What are the best wetsuits for open water swimming? We test our favourite 8 for training and racing

There’s a new breed of swim wetsuits out there – these aren’t dedicated triathlon wetsuits, but instead they focus on open-water swimmers. Are they for you? To help you make that purchase, 220 Triathlon editor Helen Webster puts seven wetsuits to the test.

First up, a little bit of an explanation… You might be wondering why we’ve included a group test just for ‘open-water wetsuits’ this year. After all, aren’t all swimming wetsuits for the open water? Well yes, they are, but the difference comes in the features and spec.

Best swimming wetsuits for open water in 2026

1. Zoggs Explorer Ultra FS

The 11-strong new wetsuit range from Aussie swim brand Zoggs has something for every swimmer – with six suits designed for triathletes, four for open-water swimmers and adventurers and one for swimrun. The Explorer Ultra FS is the top-end suit in the open-water category and straight out of the box I loved that striking design – the map topography is a clever idea, while the bright yellow does a superb job of increasing visibility.

I tried a size large and the overall fit and flexibility was good with nice stretch through the shoulders. The suit uses 38 Yamamoto in 1.5mm to 2.5mm thicknesses, which felt premium, while double-faced areas on the armpits and inner thighs are designed to give the suit durability over long swims.

Overall I was impressed by the suit and the price point (the Explorer Tour at $200/£180 and Explorer Pro at $250/£230 are also available).

2. Yonda Spook

The Spook has appeared in 220 before and like all British brand Yonda’s suits, has performed well. This is the first time it has sat within a category just for open-water suits, though – and the first time I’ve tried it. First impressions were good. Our ‘SS’ size suit (short and shapely!) fit well and it was good to see Yonda recognise the need for more diverse sizing across women’s wetsuits, with a very impressive 13 options available – plus the team at Yonda were very helpful.

It felt like a high-quality build, with Yamamoto neoprene cleverly placed to enable swimmers to do both front crawl and breaststroke. I’m a front crawl swimmer and body position was good, and there was still a good level of flexibility. Those aqua blue arms look funky and give an extra element of visibility in lowly-lit waters, plus a bright green option is also available. The 1.5mm LSQ Green Nano jersey-like material kept me warm, with no water ingress.

3. Huub Lurz Open Water

Huub are well-known for working with elite athletes on their wetsuits and while the name ‘Lurz’ may not be as familiar as a Brownlee, it refers to Thomas Lurz, the German double Olympian who took silver in the 10km open-water swim in the 2012 Olympics in London (among too many other successes to list here!).

That noted then, it’s apparent that this is a suit with speed demons in mind and the $849 / £649.99 price tag reflects that – this is a wetsuit for marginal gains on race day, not for messing about on the beach.

The suit has 3:5 buoyancy with a more structured feel around the hips and bum which, coupled with a shorter zip (to allow more reach, possible as quick removal isn’t a priority!) made it a bit of an effort to wriggle in to – though admittedly, I’m a curvy distance swimmer and not a svelte racing snake! Sizing here is from XXS to XL and it’s available in men’s and women’s versions. Price will be a factor, though!

4. Orca Zeal High Vis

We’ve got a real range of price points in this article – and sitting towards the top end is the Zeal High-Vis from tri and swim brand Orca. I have to say, though, this suit feels worth every penny, with all of Orca’s wetsuit experience brought to a good-looking and functional suit.

First up a note on visibility – those bright orange arms and legs are a superb idea for safety and unrivalled in this test. Plus you get a Restube Ready clip on the lower back, which allows you to carry a Restube (an inflatable) for safety. As well as the safety features, you get a combination of 5mm legs/core for warmth and buoyancy and Orca’s superb ‘batwing’ rear closure, which includes an extra layer of neoprene to prevent cold trickles down the back and zip.

Sizing is from XS to XL and it’s worth noting this range also includes a thermal option for winter, a ‘Perform’ version (if you need more flexibility and buoyancy, like me!) and high-vis accessories.

