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Tri suits have come a long way from a bulky bike chamois sewn into a thick one-piece sleeveless suit. Today’s best tri suits not only wick away moisture and keep you cool, but now high-end suits even have aerodynamic trip textures to help you cut through the wind faster on the bike. While not every suit will help you reduce your drag, there’s a wide variety of tri suits out there with varying strengths from padding to heat dissipation, chafe prevention, and even pitstop ease (yes, that’s important!).
With so many features, functions, and strengths and weaknesses, we’ve put together a guide with the top tri suits for the 2022 season to help you find that intersection between price and bells and whistles that’ll help you answer that important question: How much suit do you actually need?
Looking for more guidance before you get started? Check out our explainer on buying a tri kit: How to Choose the Perfect Tri Suit
While the gear below was loaned out by the brands represented, all choices were selected independently by the tester without any promotional consideration or brand input. Also, unlike other “best triathlon kit” websites, our testers actually train and race in the clothes ourselves—no glancing at spec sheets and rewording marketing terms! Here’s more on how we test gear.
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Warranty: 6 months Try-on: 14-day return, unused
As one of the best deals (anywhere) in tri and cycling clothing, Black Bibs has made a name for itself as an inexpensive-but-quality brand. The good news for triathletes is that their tops and shorts are not only cheap, but also well made. The fabric feels more like a $150-200 tri suit, though it may not dry as quickly as suits north of $200. The chamois is medium to lightly padded, but covers more real estate than most—perfect for beginners who are still finding their sweet spot on a saddle or who need more pad area due to their body shape. Though the pockets aren’t ideal for non-wetsuit or speed suit swims, the leg grippers punch well outside their weight class, and lack of chafing was a surprising bonus at this pricepoint.
Newer triathletes who still want a quality suit.
Warranty: 2 years + crash replacement Try-on: 30-day return
Racing in a sports bra and tri shorts isn’t for everyone, but for those who love the extra flexibility and movement of the two-piece variety, Zoot offers a solid range of options. Their sports bra is double-layered and thick, but highly wicking and without padding—perfect for tri and easy to wear anytime, too. (The only irritating feature is the extremely long tag that Zoot uses inside all of its clothing.) The shorts, however, come with a warning from our testers: Check your sizing. We found the 4-inch version on the very small end for their size, causing them to roll up and not stay in place—creating chafing on the bike seat. If you have larger quads or hips, you may want to opt for the 6-inch shorts instead.
The sports bra squad, looking for a well-constructed two piece; size up to 6-inch if worried about chafing.
Warranty: 3 months Try-on: 14-day return, unused
Planted firmly in the midrange of pricing for tri suits, the new Commit has a mix of quick-drying and not-so-quick-drying fabric panels that evaporate out the water at different speeds (legs first, upper body second). The leg grippers on the bottom of the suit are fantastic, but those with bigger thighs should note that the Commit fits very snugly per size—so think about sizing up if this is you. The chamois is on the thinner side, making the Commit a good choice for those who struggle with chafing on the run, but who have found their perfect saddle—or for those racing shorter events.
Triathletes who want a well-thought-out suit with details above its price range.
Warranty: 2 years + crash replacement Try-on: 60-day return, unused
Coeur may be best known for their women’s triathlon styles, but this one-piece suit comes in men’s and women’s versions. The fabric is not overly compressive or tight, but does fit snugly across the mid-section (feeling particularly clinging when wet)—with some runching around the stomach in the fit, which stops it from laying fully flat and does create some gapping when in aero. The chamois padding is also on the thinner side, particularly when leaning forward in TT position. The bands on the sleeves and legs are well-designed and keep everything solidly in place. While the aero features aren’t the most elite out there, what this suit has going for it is comfort—our testers barely noticed it while biking or running, with easy flexibility and no chafing.
Triathletes looking to dip their toe into one-piece aero kits with a fun, simple, well-fitted suit.
Warranty: 1 year Try-on: 14-day return, unused
Of the suits tested, the Athlex was one of the warmer options—for better or worse. It was also one of the least compressive suits, good for those who can have issues with blood circulation on tighter fits. But the sizing was true-to-fit, and it dried very quickly out of the water—likely thanks to a slightly rougher, less-absorptive fabric that can cause chafing in overly salty/hot situations. On the back, we loved the well-covered pockets that were a great choice for storage, even on non-wetsuit swims. In terms of pad, the coverage was about average with a thickness that we never felt on the run, but still provided a good amount of cushioning on the bike. Note: No leg grippers was a curse/blessing for those who hate shorts that ride up or for those who feel restrictive by tight bands around their thighs.
Triathletes looking for an aero upgrade or a cool kit in a two piece.
Warranty: 90 days Try-on: 90 days, 100% satisfaction guarantee
With a name like “Skin Cooler,” we had to put this DeSoto kit through the paces—specifically, during 100-plus degree F rides in the Arizona desert. It certainly lived up to its name, with impeccable breathability, a full zipper for adjustable ventilation, and quick-drying fabric. Though the brand advertises the fabric as one that “creates a cooling sensation when wet or with sweat,” that wasn’t noticed in extreme heat; however, that might be due to the fact that, well, 100 degrees is going to be hot, no matter what you’re wearing. The Riveria tri short, which DeSoto pairs with the Skin Cooler jersey, does not contain the same fabric, and it shows—the bottoms are constructed from a thick, tight-weave material that doesn’t breathe as well. The 6-mm chamois pad is also thick, almost to the point of being stiff; nice and supportive for riding, but cumbersome for running. Fit note: One tester has a long torso, and found the jersey to run quite short.
Training rides when the mercury is rising and no brick run is planned afterwards.
Warranty: 1 year Try-on: 30-day return, used
Boasting more features than almost all suits on this list combined, the SP1 is one of the most deluxe pieces of tri race clothing we’ve tried. Between the paper-thin, compressive fabric that cooled in high temps and dried quickly to help prevent chill in colder climates, the fantastic (but not entirely unique) convertible hybrid top, and the woven aerodynamic trip textures (which are entirely unique), this new suit was one of our favorites. Details like four hemmed pockets (two side-facing, two unfortunately top-facing) and internally graphene printed fabric are just the tip of the iceberg on this luxe suit.
Triathletes who race in hot temperatures, are focused on speed first, and have the money to spend.
RELATED: A Close Look at the New Spaero SP1 Tri Suit
Warranty: 2 years + crash replacement Try-on: 30-day return
Much like the Spaero SPI, this is a tri suit with more features than we could count. The kit is created from a unique material in the upper that feels more like a swimskin (fast and fast-drying), with highly wicking mesh along the sides. On the lower half, the padding goes from 4mm in front to 6mm in back, which is on the thicker side. The only choice, given that triathletes are rarely sitting on the backs of their sit bones while in a race. The leg bands are also very snug. With very well-hidden pockets also under a flap, this suit is very ideally designed for a short-course, fast racing. While our testers tried the sleeveless version, if you’re going for high-performance (which is what this suit is about), then go with the sleeved option.
The high-performance triathlete looking for every competitive advantage—no matter the price tag.
Tri suits tested by Chris Foster, Susan Lacke, and Kelly O’Mara
RELATED: What Do I Wear to My First Triathlon?
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