The Best Triathlon Wetsuits for Women

If you don’t know by now, swimming in a wetsuit is simply faster than swimming without one in most cases. Sure, if it’s too warm, you could overheat, or they could not even be allowed (over 78 degrees F in USA Triathlon events, 76 degrees for Ironman events), but assuming the swim leg is long enough to offset the time you take to remove it, a wetsuit is better for the vast majority of athletes. That means, you should strongly consider using a wetsuit when you race, if you want to have the best performance possible and get out of the water more ready to tackle the rest of the race. (You should also train in that wetsuit as often as you can.) But buying a wetsuit can be a complicated affair—you need to take into account the range of available sizes and fit, along with a host of features. Everyone is different, so it’s not as simple as saying, “This is the best triathlon wetsuit for women in 2021.”

We’ve compiled an easy-to-use guide with ratings and info on criteria like sizes, fit, value, flexibility, warmth, posture support, buoyancy, and ease of exit. Read on all of the info you need to make an educated decision on the best wetsuit for you. Read about our picks for the best triathlon wetsuits for men here.

Editor’s Note: 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 wetsuits review” websites, our testers actually wear and try the gear ourselves—no glancing at spec sheets and rewording marketing terms! For more on how we review gear, click here.

Sizes	A list of the available sizes for men’s versions of the suit. More sizes generally indicate the better chance for a closer fit.
Fit	Notes on the suit running large or small and any other nonstandard fit observations (bigger upper body, thin legs, tight chest, etc.).
Value	Here we look at the value of the suit from 1-5 when looking at the features, material, etc. Not just the absolute price.
Flexibility	This 1-5 rating looks at how flexible the suit is in important areas like shoulders. 1 is not flexible, 5 is extremely flexible.
Warmth	Scale of 1-5 on warmth—1 is best for warmer water, 5 is for extremely cold water.
Type of Swimmer	This category breaks down what level of swimmer the suit works best for. Typically a more buoyant (but less flexible) wetsuit is better for newer swimmers.
Buoyancy	Rating from 1-5 on level of buoyancy the suit provides. 1 is not buoyant at all, 5 is extremely buoyant.
Ease of Exit	Rating from 1-5 on how easy the suit is to get off in transition. 1 is very difficult, 5 is very easy

Section divider

Rocket Science Sports Basics Long Sleeve | $212

Size	XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
Fit	Good space in the chest for busty women
Value	2
Flexibility	5
Warmth	2
Type of Swimmer	Intermediate
Buoyancy	2
Ease of Exit	4

This basic women’s triathlon wetsuit definitely lives up to its namesake with a suit that’s not expensive and gives a minimal amount of buoyancy and warmth. The good news is the suit is so thin that it doesn’t bunch up behind the knees when kicking or running, and it helps maintain good position in the water. Aside from the minimal cold-water protection and floatation, it also has a slightly rough neckline when compared to other suits in this test.

Section divider

Synergy Endorphin Fullsleeve | $239-280

Size	P1, P2, P3, W1, W2, W3, WX
Fit	Roomy hips and legs
Value	4
Flexibility	4
Warmth	4
Type of Swimmer	Intermediate
Buoyancy	4
Ease of Exit	5

This suit has won high marks by testers for years for an excellent intersection between value and features. The Endorphin is a great choice for anyone just looking to get started in tri, but also for someone who’s looking to save money or maybe struggles finding a women’s triathlon wetsuit large enough. The entire suit has flexible material and lots of space in the lower leg for larger calves. While it surprisingly has good marks for neck design and material, be sure you order a size down to help keep water out.

Section divider

TYR Hurricane Cat 2 | $450

Size	S, S/M, M, M/L, L, XL
Fit	Not for women with muscular arms
Value	3
Flexibility	3
Warmth	4
Type of Swimmer	Beginner
Buoyancy	3
Ease of Exit	3

The Cat-2 is a very prototypical midrange wetsuit with 4mm and 5mm neoprene in the torso and legs to promote floatation without adding bulk or restricting movement too much. It definitely runs on the slimmer size, so if you’re long and slender, this is a good choice—also a good choice if you typically swim in chillier temps. The only downsides to this suit are a double layer of neoprene around the neck that helps with warmth but can feel restrictive—especially at first. Flexibility is also a little bit of a give-and-take on this buoyant and warm women’s triathlon wetsuit.

Section divider

Zone3 Aspire | $700

Size	XS, S, SM, ST, M, L, XL
Fit	Good fit for an average body
Value	4
Flexibility	5
Warmth	4
Type of Swimmer	Intermediate/Experienced
Buoyancy	3
Ease of Exit	5

The Aspire is another longtime favorite that has won women’s triathlon wetsuit awards in the past with it’s incredible ease of entry-exit, second-skin feel, and a fantastic neckline that doesn’t feel restrictive. The only major downsides to this suit is the high premium price and the fact that the wrist cuffs don’t do an amazing job of preventing water entry.

Section divider

Colting SwimRun SR03 | $550

Size	XS, S, SM, M, L, XL
Fit	Best for medium to short torsos
Value	4
Flexibility	4
Warmth	2
Type of Swimmer	Any swimrunner
Buoyancy	2
Ease of Exit	5

Despite the high-ish price for a Swimrun suit, this is a versatile setup with lots of pockets, zippers to help temperature regulation while running, and an effective thigh cuff to prevent the dreaded “ride up” while on land.  Unlike many other wetsuits, however, the SR03 doesn’t have taped seams that would allow you to cut off the arms, and the extra zippers can add weight to the neck and points of entry for chilly water.

Section divider

Blue Seventy Helix | $865

Size	XS, S, MS, M, MA, ML, L, LA, XLA
Fit	Plenty of room for female hips and butts
Value	5
Flexibility	5
Warmth	4
Type of Swimmmer	Experienced
Buoyancy	3
Ease of Exit	5

Little changes here and there have made this solid favorite a good upgrade to one of the fastest suits available. Using more flexible material in the shoulders means a better range of motion through the stroke, and a very unique reverse zipper means a smooth fit around the neck. The reverse zipper also prevents chafing and water flow, as well as speeds up wetsuit removal in T1 (just be sure you have a friendly hand available before the gun goes off). Elsewhere this suit has special ribbed material behind the knees to allow for better leg movement, and nine size options for a wide range of women triathletes in this wetsuit. One warning: Lots of seams can allow for a better chance of rips and tears.

Read the extended review here