2XU Light Speed Sleeved Trisuit Review – Stylish Speed

Erin Trail

Initial Impressions

The 2XU Light Speed Sleeved Trisuit is a very comfortable one-piece tri suit with plenty of technology to give triathletes an edge when training and racing.

Detailed Review

I have 16 years of experience in triathlon and I was SO excited to really put the 2XU Light Speed Sleeved Trisuit through the paces.  

Testing conditions:

• 2 x 2 hour outside rides on my TT bike (mid-70 degree temperatures)
• 2 x 1.5 hour trainer rides on my TT bike
• 1 x 1 mile run off the bike
• 1 x 8 mile run (60 degree temperatures)

Fit and Features

I found this kit to fit true to size.  The fabric is incredibly soft, especially the top fabric – it feels like second skin. The legs of the trisuit are on the long side, hitting me just above my knees, but the grippers are just right, avoiding sausage leg or irritation but also not allowing for movement or upward creeping of the legs. The top of the trisuit is attached to the bottoms at the sides and back, leaving the front open, which allows for a better variety of torso lengths to get a good fit.  The zipper is an auto-locking one: flip the zipper tab down to lock it in place, flip the zipper tab up and the zipper unzips by gently tugging the fabric. 

The top of the fabric is slightly see-through, which is pretty common with one-piece trisuits.  The upper fabric is Italian SBR VENT with Swiss COLDBLACK®, meaning the fabric wicks moisture while keeping you cool. I didn’t get a sunburn through the fabric while riding outside, but I would suspect that for longer rides, I’d end up with some interesting looking tan-lines due to how thin the fabric is.

The legs are a slightly heavier fabric (PWX VENT) and the quads have a Muscle Containment Stamping grid on the inside of the fabric.  This gives the legs a textured feel – but there is technology and function to this texture.

The chamois upon first look seems bulky. I’m not used to triathlon chamois being thick/stiff enough to hold a shape while it hangs. Honestly, I thought the chamois looked too bulky to be comfortable.  While on the bike, the chamois was great.  I like that it has a little bit of overage to the fabric and the seams are EXACTLY what I prefer.  It’s sewn in place with a light zig-zag stitch, which allows the chamois to lay flat and not cause any bunching.  The zig-zag seam also is really minimal, so you don’t have any additional bulk in the leg crease.  I did notice the chamois at the start of my 8 mile run (it wasn’t uncomfortable, but I did notice that it was there).  After the first mile, I forgot about it.  And for my 1 mile run off the bike, it wasn’t an issue.  I’m guessing that the chamois becomes more flexible with moisture (from swimming or sweat).

I also tested out the pockets for storage and ease of getting things in and out. The Light Speed Sleeved Trisuit has 2 rear envelope pockets, that are stretchy and generous.  I was able to fit 2-3 Science in Sport gels (which are fairly big) in each pocket, meaning I’d be able to carry enough fuel for a 70.3 distance triathlon. The pockets are secure – no bouncing or allowing the gels to sneak their way out of the pockets as you move.  Getting a gel out of my pocket while riding was really easy.  Putting the empty gel wrapper in the pocket while moving- was not easy, so it just went down my top until I could throw it away. (again, pretty typical of one piece trisuits).

Performance

Due to the timing of this gear review (October- December), I wasn’t really able to test this kit in truly hot conditions. Despite not being able to test it in the heat, I feel confident that this kit would breathe well and would be very comfortable in hot racing conditions. 

What I loved about this kit is how it simply did it’s job.  The legs and arms stayed put while in use.  I didn’t have to tug at my legs or sleeves while at stoplights. There was no chamois discomfort or chafing from seams. The construction of this kit was done with performance AND comfort in mind. This kit is just easy to wear – which allows me to concentrate on my riding or running instead of thinking about what my kit is doing.

I found pit-stops to be fairly easy.  I usually wear a two-piece trisuit because it makes bathroom logistics easier.  Pit stops while wearing the Light Speed Sleeved Trisuit wasn’t as simple as when wearing a two-piece kit, but it was also pretty easy.  The auto-locking zipper allows for a quick unzipping (think Clark Kent busting out of his dress shirt).  The envelope pockets keep your items securely in place (one of my worst nightmares is having my nutrition fall down the port-a-potty).  And getting the suit back on was reasonably easy, largely due to the lightness and flexibility of the fabric.

The most impressive part of the Light Speed Sleeved Trisuit is the Muscle Containment Stamping. The technology similar to kenesio tape, only it’s built into the leg fabric.  I could actually feel the grid system support my quads as I ran.  There was a tiny bit of compression and I noticed a reduced bounce to my quads as I ran.  I imagine that this technology would feel amazing in those final miles of a long distance triathlon.

Closing Thoughts

I really enjoyed testing the 2XU Light Speed Sleeved Trisuit.  This kit is incredibly well designed – with lots of thoughtful touches and technology – that enhances the swimbikerun experience. It’s very comfortable but also full of high performance features.  This trisuit is appropriate for all distances – from sprint races

Erin Trail