HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR RACE-DAY KIT

THINKING ABOUT UPGRADING YOUR TRISUIT AND WETSUIT, OR BUYING YOUR FIRST ONES? HERE’S SOME ADVICE AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM 2XU’S SPECIALISTS…

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How to choose a trisuit

As the only piece of triathlon gear that’ll be with you from the starting horn until the finishing chute, the right trisuit is a key purchase: too tight, baggy, poorly made or slow to dry and you’ll be flirting with a DNF instead of reaching for a personal best. It needs to be flexible, hydrodynamic and aerodynamic so it can cater for the demands of swimming, cycling and running.

Your choice should depend on weather conditions, race distance and whether comfort or speed is your priority. For sprint triathlons, a cushioned pad and pockets for nutrition may be less important to you as you won’t be racing for so long. For long-course triathletes, pockets are often crucial in the run portion of the race, while you’ll want to be comfortable for the 180km bike leg.

The leg grippers on a trisuit will generally be elasticated so they don’t ride up when you put your wetsuit on, while a seamless design, or one with flatlock seams is also key to maximising comfort.

Ironman coach and 2XU ambassador Ben Parker says what it looks like is also key. “It’s a piece of kit that you should be proud to wear. You’re not going to use it in all your training. It’s going to be something that you look after so it’s worth investing in. You want to feel that you’re in the most fantastic piece of body armour that you feel epic in… and that’s going to improve your performance.”

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