How to choose your Trisuit?

Enabling you to swim, cycle and run in a performant and comfortable manner, the trisuit is the essential piece of equipment if you participate in triathlons or are considering doing so. A technical garment if ever there was one, the trisuit must therefore be selected with care. .

Here are a few elements to better understand and help you make an informed choice.

Key points

• Distance: short or long;
• Cut: with or without sleeves;
• Trisuit or singlet;
• Swimskin.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TRISUITS

First of all, it is important to know exactly what we are talking about. The trisuit must not be confused with the triathlon neoprene wetsuit, which is dedicated exclusively to the swimming section when the water temperature is between 16 and 24.5°C. As a single garment for all three disciplines, the trisuit therefore combines the characteristics of a swimsuit, a cycling short and a running outfit. The benefit is to keep the same equipment for all three sports, and therefore to save precious time during transitions. As such, the trisuit is indispensable at short distances even if the regulations do not require it. At an L distance and even more so at an IronMan, some will prefer to take a few minutes to change and adopt a specific outfit for each discipline — this is a matter of personal preference and priorities.

Concretely, this garment is most often made from a water-repellent fabric to promote glide (when you cannot or do not want to wear a neoprene wetsuit) during the swimming section, then dry quickly as soon as you mount your bike, where you can enjoy optimal comfort thanks to the chamois pad. Finally, its cut and materials are designed to be forgotten during the running section, with a very pleasant second-skin sensation.

Finally, some models are made from a compressive fabric in order to stimulate blood circulation and thus delay the onset of muscle fatigue and cramps.

DISTANCE

Of course, not all trisuits are equal and do not offer the same level of performance and comfort across each of these points. Beyond price differences, some trisuits are more specifically designed for short distances, with an emphasis on glide in swimming and aerodynamics on the bike and during running, while others are more geared towards long distances with a slightly denser chamois pad, a front zip providing good ventilation or numerous pockets for storing gels and nutrition bars.

CUT

In recent years, more and more athletes have been opting for trisuits with sleeves. These indeed offer several advantages.
First of all, if made from an aerodynamic fabric, they enhance glide even further in swimming and above all provide a gain in aerodynamics on the cycling section. Furthermore, they effectively protect against the harmful effects of sun rays, which is a significant factor in triathlons, particularly at long distance, where the skin is particularly exposed.

Finally, in the event of extreme heat, they can paradoxically provide a touch of freshness when regularly dampened. And in cooler races, they instead provide a pleasant extra layer of warmth.

ONE-PIECE TRISUIT OR SHORT/SINGLET SET

While the one-piece trisuit is today the most common garment, it is possible to opt for another option: the short/singlet set. Worn in the early days of the sport, this outfit has evolved considerably and now has a thoroughly modern look, comparable to that of a trisuit. It is also very close technically, in terms of both cut and materials used.

The short/singlet set can be very interesting over long distances, providing more ventilation and making comfort breaks easier. But above all, for those who do not want to start the cycling leg with a wet upper body (particularly those with sensitive digestion, as a cold, wet stomach is an aggravating factor), you can choose to put the singlet on only after the swimming section, for example, and change it again before setting off for the final running leg.

SWIMSKIN

Also classified among trisuits are hybrid products known as swimskins. Halfway between a wetsuit and a trisuit, a swimskin allows you to considerably increase glide and, to a much lesser extent, buoyancy, thanks to fabrics specifically engineered for their hydrodynamics. A swimskin can be worn over a trisuit on days when a neoprene wetsuit is not permitted, but only in certain events, generally those with a private label. Races organised under the aegis of national federations do not allow the wearing of an over-garment. However, nothing prevents you from wearing it as a single layer in a race, even if the comfort will be less, particularly on the bike, as swimskins have neither a chamois pad nor pockets.

WHICH TRISUIT FOR MY DISCIPLINE?

More than your level, it is the type of distance you are planning to compete at that will determine the choice of your trisuit.

Short distance

If you only compete in so-called short-distance triathlons (XS to M), a one-piece trisuit will be ideal for completing the three disciplines without losing time.
Pay particular attention to the glide and drying qualities of the trisuit, especially at XS and S distances where you may be tempted not to wear a wetsuit if the water temperature is comfortable. This can indeed save you precious seconds during the first transition.
For these same reasons of glide, and because the race format does not require it, opt instead for a trisuit without pockets. The question of choosing a model with or without sleeves may legitimately arise here. It is primarily a matter of personal preference, but fair and sensitive skin types should nevertheless favour sleeves for greater protection against sun rays.

Long distance

For L, half and especially XL and IronMan format events, you will most of the time be wearing a neoprene wetsuit (unless you compete in regions where the water temperature regularly exceeds 24.5°C). Glide qualities are therefore not the most essential factor. On the other hand, it is crucial to have a model that dries extremely quickly so as not to get cold at the start of the cycling leg, which could cause, among other things, stomach cramps. Choose a model with a dense and breathable chamois pad as you will be spending several hours in the saddle. Favour a model with a front zip to modulate ventilation.
Also opt for a model with numerous pockets to store gels and bars.
A model with sleeves makes complete sense here, both in terms of aerodynamics and protection against thermal sun rays as well as thermal protection (hot or cold).