Best triathlon suits 2023 race-ready tri suits for your swim, bike and run reviewed and rated

We test six triathlon suits for your swim, bike and run exploits this year

Man riding one of the best triathlon suits
(Image credit: Getty Images / iStock)

The triathlon suit is vital piece of kit for anyone wanting to take part in the discipline.  It's a garment that you can wear across the swim, bike and run. Similar to the best skinsuits for road cycling, it has aerodynamics at its core. The primary difference between a triathlon suit and a skinsuit is the pad - running in a full fat chamois is a recipe for chafing. Developing a pad which is comfy enough – but not too bulky – is a challenge. 

All the suits we’ve tested here are sleeved - a sleeved suit is measurably  faster, as our arms take a huge amount of wind when in the time trial position. A suit with features to trip a boundary layer reducing turbulent air will be quicker than one without. 

Triathletes aren’t constricted by the UCI rulebook either - meaning many of outlawed features make an appearance on these suits. As a result, this list could be of interest to any CTT (a British time trial racing organisation) event riders too - if you’re willing to make a compromise on the pad it’s possible one of these suits will be faster than what you can find elsewhere, though many brands make a cycling specific version of these suits. 

The Quick List

Best triathlon suits: our picks

Best overall

Man wearing Endura Tri suit

(Image credit: Tom Epton)

1. Endura QDC D2Z S/S Tri Suit II with SST

An expensive option that lives up to its price tag

Specifications

Aero features: Wind tunnel tested technology minimises drag
Fabric : Selectively bonded seam construction eliminates chafing
Storage: Bonded, flush integrated rear pocket and gel wrapper pocket on back thigh

Reasons to buy

+
Regularly tests extremely fast 
+
Aerodynamic texturing 
+
Comfortable to swim zipped up 

Reasons to avoid

-
None

Endura’s famous collaboration with D2Z resulted in the Encapsulator TT suit that was so fast the UCI changed their rules because of it. 

But the QDC D2Z S/S Tri Suit II with SST could be the more impressive piece of kit - especially considering the additional demands that are placed on a tri suit. First, comfort is more important (running chafing is worse than any bicycle chafing - sorry cyclists) plus making a suit that’s aero but can be run in is also hard - you can’t run fast folded over. 

This suit was incredible resulting in only a small amount of chafing during a rainy half ironman. When you order an Endura QDC D2Z S/S Tri Suit II with SST it comes in a beautiful zip box, has a nice little laundry bag with it and comes with a book which explains the design process. 

I’ve washed this suit inside the laundry bag three times, the bag is there in order to protect the air-tripping chevrons on the sleeve, similar to the Castelli suit. 

Best lightweight suit

Man wearing Castelli tri suit

(Image credit: Tom Epton)

2. Castelli PR Speed

A comfortable, fast and lightweight option designed with podium finishes in mind.

Specifications

Fabric: 50-denier upper-body fabric is the thinnest, smoothest fabric for light weight and maximum aerodynamics
Aero features: Silicone speed ribs on the sleeves induce turbulence to reduce drag on one of the most exposed parts of the body
Storage: 2 rear pockets for ample nutrition storage

Reasons to buy

+
Lightweight, feels like a summer jersey 
+
Aerodynamic texture on the arms  

Reasons to avoid

-
Have to swim with it unzipped 

The Castelli is definitely designed for athletes at the pointy end, with the air-tripping arm sleeves and aggressive fit. The medium I tested was a pretty snug fit (more aero, but less comfortable running) and featured medium sized pockets in the rear and air-tripping (UCI illegal - not that it matters for triathlon) rubber features on the arms. However, the chamois was relatively generous for such an aggressive suit and, as the fit was so exact, stayed in place during all rides. 

If you’re racing a long course triathlon this is a good option. The suit survived a couple of washes quite well - the only thing I would say about this suit is that it’s one to race in unzipped, then zip up after the swim. That’s not uncommon for sleeved suits but if you’re not comfortable doing that then it’s not the suit for you. 

Best value

Man wearing dhb tri suit

(Image credit: Tom Epton)

3. dhb Aeron Lab Short Sleeve Tri Suit

A good option for your first long course race

Specifications

Aero: Slightly textured arm sleeves
Storage: Triple back pocket for extra storage
Fabric: UPF 30 for UV protection

Reasons to buy

+
Comfortable chamois  

Reasons to avoid

-
Slight lack of ventilation 

This suit is what you’d expect from dhb - comfy, fits true to size and isn’t too expensive. It doesn’t come with a huge number of aerodynamic features but is less than half the price of a number of the options compiled in this list. It’s comfy under a wetsuit zipped up and unzipped, and didn't chafe on a long run. This suit probably isn’t the fastest option for the bike leg in this list but it’s comfortable, functional and reasonably priced. 

It comes with comfort features including leg and arm grippers, as well as a neat little strip of material which guards the zip from chafing. This suit has a more flexible size profile too - fitting a wider range of medium-ish size body shapes than some of the others. 

There’s a slight lack of ventilation in the suit which can cause a little bit of overheating, but this lack of slightly less stretchy mesh is what makes the suit comfortable. If you’re racing in Britain, lack of ventilation isn’t a problem too often, anyway. This is a good, all round suit, perfect for your first few long course triathlons.

Most comfortable

Man wearing Zoot tri suit

(Image credit: Tom Epton)

4. Zoot Waikoloa Aero Racesuit

A comfy option made with iron-distance in mind

Specifications

Fabric: Vento 4-way stretch mesh provides maximum ventilation and moisture management
Aero: LTD Triathlon Chamois for maximum comfort in the aero position
Storage: Two layered back pocket for large or small item storage

Reasons to buy

+
Huge number of interesting designs available 
+
Comfortable chamois 
+
Comfortable when swimming zipped up 

Reasons to avoid

-
Slightly on the heavy side

The flamboyantly designed Zoot suit was an interesting one to test. With a slightly heavier duty feel and thicker pad I wondered if it would chafe when running or feel clunky and uncomfortable while swimming but it actually felt really good. Swimming both zipped up, unzipped and pulled down to the waist under the wetsuit were all ok. 

