GEAR REVIEW: TYR's Competitor Tri Suit

My suit had JUST come in the mail
(this pic won me swimoutlet.com fan of the week!)

    I am VERY picky when it comes to my racing uniforms. If I’m not completely comfortable, I’ll spend the entire race tugging and altering my uniform to the point that it actually becomes a distraction from the race itself. So this season I went out in search of a new racing suit that would provide me the level of comfort needed for a full Ironman race. It’s hard to know exactly how comfortable a uniform will be after being in it for several hours. So, in choosing a new suit, you pretty much have to look at all the specs and cross your fingers for a great, comfortable, fit.

    I’ve never been happy with a tri suit/uniform before. In fact, last year the padding on my tri shorts was so unsatisfactory that I actually would get a pinched nerve in my leg on longer bikes. Terrible…I know! Plus, last year I wore a two-piece uniform and spent each race tugging endlessly on the top that just never seemed to stop creeping up. After looking at all the available brands and options a few weeks ago, I finally decided to try a suit made by a swimsuit manufacturer in hopes that I would find the fit familiar and comfy. So I ordered the TYR Competitor Tri Suit from Swimoutlet.com to use in Florida 70.3. And let me tell you, it was a GREAT purchase!

The Item: 

TYR’s Competitor Female Tri Suit with Front Zipper (there is also a version with a back zipper)

The Claim: 

Designed and engineered to meet the demands of triathletes around the world.

My Initial Reaction: 

    I ordered the smallest size they had (I like my suits to fit very snug). When I got it in the mail, it wasn’t all too difficult to get on and felt tight in all the right places, yet unnoticeable and unrestrictive for the most part. The front of the top is made of swimsuit material which means…YOU DON’T NEED TO WEAR A BRA! Amazing…I know! And as for the pad, it was thin but not too thin. However I initially feared that, since the back of the pad seemed a little bit wider than I was used to, that I would get chafing during the run. Fortunately, my fears were unwarranted.

My Opinion Now: 

The suit in action at IM 70.3 FL

    This has been BY FAR the most comfortable racing uniform I’ve used to date. I was very comfortable during the swim portion of the race since the suit fits just like a standard swimming kneeskin. Additionally, the back is made of a very light mesh-like material which allows for maximum movement and breathability both in the water and out. And, since the whole suit is made of very thin swimsuit material, the suit dries very quickly after the swim and provides just enough elasticity to not obstruct breathing and movement while still maintaining its compression-like feel.

    And as for the pad? I had little to no pain on the bike portion of the event and barely felt the existence of the pad on the run. Also, those “beaded leg grippers” kept the legs of the suit totally in place. I’m pretty sure this was the first race where I never once tugged or re-arranged my suit in any way.

The Price Tag: 

    Very reasonably priced at $120 on the TYR website and on sale for $89.95 on the Swimoutlet.com website