RS1 Killa Racesuit - THE suit for short distance triathlon

Orca ambassador Miriam Garcia looks at the evolution of triathlon specific racesuits and gives her opinion in laymen's terms of Orca's RS1 Killa Racesuit and why she thinks it's the perfect option for short distance triathlon.

A lot has changed in this sport since its creation. Its evolution has gone through changes in organization, distances, competition, clubs, material and even in the order of the 3 disciplines. 1920: “Les trois sports” (the three sports), “La Course des Débrouillards” (the race of the magnificent) and “La Course des touche à tout” (the race that touches everything), 1974: “multi-sport” and today: TRIATHLON

Today, I'm here to talk about the Tri Suit. 

It was pioneering triathletes like Emilio de Soto who began to design his own tri suits in the early 90's, taking into account his needs as an athlete. Since then, technology has made a lot of progress, always seeking maximum efficiency with very specific materials.  

As athletes we can't even begin to imagine the amount of steps, time and tests that are required for a brand to improve what would seemingly be unimprovable as it already is.

What should we look for in a tri suit?

- It must be lightweight - the fabric is not very thick

-It must dry quickly - to dry as fast as possible after the swim exit

-It must be breathable - especially for running

-It must be comfortable - the straps don't pull, the leg seam is not too tight and the chamois is not too thick to get in the way on the run

And especially for women,

- It must be an attractive slimming design, but not too tight over the thighs (no one likes the sausage leg look!)

When it comes time to choose, we must also consider the distance of the race. Completing a sprint distance is not the same as a half or Ironman, where we are active for many more hours. 

Over short distances, we can afford to have a smaller chamois and wear a one-piece suit, since in theory we won't have to make any pit stops. 

What do I look for in a tri suit?

As some of you know, I practice triathlon as an amateur, and I'm not even among the fastest in this category. However, of all the tri suits I have tried so far, I'd choose the RS1 for short (sprint and Olympic) distances.

If you're interested in the technical features, you can see them by clicking here: Orca RS1 Killa Racesuit

But I want to tell you about it in simple, everyday language.

- To the touch, the fabric feels like paper. It repels water! This prevents the water from penetrating the fabric and we can maintain our natural buoyancy in the water, which helps us go faster. Even those of us who are slow… ;)

- The seams are stitchless and well sealed, and it is infinitely more comfortable than any other suit without this seam-sealed construction.

- It breathes well and weighs next to nothing! It's almost like you have nothing on. 

- The chamois is very small, so it doesn't bother you when running and it breathes well.

I'm lucky enough to have the new version of this tri suit, which unlike the previous model, for women, has an open back. It makes it much more feminine. Thanks, Orca!!