Has your swimwear seen better days? If the answer is yes, now is probably the time to invest in something new. To help, here's our list of the best swimsuits for women.
If you need more buying advice before making your choice, head down to the section below which explains how to pick the best swimsuit for you.
For complete your swim kit collection, be sure to take a look at our lists of the best swimming goggles, best swimming bags and best nose clips for swimming.
Best swimsuits for women in 2024
Speedo Endurance Medalist
- £31 (UK only)
Ticking the Baywatch box with its red colour scheme, the Essential Endurance Medalist is one of those classic swimsuits that will always look good, while the fabric lasted well in our test with no bagging.
It’s fully chlorine-resistant and features a lined front, as well as a wide X-back and wider straps than many of the others on test.
This will suit those who prefer a less skimpy number or don’t find skinny straps very comfortable.
It’s also a good shout if you like a suit that doesn’t move at all once it’s on!
I found my UK10 a touch snug when dry and a little too high on the hips as a result, as I possibly needed more length in the body, but once in the water it fitted like a second skin and was comfortable, with just the right amount of stretch.
Verdict: A good, solid suit in a classic style with an affordable price tag.
Score: 83%
Zone3 Strap Back Kona Speed
- £40 (UK only)
Wetsuit brand Zone3’s suit had a similar silky feel to the Yonda in this test and I liked the Kona-esque tribal print with bright edging (other prints are available in the same style).
The strappy open back and medium-high leg cut keep the suit modern yet comfortable and I didn’t have any problems with restriction when swimming.
The fabric is Italian Xfinity, offering 100% chlorine resistance with a front lining that stayed in place throughout my test swims.
This suit has previously won ‘best value’ in this category, and it impressed again this year, but I did have one small niggle – I struggled to get the suit to stay in place on the bum after turning in the pool, which meant frequent adjustments were required!
Verdict: The fit on the bum could be better, but this is a nice quality suit.
Score: 75%
Funkita Spin The Bottle One-Piece
- £44.95 / $70.95
Surely the weirdest name ever for a swimsuit, this design reminded me more of kaleidoscopes than ill-advised party games, but hey-ho.
The important thing is this suit has the usual superb Funkita fit, which was both flattering and functional, and the thin strappy back did a great job of staying out of the way without digging in on this UK14 tester (the suit comes in sizes 6-16).
The leg cut and coverage was superb, with Funkita stating the suit has got “moderate leg height and rear coverage so you won’t be picking around to find me after a few tumble turns”. And hallelujah for that!
The suit has a full-front lining and the fabric is C-Infinity, a 100% Italian polyester, which from previous outings on these pages I know does a superb job of resisting chlorine and fading.
Other suits are available in ‘Eco C-Infinity’ which uses recycled bottles, but sadly not this one. It will last well, though.
Verdict: Perfect fit, the right amount of stretch, straps you don’t notice – and bum coverage!
Score: 88%
Orca RS1 One-Piece
- Buy now from Wetsuit Centre (£44.95)
- £44.95 / $69
Designed for intensive training, this suit from swim brand Orca comes in sizes 8-16 and in a choice of four colourways – here in the zingy ‘Green Algae’ (Marine Blue, Coral Red and, erm, Black are the other choices).
While I got away with the sizing on this one, I would consider sizing up as my UK14 was a bit snug – though that would have put me at the top of the sizing range.
Orca is doing some good work around inclusivity, though, with some of the brand’s women’s open-water wetsuits now up to an XL and fuller-figured swimmers featuring in their marketing. Plus, the entry-level Core swimsuit goes up to a XXL.
But I did like the bright colourblock design, and the wide, racer back felt comfortable and supportive as I swam.
There was good overall coverage, too, albeit the suit was pulled down a bit at the front from being a bit short in the body for me.
Verdict: A nice suit, but limited in size options and comes up quite small; comfortable, wide racer back.
Score: 80%
Aquasphere Essentials Classic Back
- £49.99 / $64.99
Don’t be deceived by its relatively simple looks, as this suit from swim brand Aquasphere is a powerhouse in the pool.
Part of the ‘essentials’ range, it’s designed for training and comes in European sizes 34 to 46 (translating to a 6-18).
My UK14 was spot-on and the four-way stretch fabric gave plenty of room to move while also fitting close to the body with no gaping.
Pink wouldn’t be my usual choice (it's also available in black, navy and red) but here it was striking rather than girlie, and the fabric still looked good after multiple washes.
Plus, it’s made from 78% recycled polyester (generated from PET plastic bottles) and 22% elastolefin, which is good to see.
