A wetsuit designed for open water swimming keeps you warm, makes you faster, and corrects at least some of the issues you have with your technique.
Knowing which wetsuit to buy is tricky, however, with factors such as body shape, swim skill level, and likely water temperatures coming into play.
This article aims to help you sort through all the noise and choose the wetsuit that fits your most important needs first time.
There’s a lot in here, so feel free to skim straight to the most relevant content. We also have some rental options towards the end, if you are close to choosing a specific wetsuit but would like to try before you buy.
What type of wetsuit is best for triathlon?
The good news is that you may already have a wetsuit you’ve used before or have access to one you can borrow.
The bad news is that unless that wetsuit is specifically designed for open water swimming or triathlon, it’s likely to give you a little more warmth in exchange for a lot of chafing and a very slow swim time. It may also be illegal if it’s too thick.
Unfortunately, surf wetsuits, scuba diving wetsuits or other “normal wetsuits” aren’t suitable for triathlon races.
The main reasons for this:
- They don’t have enough mobility, particularly in the shoulder area, to allow you to swim freely.
- The neckline isn’t designed to fit snugly and not let water in while swimming front crawl. So the wetsuit tends to balloon around the neck and wrists.
- If the neckline does happen to be snug, it will chafe your neck as you turn your head to breath. This may not sound serious, but after several hundred strokes, this feels like a cheese grater on your skin.
- The wetsuit doesn’t include neoprene material specifically designed to reduce drag, so it will feel like swimming with a parachute on.
We’re very strong advocates at swimbike.run for making do without buying a ton of expensive equipment and keeping the cost of entry into the sport low, but unfortunately, if you’re racing in colder water, a triathlon wetsuit from a recognized brand is a must.
Wetsuits vs Tri Suits
A quick jargon check if you’re wondering why you might need a wetsuit AND a triathlon suit.
Tri suits, like the one pictured here from Huub, are suitable for the swim leg of a triathlon, and in warmer water will be all that you need to cover your body.
You’ll then keep the same tri suit on for the rest of the race, as they’re designed to allow you to swim, bike and run comfortably.
Tri suits have no thermal materials in them however, and so will not help you maintain body temperature in colder water.
To get protection from the cold, you need to find the right wetsuit that enables you to maintain body heat without compromising swimming speed.
How to go about choosing a wetsuit
Some quick pointers to help you filter out the noise and choose the best wetsuit for your specific needs:
Don’t start by looking for a budget wetsuit. Cost is very important, and we include several entry-level suits in this article. But don’t start with cost.
Consider your swim skill, not your triathlon skill. You may have swum in high school and now, decades later, you’re starting triathlon with some swim skills in your back pocket.
- Yes, you’re a beginner triathlete, but will likely benefit from a wetsuit aimed at strong swimmers and not one on a ‘best beginner triathlete’ list.
Don’t look at what the pros are wearing and decide that’s what you need.
- There is, unfortunately, very little in common between a pro triathlete and those of us juggling jobs, laundry and PTA meetings.
Choosing a wetsuit based on body shape
Getting the fit right on your triathlon wetsuit is the single most important factor to consider when choosing a wetsuit.
If a wetsuit fits your body well, whether it’s cheap or expensive, you honestly won’t even know you’re wearing it.
At this point, those of you who’ve had a bad experience with triathlon wetsuits are probably shouting “liar” at your screen and looking at ways to troll us on Facebook, but trust us – we swim a lot in open water, in wetsuits so comfortable they don’t feel like they’re even there.
It took trial and error (some very expensive errors…) to get to this point however, so let’s get into the considerations you should be thinking about before hitting the buy button.
Your Body Shape
Your local triathlon store may have a great range of wetsuits, but the chances are that they don’t.
So you’re likely to buy a wetsuit online, which is a very viable option even for new triathletes to follow. Leading brands have very flexible online return policies even if you’ve swum in the suit, as they know wetsuit sizing is so crucial. So don’t panic too much if you get it completely wrong the first time out.
With body shape in mind, the first thing to watch out for when looking for a wetsuit online is a very ‘linear’ sizing guide – in other words, where greater height correlates directly with greater weight, chest and waist measurements.
Orca’s women’s sizing is an example of this linear sizing, and this gives you less of a chance of finding the perfect fit from this brand. You may be taller and lighter, or shorter but a little heavier.
Even if you see a wetsuit that suits your budget from a brand such as this, it may not work for you if you’re on the taller, stockier or heavier side.
Let’s get into detailed recommendations for each of those body shapes now.
Best triathlon wetsuits for taller athletes
Several brands cater for tall athletes who lack any real muscles to speak of – despite doing all the bench press – and for these athletes, a brand that offers ‘tall’ options is critical to get the right level of shoulder flexibility they need to avoid shoulder fatigue.
