Triathlon suits - your key race day piece

15 May 2022

Let's talk about triathlon suits...This is one of the items a beginner triathlete is facing usually a few weeks before the first triathlon.

What is a triathlon suit actually?

There are 2 triathlon specific clothes items what you will face quite early when you are thinking to pick up triathlon: these are wetsuits and triathlon suits. Sometimes they are mentioned at similar text areas but they are totally different products.

Wetsuits are meant to be used only at swimming and they provide you with bouancy while swimming and protection against cold water. They are made of different types of neoprene materials. On the other hand triathlon suit are pretty much designed for good weather and for the whole triathlon, made of much lighter lycra etc materials.

Why should you purchase a tri suit?

The biggest added value of a tri suit is that you can wear it during the whole race, you do not have to change for other clothes during the 3 disciplines; you will spare considerable amount of time which is important of course if you aim for a special time. Also if you do the race only for your own commitment and/or fun, it also has you covered. You do not have to think what pieces of clothes you have to take with you to race day - I can grant you, you will have to think about enough other stuff.

Tri suits come in different versions; 1 piece or 2 separate pieces; with short sleeves or without sleeves. You can choose yourself what you find the most comfortable. This 1 piece sleeved suit is our Trifharder team special design from 575 company in Hungary (if you are interested in purchasing reach out to me at "contact"pls, both male and female designs are available).

My advise is to go to a special triathlon store if you are looking for a tri suit the first time. Try on a few models and a few sizes before you make a decision. It has to be comfortable but a too loose size is also unhandy and uncomfortable (eg it can cause chafing on the run).

These suits have a so called "chamois pad" which enables a good comfort while cycling but it is not thick as cycling bibs; as such you can also easily run while you have your suit on.

You can use them at races but also during trainings, they are especially practical for brick trainings (where you combine 2 or 3 triathlon desciplines).

The shown products are high quality items, if you maintain them with care you can use them multiple seasons (few months use per year, weekly basis max). Of course if you use them the whole year multiple times a week than they might be worn out earlier.

Besides the above mentioned Trifharder suits the other company's products what I have been using for long years now and completed many races in them is Zoot.

Zoot tri suit specifications

LTD Tri Chamois for maximum comfort in the aero position
Three back pockets for storage with one being a large kangaroo style centre back pocket for bigger items
No chaffing at the zipper
Built in bra with an easy zipper entry (personally for me this has no added value, I need a stronger sport top, I am usually cutting them out but for many ladies they are great fit)
Sun protection
Italian gripper on the legs as you can also see on the photos; this is not gliding up and super comfy to wear during the race.

On the photo I am wearing size M, you can see it is a bit long for my 165 cm, I am rather between size S and M.

You can buy it at Wiggle using this link (and also check out the other models of Zoot) *