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Jenny Lucas-Hill is a long distance age group triathlete with 3 Iron-distance finishes under her belt to date, alongside multiple middle distance and short course races. With a kit drawer full of tri suits that have never quite ticked every box, she’s on a quest to find the ultimate tri suit for middle and long distance triathletes. Starting in the depths of the UK winter, and then taking it out for a spin at Singapore T100 and Challenge The Championship, she's been putting the TRI-FIT GEO tri suit through its paces to see how it fares for comfort, breathability and performance in a range of different conditions.
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The TRI-FIT GEO tri suit is one of a range of premium suits available from this small UK-based triathlon apparel brand. The GEO promises to be the brand’s ‘fastest tri suit yet’. And after their first tri suit to market earned itself plenty of awards – we were keen to see how this addition to the range performed.
Long course triathlete Jenny Lucas-Hill has been putting the TRI-FIT GEO women’s tri suit through its paces this race season – from the sweaty indoor sessions before the weather picked up, to the steamy conditions of the Singapore T100 and the chilly water of Challenge The Championship. Has the TRI-FIT GEO delivered on its promise of ultra-aero design without compromising on comfort? Read on to discover the verdict.
Summary
The TRI-FIT GEO is an ultra-comfortable tri suit which feels well worth the premium price tag. It’s breathable, fits well and performs across all three triathlon disciplines – proving comfortable even in the extreme heat and humidity at the Singapore T100. But it’s the chamois pad which puts this suit head and shoulders above other suits I’ve raced in.
If you’re racing middle distance or long course triathlon, you’ll struggle to find a race suit that’s more comfortable on the bike (without feeling overly bulky on the run) than the TRI-FIT GEO.
Initial impressions
I’ve been through a lot of tri suits in my time, and fresh out of the box the TRI-FIT GEO feels like a really nice quality suit. The top half is lightweight, without feeling flimsy, and features a hexagonal aerodynamic fabric on the sleeves. The shorts are made from a compressive material which feels super soft to the touch.
I went for the coral colourway, which is a subtle pink layered with a criss-cross white line design. I’ve been known to go for bolder designs in the past, but these days I prefer something that’s eye-catching enough for my support crew to be able to spot me out on the race course. But not so bold that I feel like a highlighter pen. The coral design feels like a nice middle ground between both ends of the spectrum.
The chamois pad is probably one of the plushest I’ve seen on a tri suit, so I was interested to see if it would feel bulky while running. The suit is designed to be super breathable which does mean that the top section is slightly see-through in the light pink colourway. That’s not something I mind at all, as I always race with a sports bra on. But it’s worth noting and perhaps opting for the black design if it’s something that’s likely to bother you.
Unlike most tri suits I’ve raced in, which have had traditional ‘vertical’ pockets on the back. The TRI-FIT GEO has a side access rear pocket. It’s not something I’ve actively looked for, but it feels like it’ll be easier to get to gels sideways once I’ve got a race number on.
FIT
I’m 5ft 4 and typically wear a UK size 6-8 in streetwear. The team at TRI-FIT recommended I went for a size small and it fits like a glove.
The material on the shorts is gently compressive, and thick enough that there’s no risk of giving any would-be drafters a full moon show on the bike. They feel really supportive, and the laser cut hems and gripper don’t create a hint of the dreaded ‘sausage legs’. The plush chamois didn’t feel noticeable at all, but the proof would be in the running.
Unlike some of TRI-FIT’s other suits such as the EVO Next Gen, which has a full zip at the front and a top half which you can remove like a cycling jersey. The GEO is a true one piece suit. This does mean that choosing the correct size for your height is more important.
For this not-so-tall triathlete, the upper half fits nicely with no hint of restriction around the shoulders. The sleeves come down to my elbows – good for aerodynamics on the bike. The laser cut arm hems do sit pretty snugly, which means they’re unlikely to roll up. But a consideration for anyone that does better in the gym than I do at upper body strength work. A major plus point for me is the absence of any annoying raised seams under the armpits or along the torso to cause chafe once you put a wetsuit on.
I also found the design to be really flattering once on, which is always a bonus for feeling confident out on the race course. The size range does currently only go up to an XL at the moment though, which makes it slightly less inclusive.
Comfort & PERFORMANCE
I first started testing this tri suit out in the depths of the UK winter, meaning it was down to a series of indoor training sessions to get a feel for how it would perform. The static nature of the turbo trainer meant if I was going to have any issues with chafing or other related undercarriage discomfort, I was going to find out about it pretty quickly. I was worried that the chamois pad might prove overly thick for comfort in the TT position, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it was super comfortable both sat up and down on the aero bars.
I jumped on the treadmill wearing this tri suit as part of a brick session. The plush chamois that I worried would make me feel like I was running in a diaper in reality felt like it was barely there. I don’t know how TRI-FIT have done that. Magic? Or just really good product design? I guess we’ll never know. I was a sweaty mess by the end, as you’d expect after 90 minutes+ of fan-free indoor training. But I certainly wasn’t overheating, and the suit seemed to do a good job of wicking and drying.
That breathability would soon be put to the test, after I got a last minute chance to race the Singapore T100 age group triathlon while out there covering the PRO racing. Racing in extreme heat and humidity, with no heat training, on a borrowed road bike could have been a recipe for disaster. But the TRI-FIT GEO performed on all counts. Plenty flexible during the swim. Ridiculously comfortable during the bike, despite the unfamiliar saddle. And it did a great job of keeping me cool on the run.
I also wore this tri suit for Challenge The Championship. The 16 degree water temperature meant a wetsuit swim was on the cards, and even under a wetsuit the TRI-FIT GEO didn’t feel at all restrictive. It also dried quickly once I hopped on the bike. The course at The Championship is dead flat, and I had my own TT bike with me this time. I spent more or less the entire 90km in the aero position, and the chamois pad didn’t let me down. The day was heating up by the time I hit that notoriously twisty, turny run course on the leg sapping horse track. And like in Singapore, the suit kept me cool and comfortable throughout the full 21kms.
DURability
I can’t be the only person who has a habit of leaving race kit to fester a little too long in my after-race gear bag once I’ve finished an event. In fact, after Singapore T100 I had to head straight on to Japan for the Golden Trail World Series which meant my poor tri suit spent almost another 2 weeks in suitcase jail before it got to catch sight of the washing machine!
Thankfully though, two races and plenty of training sessions down and the TRI-FIT GEO is still looking good as new. Proving itself to be ‘Jenny-proof’. The zips, the stitching and the fabrics are all well-made, and the result is a tri suit that’s built to last. Great for getting plenty of race seasons out of your new kit. Not so great if you’re looking for excuses to treat yourself to a new tri suit every season – you’ll have to get creative!
VERDICT
After using this tri-suit for two middle distance triathlons, I can say it’s genuinely one of the most comfortable tri suits I’ve ever tried. It’s performed well in probably the hottest conditions I’ve ever raced in, offering great breathability and no issues with chafing. But it’s the chamois pad that puts it head and shoulders above the rest for me.
The only drawback is that the focus on aerodynamics means you compromise on pockets. This wasn’t an issue for me for middle distance racing, but I did end up treating myself to the TRI-FIT EVO 2.3 for Challenge Roth (which has several pockets) so I could carry enough gels for the full marathon.
But for middle distance racing, or if you tend to store all your nutrition in a race belt, this tri-suit is spot on – and I think you’ll struggle to find an aero tri suit that’s more comfortable.