Additional benefits of a ‘tall’ cut:
- you won’t have to walk around with a wetsuit wedgie
- you won’t look like you borrowed your wetsuit from a small child
- your wrists and ankles will be much warmer with some actual neoprene coverage.
An option for taller male athletes is the Roka Maverick Men’s Range ($295 and up from roka.com).
The wetsuits come in 10 sizes, of which the most relevant for this section are ‘small tall’, ‘medium tall’ and ‘large tall’.
Roka wetsuits are absolutely freaking awesome for taller athletes. We’ve been using them consistently for open water training and racing for the past four years, and find them to provide the perfect fit.
Their wetsuits are made with ‘arms up’ shoulder technology (they’re literally designed as if they’re an extra in a Western movie who’s been told by Clint Eastwood to put their hands up), which allows for an impressive range of motion relative to most wetsuits.
Pictured is Roka’s men’s entry level suit priced at $295.
Roka Maverick Women’s Range ($295 and up from roka.com)
Roka caters for taller women, and on their entry level Maverick wetsuits, follow the same sizing principles as with taller men: ‘small tall’, ‘medium tall’ and ‘large tall’.
For their high-end wetsuits however, the company offers more sizing options than they do for men, catering for a greater range of body shapes relative to height.
To illustrate this, for a female athlete with a height of 5’10” (175cm), there are seven different wetsuit sizes to choose from, catering for body weights ranging from 115lbs (50kg) to 185lbs (81kg).
The Maverick Pro II Women’s triathlon wetsuit (pictured here) is the cheapest option in the range to come with additional sizing options for women.
Prices start at $845 on their website, but Roka often runs sales on their high-end suits so it pays to sign up for their mailing lists and track any specials they’re running.
Best triathlon wetsuit for stockier athletes
Athletes carrying a decent amount of muscle mass can sometimes find their range of motion (and their ability to breath) compromised by some swimming wetsuits.
They also need three people to help them get the zip up, after which they look like a self-conscious surgical glove stacked full of walnuts.
Some wetsuit makers, such as Huub, market men’s wetsuits specific to this body type – Huub has a size called “Short – Stocky”, which is a misnomer given it caters for heights ranging from 5’7″ to 6’1″ (170cm to 190cm), which isn’t particularly short!
Huub doesn’t consistently carry stock at this size however, so it’s worth contacting them directly to ask about availability.
2XU has a “medium solid” men’s size (see here), for heights of 5’5″ to 5’9″ (168cm to 175cm) and seems to have much better stock availability than Huub at time of writing.
Xterra caters for this body type with their Medium Large sizing options, and the Vivid full sleeve model pictured here is competitively priced at $399 on their website.
If you have very broad shoulders, a sleeveless wetsuit from Xterra in the medium large size will work well. This will ease your range of motion concerns, but is obviously a compromise in cold water.
More on sleeveless wetsuits later, but if you are larger in the upper body and looking for a good wetsuit at a competitive price, try the Xterra Mens Volt Sleeveless, starting at $250 from Xterrawetsuits.com.
Best triathlon wetsuit for heavier athletes
The age-group field in any triathlon distance comes in all shapes and sizes, and as the sport has grown in popularity, many triathlon wetsuit manufacturers have done a much better job of catering to real-world (i.e. non-pro) bodies.
USA Triathlon caters specifically to heavier athletes with the Clydesdale and Athena categories (for male athletes weighing over 220 pounds or female athletes over 165 pounds), but obviously you don’t need a specific category to want to swim faster in in a good triathlon wetsuit that fits perfectly.
Blue70 offers women’s triathlon wetsuit sizing specifically for the Athena division, with “medium Athena”, “large Athena” and “XL Athena” categories.
Check out their women’s Sprint wetsuit here, starting at $285.
For larger male athletes, there are limited wetsuit options at weights over 220 pounds (100kg) other than to size up into the XL or XXL categories.
If you find that the options that fit your body are simply too long in the limbs, we would recommend looking at one of the cheaper triathlon wetsuits, and cutting off excess neoprene from around the ankles and as a last resort, the wrists.
Many Xterra wetsuits come with a ‘capri’ cut, meaning they end mid-calf and could save you from feeling squeamish about cutting your brand-new wetsuit with a pair of scissors.
Choosing a wetsuit based on swimming capabilities
As we mentioned in the intro, ‘beginner’ triathletes may be great swimmers or may have never swum a day in their lives.
This is an important consideration when choosing a wetsuit, as many of the innovations in wetsuit design aim to correct a swimmer’s specific limitations or enhance their strengths.
Putting a very strong swimmer in a very buoyant suit would make them less efficient. Putting a poor swimmer in the same suit would have the opposite effect.
Best Triathlon Wetsuit for Poor Swimmers
The swim is the discipline a lot of beginner – and intermediate – triathletes feel least confident in, given that many new entrants into the sport don’t have any swim background at all.
