Trisuits for beginners: What are they and do you need one?

Apart from being one of the sexiest pieces of sporting clothing available, trisuits have some practical elements that make them worthwhile for athletes. That being said, for some triathletes the cost may outweigh these benefits and features. Hopefully this can help you make your decision.

Trisuits are a one piece which can be worn across the three disciplines of triathlon. They are generally quick drying material, have padding on your bottom for the bike, provide an element of aerodynamics being skin tight and will contain pockets (who doesn't love pockets!)

Trisuits are beneficial in triathlons as they are worn for the entirety of the race. That is, you swim, bike and run in the suit without the need for any additional clothing or changing in transition. If you choose to wear a wetsuit for the swim, you simply just wear it over the trisuit and remove it in T1.

The pockets on trisuits prove beneficial for those of us wanting to carry nutrition (or anything else) for the duration of the race.

So, do I NEED one?

No, trisuits are not compulsory, and certaintly seeing if you like racing before buying one can be a good idea. In my first triathlon I went with shorts and a crop top for the swim, then put a singlet over the top for my bike and run. With a little bit of nutrition I had, I just taped it to the top tube of my bike and carried it into the run.

There are one piece 'triathlon' shorts available in many stores which obviously come in cheaper than a full trisuit and have less padding than cycling shorts for less drag in the swim and more comfort on the run. Some people use their cycling shorts that they already own, some people wear a one piece swimsuit then put normal bike shorts and a top on in T1. Whatever you choose to do, you need to make sure that you are comfortable.

Whatever you chose to do, make sure you give it a test out in training before the big day. Your cycling shorts may have a thicker layer of padding than a trisuit which when it gets wet becomes a chafing nightmare, or your regular running shorts may not provide enough padding for your bottom on a longer ride. You'd much rather find these things out in training than on race day!