The combination of the classic back and medium leg cut gave good coverage and support without feeling frumpy, while the wider straps gave good support without impeding my swimming (a flyback version is available if you prefer your straps thinner).
Verdict: Hits the sweet spot between support and performance, and we liked the striking colour.
Score: 90%
Zoggs Astral Sprintback
- £45 / $56.80
Zoggs is one of our trusty ‘can’t go wrong’ swimwear brands and it’s always nice to see a new suit arrive in the office.
I'm not quite sure what the ‘Astral’ design is meant to be (comet? Zebra? Broken TV?) but I like the cheeriness of it and the lined front adds a touch more compression as well as modesty.
The suit has Zoggs’ classic Sprintback, which gives plenty of freedom of movement but with a little extra fabric on the sides giving a bit more security than the usual string-type back.
The leg cut and front height suited my curvier shape well and, with Ecolast fabric made from recycled post-consumer plastic bottles (with 13 x 500ml plastic bottles in every metre of fabric), the quality and eco element are covered.
This suit only comes in sizes 8-16, but other styles in the Zoggs range are available up to a UK26, including the brand's unique open-water thermal swimsuits.
Verdict: You can’t go wrong with a Zoggs suit, which also offers an eco option for a decent price.
Score: 86%
Huub Splat Swim Training Costume
- Buy now from Wetsuit Centre (£44.95)
- £39.99 (UK only)
Kudos to Huub for saying it how it is in typical northern fashion – no fancy names here as ‘Splat’ perfectly describes the artist’s splashes of colour: “The Huub Swim Training Costume in Splat design delivers the latest cut and styling to the pool. You either love ’em or hate ’em!”
Well, as it happens I like the bright design and the thin spaghetti straps going into an oval open back gave a good mix of support without getting in the way of my stroke.
The front of the suit is lined and made from fabric that Huub tells me is high quality and chlorine resistant – and this has been borne out by our previous testing.
Sizing here is from 6-16 but if looking for a wider range, there’s the same suit with a print designed in collaboration with women’s training platform Her Spirit, which is available up to a UK20.
There’s also a bright colourfade design, a basic black option and a pineapple print designed by pro Helen Jenkins.
Verdict: Classy suit that does what it says on the tin. Bright, comfortable and unique.
Score: 86%
Yonda Astratto Blu
- £29.99 / $39
Yonda impressed with its wetsuits in the past, so how about swimwear?
Well it looks great on, with a funky geometric design and the thin straps and racerback were comfortable, while sitting well so as not to impede your stroke.
The Italian fabric has a slight sheen, and the bright pink lining feels good quality, helping it to feel supportive.
After multiple wash/wear cycles, it still looked good, and my only issue was that the high cut on the legs and chunky seams dug in a little on this curvy-hipped size UK12 tester. Other figures may not find the same issue, though.
The fabric is chlorine-resistant, using Xtra-life Lycra and polyester, but the suit doesn’t have any eco-credentials as of yet.
Verdict: A great suit at a tempting price point, but unsure about the cut on the hips for a curvy tester.
Score: 78%
Aquasphere Miami
- £48
Sitting as the most expensive suit in this test by some margin, this suit from Aqua Sphere may be a more considered purchase.
That said though, I loved the striking leaf print (a black/grey lightning design is also available) and the suit is made using 55% recycled polyester (equivalent to four plastic bottles per suit) with a quoted 200 hours of chlorine resistance.
The fabric felt good quality too, with a similar silky feel to the Yonda/Zone3 and with a full black lining layer.
The wide straps and racer back also allowed full movement with a similar fit to the Speedo.
Although in this test we had a mix of size 10 and 12 suits (depending on manufacturer size guides) the 12 here felt quite baggy, especially on the bust, so consider sizing down if you’re usually in between sizes or like a snug fit.
Verdict: Expensive but stylish, and I ran into problems with the fit.
Score: 78%
Zoggs Dynamite Y-Back
- £38 (UK only)
Having tested multiple Zoggs suits over the years, the first thing I can vouch for is that they last forever.
The Dynamite is made with Zoggs’ Ecolast fabric, which uses yarn made from recycled plastic waste (55% recycled polyester, 45% polyester P.B.T) and is 100% chlorine-proof.
The Y-back design allowed our shoulders to move easily and felt barely-there in the water. This design also includes an integral bra lining, which felt a little loose and moved around a lot while in the pool.
That said, with a style like this, which is cut low on the sides, larger-busted swimmers may welcome the extra support.
The medium-cut legs hit the mark between freedom of movement and modesty, while the jazzy geometric design is a nice touch.