The great news is that there are a number of triathlon wetsuits that are specifically designed to help you swim with an optimal body position, by using thicker neoprene or specific foam for extra buoyancy where it’s most needed.
Worried about racing in an open water swim?
If you haven’t raced often (or at all!) in open water, you may find the thought of it intimidating. Check out our step-by-step guide to surviving – and even enjoying – your first race.
Before buying the first swimming wetsuit you see with the words ‘extra buoyancy’ in the title, however, it’s worth being clear on your current body position during your swim stroke without a wetsuit on, so that you can make the choice that will help you the most in the open water.
You can do this with the help of a friend, coach or training partner, who can describe (or even better, video) your body position.
If you are generally low in the water, consider the Roka Maverick MX suit, which has a higher buoyancy profile around the core, chest and arms, raising your overall position in the water. Roka makes this wetsuit for men and women, starting at $545.
If you have legs that drop, however, so that you find yourself swimming ‘uphill’, then the Huub Varmin Triathlon wetsuit will better serve your needs.
This is a common position in the water for male athletes in particular, and so Huub offers different buoyancy profiles for women.
Huub has a patented foam that is significantly more buoyant than the typical Yamamoto neoprene used around the arms and shoulders, and they placed this foam around the hips and upper legs to help raise your lower body and reduce drag.
This extra buoyancy comes without crossing above the 5mm thickness required for wetsuit legal races. The Huub Varmin is a premium suit and starts at $799.
For a cheaper swimming wetsuit that also aims to lift your hips and upper legs, try the Orca Athlex Float triathlon wetsuit for men, starting at $349.
Best Triathlon Wetsuit for Intermediate Swimmers
The best triathlon wetsuits for intermediate triathletes differ from those catering for less confident swimmers in a key area – buoyancy.
While the extra lift you get even from thinner neoprene is always very welcome in open water swims, more experienced swimmers stand to benefit more from enhanced range of motion, better body position and more focus on body rotation than they would from a lift in their lower body, for example.
And the good news is, swimmers in this category don’t have to choose an expensive suit to get the benefits of more a efficient stroke.
The Orca Athlex Flex Women’s triathlon wetsuit provides good value for intermediate triathletes, using thinner neoprene to enable maximum range of motion in the upper body.
This is a great choice if you’re unlikely to race or train in very cold water, and prices start from $399.
In the mid-price range, Blue70 offers the Reaction men’s triathlon wetsuit, designed to improve shoulder flexibility while maximizing body rotation.
The wetsuit offers Yamamoto Neoprene throughout with a focus on maximum flexibility, and starts at $600.
Best Swimming wetsuits for Stronger Swimmers
Yes, stronger swimmers get to swim even faster in a triathlon wetsuit.
You may think that’s unfair but remember that strong swimmers can almost never run fast, and so tend to spend a lot of their time in races getting passed by the hundreds of people they left behind on the swim.
Strong swimmers benefit from a lot of the features found on a more premium suit, and some of the best wetsuits for triathlon, designed with pros in mind, work well for this category of swimmer.
With this premium theme in mind, the Zone3 Vanquish is an absolutely fantastic wetsuit.
Available for both men and women, it was upgraded in 2022 and includes two materials you won’t find on other triathlon wetsuits: bio rubber, and titanium alpha.
The company claims data to support the benefits of bio rubber when it comes to increased blood flow and reduced lactic acid.
And the titanium, apart from sounding next-level Iron Man (Marvel® this time, not the other crowd), is claimed to be 40% warmer than regular neoprene, a boon for anyone racing and training in cold water.
The Zone3 Vanquish men’s triathlon wetsuit is pictured below. Men’s and women’s start at $995.
Two other wetsuits deserve a shout out in this category.
At a slightly more accessible price point than the Vanquish, the Xterra Vector Pro emphasizes speed and flexibility in open water swimming. Prices start at $699, available for both men and women.
And lastly, one of our favorites at swimbike.run, the Roka Maverick X2.
The company focused on enabling efficient hip rotation, and then getting maximal power transfer out of that hip rotation, with specific taping on the inside of the suit to connect your hips to your shoulders.
Available for men and women at $1095, it ain’t cheap!
At that price, it’s best to keep the X2 tucked away for race days, and use an entry-level suit for open water swimming training sessions.
Check out our unique triathlon gear designs!
Women’s Triathlon Wetsuits
Women have a far greater range of options than in the past when choosing a triathlon wetsuit. In fact, many traditional wetsuits marketed to women were simply men’s wetsuits with a fetching pink color motif, because, you know, girls like pink stuff!
We don’t think there is any need to have a specific section of this article dedicated to women’s wetsuits based on the current quality of products offered.
Instead, we’ve included recommendations for women in each of the sections of this article, based on body shape and swim capabilities.