The pad was comfortable on the turbo for two hours. The suit lacked the aero credentials of some of the others, with no texturing on the arms, but was by far and away the most comfortable on the list. Its fit was true to size and is the perfect iron-distance suit. 

With a slightly heavier feel to the material, overheating was a concern but the entire suit is somewhat mesh like and the material seems to dissipate heat remarkably well with only a little bit of airflow necessary. If you’re prioritising comfort, the Zoot suit is the best of the bunch (by some considerable margin). 

Best for cooler weather

Man wearing Roka tri suit

(Image credit: Roka)

5. Roka Gen 2 Elite Aero Trisuit

A solid option

Specifications

Aero features: New aerodynamic sleeve construction
Fabric: Carbon core support panel
Storage: Small pockets on rear for gel storage

Reasons to buy

+
A good chamois 
+
Aerodynamic features on the arms 

Reasons to avoid

-
Doesn't stack up with similarly priced suits 
-
Poor heat dissipation 
-
Lost gels out the pocket on race day

Roka came into triathlon declaring their intention to build the fastest triathlon wetsuit - and they achieved that by simply putting one on Lucy Charles-Barclay. This is a brand, like Huub, with great pedigree in the sport which lead to me having some very high expectations of their suit.

However, I found the shoulders restrictive and the zip uncomfortable in the water. The pad was good and the suit has some aerodynamic texturing on the arms but it feels heavy. The chamois was ok on the turbo but the suit was very hot. A race kit you'll have to unzip for the swim that might be more suited for colder races.

Out of the box, it feels high quality and the material is nice in the hand. You can’t feel the seams when the suit is on and, despite some heat related issues, there’s no chafing at all while running. This is a good halfway option between comfort and performance, unless you’re racing in southern Europe a lot in summer - where you’ll want to opt for something lighter.  This suit was used for Ironman 70.3 Swansea, while the suit was comfortable and aero we did lose our gels on the bike!

Best for larger builds

Man wearing tri suit

(Image credit: Tom Epton)

6. Huub Anemoi 2

A functional suit and a sturdy option

Specifications

Aerodynamic credentials : Bonded seams for improved wind cheating performance
Fabric: Bonded seams provide comfort and eliminate chafing
Storage: 2 Rear Aero pockets

Reasons to buy

+
Comfortable across all three sports 
+
A good chamois 

Reasons to avoid

-
Lack of features considering the price

This suit was the one I was most excited to test as I wore the old Huub Aneomi suit to race in all of this season, which I loved. The suit from the British manufacturer was probably the biggest let down on the list. It felt heavy in the hand and I found that overheating was an issue. 

It was restrictive to swim in when pulled up, which was a surprise given the quality of wetsuit and swimskins that Huub have produced over the years. The pad was comfortable on the turbo and it survived a couple of washes unscathed and was a solid suit but I expected more based on how much I liked the old one. 

One word of warning for the HUUB is around the suit’s fit. For me - it fit quite well, but for smaller mates of mine (who fit into other medium sized suits) the legs were somewhat baggy. With this in mind, it may be worth sizing down. It’s worth mentioning that I am a slightly ‘thick thighed’ medium though, this is one to try on before you buy it if possible. 

How to choose a triathlon suit

What makes a triathlon suit different from a road cycling speed suit?

At a glance, triathlon suits do look pretty much identical to the speed suits you typically see at a time trials, some crits or in the velodrome – but there are some crucial differences. 

First is the chamois. Triathlon suits have much less bulky inserts in order to be more comfortable when running – and which also hold less water after the swim. Suits for cycling only will focus more on on-the-bike comfort and have a thicker pad.

Next is the materials. Not being governed by the UCI, trisuits can utilise fabrics and technologies that are banned by cycling's governing body. This means that tri suits can be made faster than skin suits designed with the UCI rule book in mind.

What makes a good triathlon suit?

Triathlon suits are subject to a huge range of demands. Just in the cycling portion of the event, they need a chamois that is cushioning enough and the right proportions. They should also be form-fitting and not flap in the wind – whilst also not being restrictively tight – and any aero advantages offered by the materials are always welcome.

At the same time, the sleeves need to be unrestrictive in the swim, the chamois low profile enough for both the swim and the run, and the materials need to be quick-wicking and fast drying, to move moisture away from your skin and keep you cool. 

It's no wonder that the price tags for the best models are as high as they are, although you are at least getting both shorts and a jersey in one go.

Are triathlon suits worth it?

A triathlon suit is absolutely worth it. If your budget doesn't extend to the best (and more expensive) models, a lower end suit will be better than nothing. 

The demands that triathlon puts on your kit are so varied that trying to  make do with a swimsuit for the bike portion (very uncomfortable) or cycling kit for the swim and run (uncomfortable again) just isn't worth trying.

How we test

Each of these suits were worn for at least either one triathlon or long 'brick' session (this is a bike to run session for those uninitiated to the jargon), as well as being used for regular training. The suits were judged on their fit, chamois comfort and heat dissipation abilities. We also kept an eye out for any early signs of wear from usage and the (many) wash cycles.

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Tom Epton
Freelance writer

Tom Epton is a freelance writer and data scientist. Originally training as a scientist after completing his studies in physics he realised that cycling was what he wanted to spend his life thinking about. Now he works with manufacturers, athletes and teams using cutting edge data science methods to find performance gains. Tom writes primarily about sport-science and tech!