Verdict: I love Zoggs suits, but the internal bra used here wasn't my favourite personally.
Score: 79%
TYR Sandblasted
- £42.50 / $56
This suit from Tyr just breaches the £40 mark, which, psychologically, feels a touch steep for a fairly plain-looking suit.
What you do get, though, is Tyr’s Durafast One fabric made from 100% polyester, that claims to be nearly 20 times stronger than traditional swimwear, with over 300 hours of swim time.
I might not have managed that many in testing, but it is backed up by my previous experience of Tyr’s near-indestructable swimwear.
Here though, I found the modest key back and medium leg cut made me feel covered up which, paired with the subtle design, failed to excite me. So if you don’t like skimpy suits, this will do you proud!
Verdict: Plain and modest design, but a quality suit that earns its price tag with many swim hours.
Score: 80%
Zone3 Prism Strapback
- £35
There’s always a favourite suit in these tests that I find myself reaching for time and time again after the main testing’s done – and this time it was this striking suit from triathlon brand Zone3.
The fit was comfortable and managed to exactly perfect the delicate balance of good looks with just enough coverage (not too skimpy or too frumpy!).
The fabric felt good quality, with a strap-back design allowing full range of movement without digging into the shoulders.
The Xfinity fabric promises 100% chlorine resistance and didn’t show any fading after many wash and wear cycles.
Verdict: Quality suit that just fits perfectly and performs in the water, plus we like the print!
Score: 86%
Maru Techno Prism Swift
- £38.99 (out of stock in US)
Two design options are available in the new Maru ‘Techno Dream’ range – Ariel, which is a foil mermaid scale design, and Prism (tested here), which shares the sparkly foil fabric and unicorn-esque colour palette.
I'm usually a fan of Maru’s unusual designs but these just felt a little too childish. Personal taste aside, though, you get Xtra Life Lycra for chlorine resistance and UPF50 .
The overall fit and feel is good, too, although I had quite a problem with the skinny straps – they were so stretchy that, despite testing both a UK10 and UK12, they just pulled the front of the suit too low when pushing off at the end of the pool, meaning I had to keep pulling it up as I swam.
Verdict: Nice fabric, but the straps lacked security and we’re not sold on sparkly pastels.
Score: 60%
MP Tropic Racing Back
- £39.99
Huub might have the Brownlees on its design team, but Aquasphere has the most decorated Olympian of all time in the shape of swimmer Michael Phelps, who is the name behind the MP swimwear collaboration.
We’ve seen the racing-back swimsuit on these pages before and, again, I'm impressed by the flattering design, which not only looks good but also allows a greater range of movement through the racer back (open back also available), and my UK12 fit true to size.
The fabric is Aquasphere’s Aqua Infinity, which claims 200 hours of swimming, with UV50 sun protection, something which is backed up by my previous experience of these suits.
Verdict: Striking looks and a fit that feels good and allows a wide range of movement in the water.
Score: 87%
Funkita Wing Tips
- £44.95 (no longer available in US)
Of all the designs on test, this is the one we reached for first from a ‘must-test’ point of view. Partly because we loved the vibrant neon feathers design but mostly because Funkita’s classic diamond-back design is one we’ve enjoyed wearing previously.
Thankfully, the lockdown weight hasn’t affected our love for the fit and a UK12 still fits perfectly, with just enough stretch not to dig in, but snug enough to feel like a real performance garment.
The suit is lined, but without any annoying shelf bras or padding to interfere with the streamlined shape, and the fabric (made from recycled bottles destined for landfill) felt robust enough to have longevity.
The diamond back is a great compromise between a strappy back and a more supportive, wider back with a central triangle of fabric for strength. All in all, a great all-rounder and the one we’ll be using this winter.
Verdict: Love the design and quality fabric. A perfect fit made this a clear winner.
Score: 90%
Roxy Active
- Buy now from Roxy
- £45 (UK only)
More a brand that we associate with lithe teenage surf girls than with hardcore pool training (and middle-aged swim kit testers), I approached this suit with slight trepidation. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised.
The overall fit (I chose a size large for a UK12-14) was great and, although low, the back design with wide crossed straps kept the suit in place well and didn’t interfere with front crawl.
The leg cut was great, too – high enough to feel stylish and allow range of movement, but low enough to stay in place.
It had a nice amount of stretch and is made from recycled fabric as well as being UV and suncream resistant.
Thanks to a hot testing period I used it in both swimming pools and the sea many times and saw no bobbling.
The suit does feature padding on the bust, which was slow to dry and bunched up in the wash, but the pads are removable if, like me, you’re not a fan.
