2017 REVIEW BROCHURE
wETSuITS: parT onE Winner of the 220 magazine BEST BUY award, with a 92% rating. Zone3 always try to give the absolute best product forNabaiji the price point and as the review stated “the Advance wouldn’t feel out of place against many of the mid-range products at twice the price”. decathlon.co.uk
Sp
racezone3.com
spe
aDVance £159
t
Th opt con and sup bec eve (Sp less this nec like ma hur a ge fou and swi
A decent quality beginners’ suit at a good price but with limited lower-body buoyancy
Bag this great suit if you’re on a budget – you’ll find no reason to upgrade for a while…
VeRdicT
VALUE
Performance Value oVerall
RRP £159
TRI67.grouptest.indd 89
VeRdicT
DesPiTe BeinG the cheapest suit on test, this budget model from Decathlon is fully SCS-coated for better hydrodynamics. The shoulders are definitely more restrictive than some of the more expensive suits, but it’s not a race-ruining lack of freedom. The arms’ rigidity is also evident at the elbows, making good catch technique a bit of a chore and naturally straightening out the recovery phase, which can affect body roll. While there’s a some extra buoyancy to aid body positioning, it’s a bit limited and didn’t level our legs out very well meaning it’s probably not best suited to new triathlon converts from a cycling background with heavy legs. It TOP still performs well for the price though.
We’Ve alWaYs been impressed by the performance of Zone3’s wetsuits, especially given their price. The Advance is the cheapest Zone3 model and, once again, its performance doesn’t give a hint that it’s below the £200 mark. The simple, smooth design was a real pleasure to swim in, with high-stretch, 2mm shoulder panels and just the right amount of buoyancy round the torso and hips. The neck is low and comfortable, though it was a tough suit to zip up – if anything fit is a bit small, as our tester should have been at the small end of the demo suit’s size range. The cuffs are snug and don’t let water in and, as with all Zone3 suits, the Pro-Speed Cuffs on the lower legs made it an absolute cinch to get off in a hurry. A great value suit.
VeRdicT
cOLD Water SWiM Suit £119.99
Zone 3
Performance Value oVerall
BEST ON TEST ZONE3 ADVANCE
›› VERDICT
›› VERDICT
95%
Quite simply, a stunning suit with great features that’s an absolute steal for £159
96 I WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I MAY 2016
2016
Pay over £200 and more features trickle into play, with the Fusion boasting Yamamoto’s S.C.S coating on the legs for added durability and warmth, and honeycomb arm cuffs for improved crawl feel. The 1.5mm arms were among the best here for arm movement, while the visuals looked fantastic pulling through the Atlantic waters. Blueseventy tout the thin 2mm neckline and ‘lowered collar’ and, while it’s certainly supple, we still felt it was a little tight. In terms of buoyancy, the 3mm upper and 5mm legs combo is the winning mix for most swimmers, and the Fusion delivers the optimum amount of chest and leg lift. While their step away from the tri-suit market is a surprise, the Fusion is continued proof that the Kiwis are one of the masters of wetsuit design.
Best for beginners or those on a budget
78%
We tested these suits in ascending price order and however much the Lomo impressed, the latest Advance from Zone3 blew it out of the water. Visually and in terms of ingredients, it’s an instant step-up, with Zone3’s ‘Pro-Speed’ cuffs for easy removal and ‘Speedflo’ fabric that reduced drag in the water. Despite a low-ish cut neckline, there was minimal water ingress throughout and, thanks to the neck guard, there was no neck chafing. Unlike Lomo, the well-crafted blend of 3mm and 4mm neoprene on the torso – plus 4mm on the legs – provided a decent amount of buoyancy, while the 2mm underarm thickness ensured a range of arm movements. Quite how they’ve done it for £159 we’re not sure, but the Advance punches above releases twice its price.
›› VERDICT
93%
A stylish, supple and top-draw package, and at a wallet-friendly price, too
Recognised as the best entry level wetsuit on the market.
£159.00 www.racezone3.com
RRP £220
One piece shoulder panel & 5mm core buoyancy
Best for beginners and intermediates
2016
Zone3 Aspire Good swimmers will love the Aspire for its natural feel, while the style minded will appreciate its purple and gold rocker-chic look. Neutral buoyancy gives a gentle lift in the water without influencing rotation. So if you’d rather control your rotation—a feature that experienced swimmers may appreciate—rather than get rocked side to side, the Aspire deserves your attention. A snug neck keeps water out while specially designed easy-out arm and leg cuffs make for a speedy T1. Best for: Advanced Swimmers
RRP £299
ZONE 3 ASPIRE $475, Racezone3.com Best for: All-around performance If you’re looking to upgrade to a premium wetsuit but think spending more than $500 is outrageous, the Aspire is one of the best options around. This suit feels similar to Zone 3’s high-end Vanquish, which costs $250 more, making the Aspire the best return on investment in Zone 3’s collection. The 1.5mm onepiece shoulder panel offers just the right amount of flex and noticeably increases distance per stroke. The red panels on the wrist and ankle cuffs are coated in silicone for an easier exit in transition. Like the Vanquish, the Aspire makes swimming more enjoyable by minimizing restriction through the shoulders while lifting the lower body to increase buoyancy.