5. Gill Pursuit

The Pursuit from marine specialists Gill is aimed – as the name suggests – at those wanting to enjoy the water for outdoor pursuits, whether that be stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, or outdoor swimming. Available in both men’s and women’s sizing, with women’s, as tested here, in 8-18, the suit is constructed with warmth in mind and as such features a mix of 4mm and 3mm uncoated neoprene.

For added cold-reduction it features glued and blind-stitched construction with critical taping on the inside to keep the warmth in and cold water out. The benefits of this are that this is certainly a warm wetsuit and one that served me well for dips over the coldest months of the year.

What you gain in warmth you lose in hydrodynamics and flexibility, though, as there’s none of the swim-specific technology we’re used to in swimming wetsuits such as hydrophobic-coated neoprene, buoyancy profiles, or thinner fabric in areas which need more stretch.

• Read my full Gill Pursuit review for more detail

6. Lomo Nuotare

The Lomo Prime wetsuit has long been our pick to recommend to swimmers who fall outside of the usual size range of wetsuit brands. And here, the new Nuotare makes wetsuit wearing even more accessible. Borrowing the same fit as the Prime and coming in an impressive 16 sizes (for women), the suit can accommodate swimmers of most heights and weights.

So what makes the Nuotare different? Put simply, it has lost the smoothskin coating found on most swimming wetsuits and replaced it with a super-flexible stretchy outer material that makes it ridiculously easy to pull on and very comfortable to swim in. Sizing is generous, with this UK14 tester finding smaller sizes too big (sizes start at XXS).

Other swimmers told us they tried a few sizes before getting the perfect fit, but that Lomo was very helpful and quick to replace suits. Once in the water the suit did behave differently to a normal swimming/triathlon one as, without the smoothskin, the suit did allow water to creep in. So a good option for shorter or less chilly swims, with great size options.

7. Zoot Kona 2.0

With its lively hue and high grade Yamamoto neoprene, which is warm, buoyant and supple, the Zoot Kona 2.0 can serve well as an open water wetsuit. Comfort over long-distance swims is great thanks to the flexible Glideflex chest panels, plush neck and long arms.

It’s also sufficiently insulated for 10–12°C water temperatures you might encounter in open water. While its 5mm neoprene thickness in the legs is very supportive, and can keep your hips high, it may prove too floaty in salty water. Its slow removal speed isn’t such a big problem when you’re undressing after a swim as it is in transition.

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8. Blueseventy Fusion

The latest version of the Blueseventy Fusion is another triathlon wetsuit capable of performing in open water. Its 39-cell Yamamoto neoprene provides enough comfort and warmth for extended swims in chilly water and should withstand the rigours of open water swimming.

Meanwhile its 5mm neoprene thickness in the upper leg will appeal to swimmers needing more floatation. Fit is generally good too, especially for taller swimmers, making the suit easy to pull on and off, as is flexibility in key areas like the shoulders.

• Read my full Blueseventy Fusion review for more

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The best open water wetsuits compared

Frequently Asked Questions about open water wetsuits

How we tested and reviewed the open water wetsuits

Our expert reviewer and open-water swimming coach tested these suits in the UK in both lakes and the sea. The latter especially allowing us to access how the suits dealt with colder seawater temps, dealing with waves and currents to judge how each wetsuit performed while open-swimming (and water ingress).

Each was tested for comfort, performance, buoyancy, durability, hydrodynamics, zipper, removal speed, budget and the visual design. Any wetsuit that scored 90% and above is a market-leading product, while those scoring between 80-90% are also deemed to be impressive. Wetsuits scoring between 70-80% offer good performance, as long as the highlighted flaws aren’t much of an issue for you. Products scoring below 70% can still be worth considering if the price is right, but don’t come highly recommended.

Recent updates:

• May 2026: We added schema tables for all our specs tables, updated product reviews, updated our best table, updated the header image and title, and added a comparison table and FAQ section.