Verdict: Surprisingly sporty number with a good fit. Not a fan of the padded breast cups, though.
Score: 75%
Finisterre Anella
- Buy now from Finisterre
- £95 / $120
We’ve had the Anella from B-Corps-rated sustainable kit pioneers Finisterre on test before.
This time it’s released in a striking ‘Sea Camo’ design which looked great on, as well as being reversible to a plain dark blue, if you feel the need to be a little more understated.
Fabric is a mix of econyl regenerated nylon, made from 78% recycled polyamide and 22% elastane and feels soft and comfortable against the skin.
The wide racer-back straps are comfortable and didn’t interfere with my swimming, while the overall fit was good.
Last time, I remarked that a bit more bum coverage would be good and, whether Finisterre listened or the cut is just slightly different, I got my wish this time!
I did have a little gaping at the side of the bust though, which a slightly closer/stretchier fit would solve. The suit washed well – plus the removable label was a nice touch. Sizing is a decent range from 6-22.
Verdict: Sumptuous and soft luxury feel, great eco credentials and a fun, striking print – but pricey!
Score: 82%
Speedo Medalist
- £42 (UK only)
The Placement Medalist suit from Speedo comes in a choice of colours with black/pink tested here. Black/teal and striped are also available.
It looks like it comes up small for a UK12 compared to the others on test, but was deceptively stretchy so once on gave good coverage, with a medium front and leg cut.
The back has a similar racer design to the Selkie, but with the added stretch I didn’t have any problems getting the suit on or off. It also felt supportive and, thanks to the strap placement, didn’t interfere with my stroke.
There’s a shelf bra with elasticated band sitting beneath the bust, which I wasn't a fan of – I prefer not to have something rubbing against the underneath of the bust as I swim – but larger-busted swimmers may like the extra support.
Finally, the fabric is Speedo’s quick-drying, 100% chlorine-resistant Endurance fabric that’s served me well on previous suits.
Verdict: Nice fit, though not a fan of the inner bra; design is a little bit uninteresting, too.
Score: 77%
Selkie Marilla
- £49 (UK only)
This suit had to be one of my favourite designs, offering a funky, flattering aesthetic – I loved the sea-blue with retro polka dots.
British swim brand Selkie does warn that its suits come up small so this size UK12-14 tester chose a 14, which once on felt very supportive and well-fitting, with a perfect mid-height leg cut.
The combination of a high-ish neckline with a wide bladeback did make it a struggle to get over wider hips, though, as there wasn’t quite enough flexibility in the fabric.
Getting it off again once wet was even more challenging and, after a few swims, I noticed a small tear in the fabric caused by trying to wriggle out of it!
I weren’t keen on the mesh internal shelf bra, either, which I found a tiny bit scratchy, though larger-busted swimmers may appreciate the support.
Eco credentials are good – the suit is made from Vita fabric that uses Econyl recycled fabrics.
Verdict: Fit feels good once on, but tricky to wriggle in and out of. Lovely design, but shelf bra will divide opinion.
Score: 70%
How we tested
All of these swimsuits have been tested by open-water swim coach and 220 Triathlon editor Helen Webster.
Each swimsuit has been worn for multiple swims and rated against a range of criteria that you'll see outlined in the next section of this article.
Anything that scores 90% or above is genuinely a class-leading product. Gear that's rated between 80-90% is still one of the best you can buy, while anything that's 70-80% is still a decent performer.
Scores below that means there's a few issues with the product, but if the price is right, it could still be a good buy.
How to pick the best swimsuit for you
Training swimwear should be chosen to improve speed and maximise comfort, so look for designs
that are streamlined and allow good freedom of movement.
There’s nothing worse than kit that drags in the water, won’t allow you to tumble turn or impedes your stroke mechanics.
Women’s swimsuits come in many designs, but pick straps that stay up, don’t irritate your shoulder blades (cross backs work well) and are comfortable.
Thin straps tend to work well on slimmer women with small busts, whereas larger or bustier women may choose wider straps for support.
Most brands will have their own terms for their fabric, but make sure they’re chlorine-resistant.
You may also want to look for swimwear that has good eco-credentials, with some manufacturers now opting to make their suits out of recycled fishing nets and post-consumer plastic bottles.
Finally, pick a design that makes you feel good. It’s been shown that the more confident you feel in any kit, the better you perform, and that’s got to count for something at swim squad.
Thankfully the days of ‘black or dark blue or maybe red’ are long gone in women’s swimwear!
Need a little more warmth for your outdoor swims? Take a look at our lists of the best triathlon wetsuits and best thermal wetsuits.