Best Triathlon Suit Review 2018

best triathlon suitThere is no doubt that a good quality triathlon suit can help you on race day.

The fact that you can wear it from start to finish helps reduce transition times as you whip off the wetsuit and just keep going.

When it comes to selecting a tri suit there are a few important things to look out for which we cover in this article.

Are looking for the most comfortable tri suit, a suit that you can wear under your triathlon wetsuit, or a tri suit you can use for all three stages of the competition.


Straight away we recommend the following triathlon suits. The SLS CMX Men’s Trisuit is awesome value for money and the De Soto Forza suit is top of the line when it comes to quality, comfort and durability.

You can spend anything from fifty dollars up to over two hundred dollars for the top of the line triathlon suits. Because it can be a tough choice to make we have put together this list to get you started in your decision process.

We may not cover all the best triathlon suits but hope you can find something here that suits you.  These are the most popular on the market at the moment.

 


Our Top 11 Triathlon Suits for 2017

 

 


Best Triathlon Suit – What to look for

A great question and the answer is – it depends.  We have created this triathlon suit guide to give you an idea of the most popular in the range and compare features.

Finding a quality triathlon suit

The first suit I bought was a real beginner special. It cost about $30 and while it did last a few races there was no comparison when I upgraded to a more reputable brand.

Straight away I noticed the fit was much better. The leg grips on the original suit were crude silicone bands that were tight enough to nearly cut off all circulation to my legs. The newer suit – a Pearl Izumi had silicone free ends on the shorts and it was the material itself that held them in place.

Padding and movement

The next thing I noticed was the padding. The old shorts had a very thin flimsy padding, which was torture on the bike section of the race and didn’t conform too well to the undercarriage areas. This was very noticeable when trying to run as it sort of wobbled all over the place.

With the upgraded shorts the bike ride was much better. It was like wearing a pair of really good bike shorts but without the overly padded area that would have hampered my run performance in stage 3 of the race.

I have used this for sprint triathlons and as a long distance tri short as well and they never let me down.

Material Makeup

All tri shorts are made from synthetics and one thing to be wary of is if the manufacturer uses any sort of chemical coating on the material to provide performance improvements. This can be great when they are new but after a few washes the chemicals dissipate and the advantage goes down the drain.

If this is a concern to you then get yourself a pair of the De Soto’s I mentioned at the start of the article as they perform the same way from day one until they wear out.

Also look at the seams. On cheaper triathlon suits the stitching can be very weak and cause irritation to the skin, especially around the zipper area. The better quality brands have overcome this by adding internal cover for the zipper and enhanced stitching to keep you chafe-free.

You also need to consider the UV properties of the suit. Chances are you are going to get caught out in the sun at some stages of the race so make sure you are protected.

The last thing we want to say on the material of your tri suit is to check how it handles chlorine. If like me you train in your gear to get used to the feel of everything then try to avoid swimming in the pool too much. The chlorine has a tendency to break down the synthetic fabrics over time.

Tri Suit Color

One quick tip to add to this post is to watch out for the color of the tri suit you pick. They come in all different colors but try and avoid a suit with white shorts sections because they will show the marks left from your saddle over time and there is no way to get this out.

This won’t really matter if you are a pro and get free tri suits from your sponsor, but if you are like the rest of us, then you buy quality kit that has to last season after season so go for something that will stand the test of time and plenty of personal bests along the way.


synergy tri suitSynergy Men’s Triathlon Trisuit – Best Value

We came across the Synergy Tri suit a while ago and because of all the great reviews, we decided we had to check it out.

A great fit, comfortable all over and it has a quality Gel pad for long distance racing but doesn’t compromise you on the run to the finish line.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the features of this great value tri suit:

  • NeoGel pad with anti-microbial fleece
  • Modesty panel for comfort and support
  • Semi-compression in the legs, Soft leg gripper
  • 3/4 Adjustable zipper, Large armholes to prevent chafing
  • Flat Lock stitching throughout, 2 mesh pockets in the back

I was wearing the XL suit as I am over 6ft and weight a bit more than I should and this suit fits perfectly. The material is solid enough but comfortable and the leg grips stayed put for the whole race without ripping the legs off you like some other suits.

Would I buy another one? Absolutely and probably will, to have a spare suit on hand.

Price wise you probably won’t find a better deal than this one on Amazon so go check it out and look the part next time you hit the start line.


 Tri Suit Care

There are many suggestions about caring for your tri suit.  You spend quite a few hard earned dollars on a good quality tri suit so you need to look after it.  When washing your tri suit make sure you wash it on a cold wash without strong detergent.  Hang to dry and never put it in the tumble dryer.  I hear a lot of people wear theirs in the shower and wash them down with baby shampoo.  Not a bad idea as the shampoo contains very little in the way of chemicals so won’t corrode your suit.

Thanks for checking out our Tri Suit reviews.  Be sure to check out our other reviews here

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