There are several entry level tri suits available in the market, both at the lower and higher end of the price spectrum. Most of the suits are made with the material which breathes and also dries quite rapidly once you move out of water and are on the bike. Irrespective of the level, a good tri suit must be tight fit and yet should be loose enough for the wearer to feel comfortable.

Many tri suits easily fit under the wetsuit for swim leg but you should keep in mind that if you are effectively competing in the swim which does not require any wetsuit, then the pockets on the tri suit can easily cause some extra drag on the water and slow you down to a great extent.

Tri suits are actually designed with performance and the speed in mind, but surely many designs are up for sale in the market and are suitable for different athletes and body types. The suits for women are very different from the men’s suit and many of women suits have a provision of built in bra’s for providing a good all-in-one solution.

The tri suits are manufactured by using different fabrics and materials and come with various useful features, but all these can be worn in different disciplines throughout the triathlon. They actually make the transitions much easier as you can easily wear the tri suits under the wetsuit and you will not have to change the same within the disciplines.

The prices of tri suits greatly vary and usually depend on numerous features which are provided in them and the fabric used, but on any level a good tri suit will greatly improve your overall performance and also provide you great comfort during the race.

Description

The 2XU Mens Elite Tri Suit is a one-piece triathlon suit.  THis suit is designed for elite triathletes and is meant to enhance speed and fluidity.  The construction is built to balance speed, breathability, and flexibility on land and in water.  This suit provides a effortless flow and unrestricted feel for the entire event.

Features

*  One piece tri suit
*  X-Stretch back panel
*  Streamlined zip for speed through water
*  Seamless front to reduce friction through water
*  Flatlock stitching; less friction through water and comfort against skin
*  Hydrocell Technology- this is a high gauge silicone that prevents water penetration to make wearer lighter and faster
*  Silicone coating with Lycra prime to boasts chlorine/bacteria resistance
*  Excellent stretch memory

Specifications

*  Available in medium, large, x-large
*  Colors:  black/black

The most obvious advantage, the one that you probably thought of first, is the fact that trisuits keep you warm in open water swims.  The reason for this is that you are adding 3-5mm of neoprene material to your body.  Besides keeping you warm, it allows you to move more efficiently through the water.  The outside of a trisuit is designed to reduce drag and increase speed with little effort.  This type of material has closed cells with helps you swim on the surface of the water.

To get the right type of trisuit for you, you cannot simply grab it off the rack.  If you attempt to use just a wets that you borrowed from a friend you are going to be in for a surprise.  Diving and surfing suits are built to be used differently and will work against you in a triathlon.  The thickness that these types of suits allow for minimum flexibility.  A trisuit that is fitted correctly should have excellent flexibility around the arms and shoulders.  If you do not have enough room in these areas you will be fighting against yourself.  Although trisuits are thinner when compared to diving and surf suits, you still need to find a material and thickness that will work for you.  Some suits have areas that are thinner than other parts of the suit and this may contribute to heat loss.

When you are picking out a trisuit be sure to find one that fits well.  If you do not find one that fits properly you will be uncomfortable and it will create additional drag that you do not need in your triathlon.  You also need to use some sort of lubricant on your skin to prevent chaffing such as Body Glide.  You will be happy you did later.  Be sure to also make sure that the zippers and seals are working properly.  You want to do this so you can be sure that you are able to get out of your suit later after the swim portion of the race.

Just remember that race day conditions will dictate whether or not you will wear a trisuit.  The water temperature needs to be below 78F in order to wear a trisuit.  If you chose to wear it at a temperature over 78F, the time that you get will not count.  In order to insure the best results that you are capable of, focus on your training and don’t depend on the trisuit for buoyancy and speed, although it helps!

-  In order to make your trisuit last as long as possible, you need to wash it with fresh water after every wear.  You also need to purchase wetsuit soap to use with the fresh water mixture.  If you wear it a lot, this will help it to last longer.

-  When you are letting your trisuit dry, you need to lay it out or hang it on a hanger to dry.  Do not try to speed up the drying process by placing it in direst sunlight or heat and do not ever place it in the dryer to tumble dry.  This is a easy way to destroy your suit.

-  When you are storing your suit, be sure to hang it on a hanger or lay it flat.  Do not wad it up in a ball and just throw it somewhere!

-  By all means, you need to learn to put on your suit properly!  Everyone that has ever put on a trisuit found that it is not as easy as it looks.  If you find that you are doing too much streching and pulling, you could cause holes and tears to start forming.  Fingernails are also an enemy of the trisuit, so be sure to trim your nails before putting on the suit.  An easy trick that I learned a while back is to put plastic bags over your feet and hands to help with sliding the suit on.  It sounds goofy, but it works!  In fact, here are 5 steps to help you put on your suit properly:

1)  You need to start with your feet first when placing on your trisuit, section by section, and pull all the way to your hips(this will be easy if you put plastic bags over your feet!).
2)  Adjust the fabric from the legs up little by little until it is stretched over your legs and up to your hips.  Be sure to do the back part of the suit also.
3)  Place one hand in the sleeve section and pull it up little by little until you are able to bunch it on one shoulder.  Next, do the same to your other arm.
4)  Make sure the internal back flap is flush against your skin and than zip up the collar.  In order to make the zipper go up all the way, make sure that you pull your shoulders back!  Once you got the zipper up, velcro the tabs.
5)  Adjust the fabric and make it smooth against your body.  Start at the legs and pull little by little starting at the legs and go up from there.  Do the same for your arms.  Be sure to make that the fabric is stretched enough so your arms can comfortably swing in a circular motion.

