What is my ideal wetsuit?

Choosing a wetsuit isn’t just about the temperature of the water. It’s about you, your technique, your position in the water and everything you need to be able to swim more confidently and efficiently. Not all swimmers need the same thing, which is why the Orca wetsuit range has been designed according to how you swim, as opposed to how much.

Within the Orca triathlon collection, the Athlex and Apex ranges represent two ways of understanding performance in the water. They both aim to improve hydrodynamics, position and efficiency when it comes to swimming, but each is designed for a different profile of swimmer.

ATHLEX AND APEX

The Athlex range can be defined as the point where technology and accessibility meet. These wetsuits are designed for triathletes who train and compete regularly and seek high quality in the swim stage, which translates as advanced materials and a balance of buoyancy and flexibility. In the water, this combination offers you support, enabling you to maintain a higher and more streamlined position in the water, correcting minor technical faults and ultimately allowing you to save energy while swimming, especially during middle and long distance events. It’s no wonder that these wetsuits, which enhance efficiency, are a natural choice among triathletes seeking performance and comfort in equal measure. 

Apex, on the other hand, represents the highest level of innovation and performance within our triathlon range. The materials used are more lightweight, elastic and reactive, and their construction is designed to interfere with your stroke as little as possible. Buoyancy becomes strategic as opposed to corrective, designed to enhance a strong technique. The result is the sensation you’re wearing a second skin: maximum freedom in your shoulders, more fluid stroke transitions and the ability to keep up a fast rhythm while generating less muscle fatigue. These are wetsuits designed for experienced triathletes who don’t need a suit that helps them to swim better, but a suit that allows them to swim their way - and faster.

Athlex and Apex aren’t in competition with each other, but rather respond to different needs: Athlex offers the perfect balance between performance and support in the water, while Apex represents the purest expression of speed and sensitivity for those looking to give their absolute best at competitions.

FLOAT, FLEX AND FLOW

Within each range, Float, Flex and Flow respond to the needs of each swimmer and the way they interact with their technique.

The Float models are designed to offer maximum buoyancy. They incorporate thicker panels in the lower half of the suit which lift the legs up and help ease the body into a more horizontal and streamlined position. The idea is to reduce water resistance, improve hydrodynamics and minimise energy loss by preventing the legs from sinking. In the Athlex range, Float becomes an ally that corrects and stabilises your position; in the Apex range, buoyancy becomes more strategic and efficient, providing you support as well as a lighter and more reactive sensation in the water.

The Flex models are designed for technically efficient swimmers who prioritise maximum stroke freedom above buoyancy. They incorporate more elastic materials in the shoulders, arms and back, giving you the sensation you’re swimming without a wetsuit on and allowing you to give it your all while reducing muscle fatigue. The Athlex range is designed for those who no longer need help maintaining a streamlined position in the water, while the Apex range focuses on providing greater stroke sensitivity in the water.

The Flow models represent a balance between buoyancy and flexibility. They combine extra lift in your legs with a high level of elasticity in the upper half of the body so that your stroke stays natural and fluid. These suits are designed for triathletes who have already developed a solid technique and seek to optimise their position in the water without sacrificing sensations or freedom of movement. This is the most versatile of both ranges: Athlex offers the perfect balance between support and performance, while Apex takes the same combination to the maximum level, with more lightweight and elastic materials, allowing you to swim with greater efficiency and reducing muscle fatigue.