10 Best Swimrun Wetsuits
As far as swimrun gear goes, your swimrun wetsuit is the most important piece of kit. You’ll be wearing this for the entire duration of a race which could be 8 hours long. It should be able to cope with both long swims and challenging running sections without overheating.
A good swimrun wetsuit should be hard-wearing and provide buoyancy and may have additional features to make your race easier such as removable arm sleeves and pockets to stash food and gels in. Most suits these days have whistles built in as required by race organisers.
We’ve delved into the world of swimrun wetsuits to bring you the very best options on the market. On our list, you’ll find both top-of-the-range and affordable options, for both the beginner and the experienced swimrunner.
Here are the top 10 best swimrun wetsuits as voted in the annual swimrun awards. This article has been updated in January 2024.
ARK Swimrun ORNÖ X
The ARK Swimrun ORNÖ X is a firm favourite in the swimrun community and ideal for experienced swimrunners looking for a top-of-the-line suit. This one is very light, weighting between 500 & 510g and features better thermal capabilities for winter races. It also features better buoyancy – the “master belt” around the chest is now made from 5mm buoyancy FOAM for better flotation. There’s also a front zipper, back pocket, and separate arm sleeves. Winner of the ‘best swimrun wetsuit’ award.
ARK Swimrun Utö
The ARK Swimrun UTÖ is a quick suit designed to be the most comfortable to run in. According to ARK, it is the ‘least constricting suit’ and designed for athletes who want to go fast! Weighing in at 485g, the suit packs a lot of technology and is best for warm to cool climates.
Zone3 Swimrun Evolution Wetsuit
This is one of the most advanced swimrun suits out there. Crammed with technology, the Evolution wetsuit is incredibly light and designers have focused on comfort. There are a useful six pockets and although the suit is light, it doesn’t compromise on buoyancy. The Zone3 Swimrun Evolution is an award winning suit which looks the part.
ARK Swimrun Vigg Air
The Ark Swimrun Vigg Air is specifically designed for hot temperatures, think warm seas and sunshine. It is the lightest suit in the ARK Sports range weighing a mere 310g and is light, fast and comfortable. There is a decent sized pocket for storage and is an excellent racing suit.
Head Swimrun Myboost Pro
The Myboost Pro is the newest wetsuit in Head’s popular swimrun line. The suit features 4mm air cell neoprene with additional buoyancy in the chest and quads, as well as detachable sleeves. There’s both a front and back zipper and front and back tow loops for accessories like flotation devices. As an upgrade from their popular Myboost SL, this is a dependable wetsuit with enough flexibility that you can adapt it to your needs.
HEAD Swimming The Aero Flex PRO
Head Swimming The Aero Flex Pro is a seriously good swimrun wetsuit. It combines 10 different types of neoprene, is beautifully designed and fast to run in. With a large external pocket and a good distribution of neoprene thickness to maximise flexibility, it is an excellent choice for more advanced swimrunners.
Orca Aesir Swimrun Wetsuit
The Orca Flex Aesir Swimrun has an intriguing design with a jacket style front zip which makes the suit easy to ventilate while running. The materials are of premium quality and as with all Orca products, with excellent flexility. There is no functional pocket on the Aesir, so you will need to use a vest or belt to carry supplementry gear.
Orca Vanir Swimrun Wetsuit
The Orca Vanir Flex is a comfortable suit which is in the mid-range price option. You get a lot of value for money, as the suit has a high quality design and is good for both short and long distance races. You have one useful big pocket on the back of the wetsuit and has a classy and unfussy design to it.
NU Complements ALLIGATOR SR Wetsuit
The Alligator is a premium suit with plenty of features, including a double zipper which means you have a front and back zip for easy cabbing down on run sections. It is the only wetsuit on this page that has removable buoyancy panels which means you can customise the suit to fresh and salt water. The suit is visually attractive and a popular option in Europe.
Colting Swimrun SR03
The SR03 is one of the thinnest swimrun wetsuits on the market, with a thickness of just 1.5mm across most of the suit – the sides have a special panel 0.8mm thick to aid mobility while swimming and running. Though thin, the Yamamoto neoprene ensures that it’s flexible and water-tight. It also has an adjustable buoyancy system – the suit comes with three thicknesses of float, so you can choose which you want to insert into the thigh mesh pockets.
