silicon grippers that still fitted perfectly after several washes. While fairly close-fitting, it was roomier than the Yonda and stretchy enough not to feel restrictive. Bioracer’s ‘Tri Force Lycra’ makes up most of the top half of the suit, and while it’s very thin it does make it hugely breathable. A large pocket across the back means you can’t divide up supplies, but will fit up to four gels comfortably. bioracer.co.uk

VERDICT COMFORTABLE, TECHNICAL FABRIC AND GOOD FOR VARIOUS TRI DISTANCES; DECENT PRICE, TOO

HUUB RACELINE

£139.99 Huub’s new Raceline suit has plenty of impressive tech features that we’ve come to expect from the brand in recent years. High-density chamois with drainage holes, wide leg grippers and two ergonomic pockets that are easy to grab from are some standout features, with lightweight Italian fabrics specced throughout. Coldblack technology features on the main panels for moisture management, and there are flatlock seams to prevent chafing. Billed as an aero suit, we found the Raceline offered a fairly relaxed fit, and the legs are on the shorter side, so don’t offer much coverage on the thighs. The mesh back panel is also minimal, so there’s not much ventilation. But if you mainly race in the UK, that won’t be an issue. huubdesign.com

VERDICT COMFORTABLE, TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE SUIT THAT PROMISES SOME AERO ADVANTAGES

ZOOT SUNSET LTD

£180 Get ready to stand out in the crowd with Zoot’s Sunset Ltd! Made with premium Italian fabrics, the Seamlink construction means the seams are stretchy and completely smooth, making for a hugely comfortable experience during our test period. Zoot’s exclusive chamois was fine for longer rides, and the huge leg grippers fitted perfectly around our lower thighs. A ‘no-sew’ zip guard ensures zero irritation; two side pockets and a larger ‘kangaroo-style’ rear pocket offer plenty of storage for middle-distance and beyond; and there’s plenty of ventilation across the suit to keep you cool. It’s not cheap, granted, but the Sunset Ltd’s versatility across all tri distances increases its value for money. zootsports.co.uk

VERDICT GREAT LOOKS, CUTTINGEDGE CONSTRUCTION AND SUITABLE FOR ALL DISTANCES BEST VALUE

ZONE3 ACTIVATE+

£100 New for 2021, the Activate+ tri-suits from Zone3 have a few upgrades on the entry-level Activate range. Tested here is the range’s Tropical Palm suit, which is aesthetically pleasing without being too loud. For a medium it’s a relaxed fit, perhaps more relaxed than we expected considering we’re on the larger end of medium! So if you’re in between, check size guides and size down if necessary. In terms of storage, there’s one rear pocket with room for a couple of gels, which makes the Activate+ less suitable for middle distance and above. Zone3 have specced their Lycra sport fabric for most of the suit, with a thinner, breathable mesh panel on the back that kept us cool during hard efforts. zone3.com

VERDICT STYLISH AND AFFORDABLE SUIT THAT WILL KEEP YOU COOL AND COMFORTABLE IN YOUR NEXT RACE