1)   One of the most common mistakes people make is buying a surf wet suit instead of a triathlon wetsuit. when you look at them side by side, you may think there’s no difference. Both suits are designed to protect you for the cold water, but the difference is in the material. Triathlon wetsuit are specifically made to be much more flexible and allow you to swim freely.

2)   Another common mistake is people buying the wrong size. Many manufacturers have different size guidelines, although they may say they are the same size. You need to have your measurements checked in order to find the right size. It may be uncomfortable at first, because they fit snug, but they’re supposed to. The suit will loosen up when you get in the water. If this still doesn’t work for you, be sure to check and make sure if it doesn’t fit right that you can return it to the manufacture.

3)  Many people that are new to the triathlon world noticed that it is a very expensive sport. When you’re just getting started, it is not necessary to spend a lot of money in the beginning. It may be tempting to go out and buy the most expensive gear, but don’t do it! You can find many good deals or wet suits from last season were many times on sale. The longer you are in the sport, you can then decide which gear you would like to spend more money on.

Hopefully these guidelines will point you in the right direction to finding the right ti suits for you. If you avoid these common mistakes, you will end up with the ti-suit that fits well and will last you over a period of time.

Related Blogs

• 2XU Tri Suit | Triathlon Wetsuit
• Conquer the Course With This New Bike and Tri Wear | Kinetic Shift
• Added bling to my tri-suit, and am ready to go! : The Healing Hiker

As you may know a triathlon contains three separate events that come together to make up one event: swimming, cycling, and running.  If at any point you are serious about competing in a triathlon you will most definitely need a tri suit.  Although it may feel a little funny in the beginning to wear a tri suit it can provide an advantage.  As most things in life, the slightest advantage can determine the outcome of an event.  Triathlon suits are one of the biggest developments to enter the sport since it began.  Figuring out how to go about purchasing a tri suit can be a chore.  Here are some things to think about before to get you started.

The first thing that you may want to think about is “will I be able to wear the wet suit that I have purchased in triathlon events?”  USAT rules state that you may wear a suit if the temperature is under 78.  They may also wear a suit if the temperature is up to 85 degrees, but this will make them ineligible for any awards.  If you are in warmer climates, but still like the feel of a tri suit, you may chose to wear a speed skin.  Although a speed skin will not make you buoyant, speed skins provide greater hydrodynamics.  Some triathletes chose to wear a speed skin throughout the whole race.

There are basically three types of triathlon wetsuit, and each one is built for different types of swimmers and according to climate.  The better swimmer that you are, you will require less suit no matter what the water temperature is.  The weaker swimmer that you are, you may need more or less suit depending upon the conditions.

The first type that we will discuss is the full body wetsuit.  This type of wetsuit is designed for climates where the water temperature is less than 50 degrees Fahrenheit.  This type of suit is also advised for strong swimmers in colder climates.  The energy that can be conserved by wearing this type of full body wetsuit can be used throughout the rest of the race.  This type of suit can be especially helpful if you are new to triathlons or swimming in general.  It will allow for greater full-body hydrodynamics and make it easier to cut through the water.

The second type of tri suit is the sleeveless tri suit.  This type of suit is exactly the same as a full body wetsuit, but without the arm covering.  This type of tri suit is great for swimming in water that is in the 75 degrees Fahrenheit range.  This is also a great tri suit for any swimmer that still requires warmth. These are a great choice for a beginner swimmer that still needs a little boost when swimming in open water, although they may not have the buoyancy in the arms that they would have with the full body suit.

The last type of tri suit is a knee length sleeveless wetsuit.  These types of wetsuits are for temperatures that are 75 degrees Fahrenheit of higher.  Although it seems that there is a lot less “suit” in this type of suit when compared to the full tri suit, this type of suit still provides a great deal of buoyancy without the full hydrodynamics of the full body suit.  You will also be a lot cooler and have a greater range of motion in this type of tri suit when compared to the other two types.

Now that you know the three types of suits, you need to know whom the major manufactures are that make them.  The major players in the tri suit industry are names like Orca, De Soto, 2XU, BlueSeventy, Aquaman, and Xterra.  These companies provide suits in all price ranges and styles, for both men and women.  Whatever company you decide to buy from be sure to buy one that is well made and fit properly to your body frame.  This will cut back on drag in the water, blisters, rashes, and skin cuts.  Although it may cost a little more in time and money to find the one that is right for you, the payoff will be totally worth it.