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With training ramping up for the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona later this year, TRI247's Jenny Lucas-Hill has been testing out the latest swimsuit release from TRI-FIT over several weeks worth of pool training sessions. Find out how the TRI-FIT Propel swim suit compares to the brand's first foray into swim wear.
Compared to TRI-FIT’s first swim suit – the RAPID which I tested out last year – the new Propel swim suit brings a completely different style to the pool party, and it comes in at a lower price point, too. A higher cut leg, thinner straps and, most excitingly, a fully reversible design are the headline differences here. So how would the new Propel suit compare to the RAPID? With multiple early morning pool sessions a week in my training plan at the moment, I didn’t have to wait long to find out.
Summary
While the Propel swim suit is a completely different design to the RAPID, one thing that you can always count on from TRI-FIT is top-level quality and performance. I really liked the RAPID (you can read my review here). But the Propel has quickly knocked it off the top spot in my swim suit rotation. The higher cut leg is more flattering, and offers better freedom of movement. The thinner back straps keep all the flexibility of the RAPID, without digging in, so you’ll comfortably be able to wear this under a wetsuit. The double-layer fabric holds its shape, even after multiple swims and more than one occasion of accidentally leaving my swimsuit to fester in my kit bag until a few hours before my next trip to the pool. (I know, I know. Don’t @ me!) And the reversible design means you’re basically getting two swim suits for the price of one.
Sizing might be the only real drawback with this swim suit. I’m usually a UK 6-8 and wear a Small in TRI-FIT’s tri suit range. But the narrower hip measurements on the swim suits meant I had to size up to a medium. This fits perfectly on the hips, but my waist/chest could have done with a small so I do have a little bit of extra room up top. Not a major issue – it stays put even with the extra breathing space. But you’ll definitely want to check the size guide versus your measurements carefully.
Overall, this new swim suit launch from TRI-FIT feels like an upgrade on their OG RAPID swim line – and yet it comes in at a lower price point. Win-win!
Initial impressions
Out of the box, the TRI-FIT Propel swim suit reminded me of a Roka swimsuit I’ve had for several years and (miraculously) is still in good enough shape to keep wearing. The Propel is made from a double-layered Eco-Friendly Italian Carvico Fabric. It’s soft touch and has a premium feel to it – but it also feels nicely robust. That bodes well for being ‘triathlete proof’ – i.e. constantly being stuffed in swim bags and subjected to chlorine, sunscreen, sea water and whatever unknown evils are swirling around below the surface of the river I swim in throughout the summer.
You’ve got two colours choices with the Propel. But really, it’s four. Because this swim suit is fully reversible. I went for the solid pink and pink/blue stripe option – whichever way round you wear it, the colours are stunning and vibrant. And what’s nice is that the stitching is super neat on both sides, so unlike other ‘reversible’ suits, it doesn’t ever look like you’ve got you swim suit on inside out. The TRI-FIT Propel was already earning itself ‘new favourite swimsuit’ status before I’d even tried it on!
FIT
As mentioned in my top level summary, I’m a size UK 6-8 (US 2-4) and in TRI-FIT’s tri suit range, I wear a size small. But going by the size guide for the swim suits, my hip measurement meant I needed to size up to a medium – while my chest/rib cage put me at a small. I opted for the medium, which fits really comfortably around the hips and means there’s no unflattering digging in of seams. But as mentioned, this does mean I’ve got a bit of a gap between my ribcage and the straps. The fabric isn’t super stretchy – a small price to pay for how durable it feels and how good the coverage is. But that means some people might struggle to get the perfect fit – I’d recommend checking the size guide carefully and going by your ‘largest’ measurement to choose a size to make sure it’s comfortable.
If you saw my review of the RAPID swim suit last year, you might remember that I noted (while not an issue for my itty-bittys) the racer front could be problematic for larger busted swimmers. The new Propel suit should solve this for most, with a more traditional, slightly scooped front design. And while the straps over the shoulders are thinner, giving even better freedom of movement, they feed into one wider fixed strap in the centre. This, combined with the fabric, makes the fit feel nice and secure.
Once in the water, this swim suit stays put and feels comfortable even for longer swims up to 80/90 minutes.
Comfort & PERFORMANCE
As mentioned already, this swim suit has been super comfortable for all my training sessions so far. And the little bit of extra room up top hasn’t created any noticeable drag while swimming. I also hit an all-time PB for 400m the 2nd or 3rd time I swam in the Propel swim suit. I’m not saying the suit did that – though I do feel more confident wearing this compared to other suits in my rotation. And while I’m not any form of sports psychologist, there’s got to be something in feeling good translating into swimming better.
Overall, this is a suit that will perform well whether you’re doing a steady endurance swim or blasting out some 25m max efforts. It stays put, gives you plenty of freedom of movement and holds it shape well. Zero complaints here.
DURability
I’m about a month, maybe 6 weeks into testing out this suit (time flies when you’re crashing through life trying to balance work and Ironman training!) and so far there’s not a single sign that durability will be an issue. I’ve had suits in the past that have gone bobbly and started losing their shape after only a few weeks. The seams and the fabric are all made to last, which means you should easily get a full season – if not several – out of this swim suit.
VERDICT
With this latest addition to their range, TRI-FIT are further solidifying their status as a brand you can count on for premium quality and style without compromising on comfort, function or performance. At an RRP of £60 (~$80) this swim suit does still fall towards the more premium end of the scale. But I think you can purchase with confidence that you’ll get good value for money and plenty of wear. Based on my experience so far, it wouldn’t surprise me if the TRI-FIT Propel swim suit isn’t still my go-to suit this time next year.