It is worth highlighting the brands that have less sizing options when it comes to a triathlon wetsuit aimed at women, if nothing else to give you something to think about if you see a wetsuit on sale from one of these manufacturers.
The first manufacturer to look out for is Orca.
They make fantastic wetsuits, but only offer five sizes for women, with a completely linear relationship between height and weight – i.e. shorter equals lighter, taller equals heavier.
Quintana Roo and Huub also offer limited sizing for women, with seven options each. Tyr also offers seven sizes, and recommends men’s sizing for larger female athletes, which will bring compromises in fit and comfort.
Of course, you may well find the perfect size from one of these companies, and if you do, you’ll be getting a great wetsuit.
On the other end of the spectrum, brands that cater more extensively to women looking for the perfect triathlon wetsuit fit include Roka, which offers 12 different sizes on their more premium suits, and 10 on their cheaper models.
Blue70 offers nine sizes for women, as does Xterra.
We’d suggest starting your search for the right wetsuit with these brands if you’re concerned about getting the right fit.
As the triathlon community continues to grow, we hope to see more brands following the leaders like Roka in catering more specifically to female athletes.
Sleeveless Triathlon Wetsuits – Pros and Cons
A sleeveless wetsuit covers the torso and legs as a “normal” wetsuit would, but leaves the arms and shoulders uncovered.
Sleeveless wetsuits bring some major benefits to those who prefer them for open water:
- this style of wetsuit is usually significantly cheaper than their full sleeve equivalents
- athletes who have broad shoulders enjoy a wider range of motion
- swimmers who find a wetsuit to be restrictive and tight around their chests have a little more room to breathe
- in addition to being less constrictive around the chest, sleeveless wetsuits often have a lower neckline, helping with chafing as well as breathing
- a sleeveless wetsuit is much easier to get on and off, helping with faster transitions
- this type of wetsuit can still improve buoyancy, as manufacturers traditionally place buoyancy panels on the legs, hips or torso, helping to put you in a streamlined body position.
There are a few downsides to choosing a sleeveless wetsuit, the first of which is the obvious one – there is a lot of variation in water temperature when it comes to open water, and so in colder conditions, you’ll be losing a bit more body heat.
You can make your choice based on likely race locations.
For example, if you’re based on the West Coast of the USA or, like, anywhere in the UK, then you can safely assume that water temperature will be a major factor, and you should probably choose a full-sleeve wetsuit.
The other significant downside is that there are far fewer options available to from manufacturers, meaning that you’re less likely to find the most efficient wetsuit for your swimming level.
Some brands offer no sleeveless wetsuits at all.
Roka only offers one wetsuit in sleeveless configuration – the Maverick Pro II Sleeveless, starting at $495 and available for both men and women.
Xterra is the exception to the rule in offering almost their entire wetsuit range in both full sleeve and sleeveless. The men’s range starts at $250 for the Volt, and can be found here.
Triathlon Wetsuit Rental Options
Renting a wetsuit is a great option if you only have one or two races a season where you’re expecting a colder water temperature.
Renting also saves you having to outlay a large wad of cash on a new wetsuit, and you may have the option for a season rental or single event rental.
Lastly, you can try before you buy, if there’s a wetsuit that sounds like it fits your needs but you’re not 100% sure yet.
We haven’t pulled together a fully exhaustive list of options (particularly as some local sports stores offer rental options too), but have compiled a list of online providers who can ship to you.
Rental options in the USA
Tri Wetsuit Rentals sends you your wetsuit 2 weeks before race day, starting at $50, and you can rent multiple wetsuits at once if there is a group of you racing. They are super flexible on shipping options.
Just Wetsuits rents eight leading wetsuit brands, starting at $80 for adults. You get a $50 credit off a wetsuit purchase with your rental, making this a fantastic try-before-you-buy option.
Wetsuit Rental Options – UK
Tri Wetsuit Hire has a decent selection starting at 45GBP, with options to rent thermal accessories such as socks and caps too.
My Wetsuit Hire starting at 29GBP for 14 days, and offers season rentals as well as delivery outside of the UK.
Wetsuit Rental Options – Other Countries
Xterra ships in South Africa, with prices starting at R1000 for 3 weeks.
Buying wetsuits on sale
Almost every brand mentioned in this article runs some pretty amazing sales at specific times of the year, so keep an eye out in the latter half of winter (January sales in 2024 are looking incredible!), or around Black Friday and Cyber Monday in particular.
Once you’ve found a specific model that you like, it pays to subscribe to the manufacturer’s mailing list so that you’re the first to hear about any deals they may offer.
Lastly, look at the outlet or ‘lighlty used’ offerings from the manufacturers – often a result of those generous online return policies. The suits on offer are exactly as new, but significantly cheaper than list price.
Happy shopping!