Speed, comfort and unrestricted swimming
Winner of more top reviews than any other wetsuit
WETSUITS
ROKA MAVERICK ELITE
ZONE3 ASPIRE
ZOOT
The draw: Body position improvement Wearing the Maverick Elite, the choice of Olympians Javier Gomez and Gwen Jorgensen, gives the sensation of swimming downhill. It jacks the hips and legs of even the bulkiest swimmers to the surface. Thinner panels of neoprene on the chest help the body lift into a balanced and level position. Shoulder flexibility is remarkable, and stretching for a full stroke feels natural and free of resistance. The low-cut neck feels comfortable yet it still seals effectively.
The draw: Speed-oriented fit Cut tightly and featuring a supportive core, the Aspire helps compress the swimmer into a slightly smaller package to reduce drag. This sensation of resistance is limited to the midsection—it doesn’t pull on the arms. The suit’s firm design helps put even more power into the water. Pure swimmers will love the natural feel of this suit, and those with less refined technique will benefit from its ample buoyancy. Water doesn’t seep into the suit, keeping it warm and as buoyant as possible long into a swim.
The dr Every the wa this ex propp to find tricky. ter to a skin the ar stout eager and sh right f wetsu
$500, Rokasports.com
$445, Racezone3.com
$325,
201 BEST IN
RRP £299
RRP £475
2016
2016 Super fast and smooth in the water.
Top end suit producing an incomparable swimming experience.
Triathlete Europe - Vanquish Review - July 2015 Zone3’s Vanquish is their second in command wetsuit but with a £425 price tag should be considered top-end. The first thing we noticed was just how flexible this suit is around the shoulders and arms. In the water this allows for great freedom of movement and helps with a fast turnover that’s linked to faster swim times. Also this helps to reduce fatigue, especially over long distances. This is achieved by using a single 1.5mm Yamamoto 40 SCS neoprene panel that runs from the left forearm, up the arm, across the upper chest and shoulders, and down the right arm. Each forearm has what Zone3 call their Sensory Catch Panel. This is essentially a water repellent Lycra panel that replaces the neoprene and helps to provide a good feel for the water. The chest area of the Vanquish uses a 3mm neoprene panel that helps with flexibility and allows the chest to expand. To increase buoyancy Zone 3 has sandwiched a ‘T’ shaped 5mm panel within this chest region. This is also designed to act as a roll bar to help with torso rotation. We didn’t notice this making a marked difference but it certainly had no negative impact. Around the hips and core 5mm neoprene has been used and this helps to lift the centre of body into an efficient position in the water. On the front of the upper legs Zone3 has used 5mm Aerodome neoprene panels, which feature tiny air pockets for added buoyancy. To the sides of the legs this Aerodome neoprene sandwiches NBR, which is a buoyant material found in life jackets, to provide maximum lift. The arms and ankles use 2mm neoprene that does a good job of sealing and being flexible meant we had no issues with fast removal in T1. The Vanquish uses a reverse zip that’s easy to open and saves any worry of zips being pulled down during a race. All of this combines to make the Vanquish a wetsuit that’s easy to like because it’s easy to get used to and performs well in the water. It provides an efficient body position and offers flexibility usually reserved for more expensive suits. As such it offers good value and punches well above its price point.
Performance: 9 Value: 9 RRP £475
‘Zone3 is clearly not one of these open mold start ups. It is a bonafide wetsuit brand, it will continue to move forward, it makes fine wetsuits at great price points, great values, and deserves its rightful slice of the market’ - Dan Empfield, Slowtwitch
ONLINE CUSTOMER REVIEWS
| WETSUITS
“Fast, flexible & buoyant - an absolute joy to swim in! The real beauty in this suit is the ability to get it off in no time. It’s amazing! No Vaseline required, it comes off in a jiffy” - VISION
“Great value, attractive, comfortable, good fit! This wetsuit is the way forwards. It fits perfectly after a couple of wears, adds lots of buoyancy and is so flexible around the shoulders that it feels like you are wearing no suit at all! Once you’ve bought this product you wont look at other brands ever again. I know that this one isn’t exactly cheap, but for its quality it’s still awesome value for money” - VANQUISH “Swimming in it for the first time today was like being inside an underwater Lamborghini on nitrous oxide. I don’t know how you make these things, but they are fast!” - ASPIRE
AEROFORCE ELITE TRISUIT
ONLINE CUSTOMER REVIEWS
| TRI APPAREL
“this suit has seriously helped my performance over the last couple of seasons. The fabric is extremely light and breathable and repels the water so it’s really quick to swim in. It dries within minutes of being on the bike and is a really comfortable design and fit” - AEROFORCE ELITE
“Great high quality fabric which instantly beads up when Athe drawstring cord and leg grips. Pad did a good job on a full season of Sprint and Olympic distance races with no chaffing or discomfort” - AQUAFLO TRI SHORTS
“Love the looks of this suit - feel a bit like supermnan in it! The fabrics are all really light and breathable and my swim times drop dramatically when i’m doing timed swims in the pool. The Teflon and Nano coatings really help slice through the water and it feels nice and buoyant too!” - AEROFORCE NANO
BENTO BOX
2016
“Really useful for training and races” VISOR
“Perfect for keeping me cool on race day” RACE BELT
“Can’t Fault this product in any way” PADDLES
“Ultra comfortable & great for technique”
WWW.RAC EZONE3.C OM