Best swimsuits for women: 15 options tested for training

There’s a dizzying array of swimming costumes available right now. Do you want something eco-friendly? Something to support hard training? Or one which looks good as well as allowing you to get the hard yards in?

I tried out new options from all the brands to help you decide which is right for you. Read on for my reviews…

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.

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Best women’s swimming costumes in 2025

1. Aquasphere Essentials Classic Back

• $64.99 / £49.99

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).

2. Speedo Women’s Sleeveless Thermal Swimsuit

• $175 / £89

Thermal swimsuits are having a moment in open-water swimming, thanks to the versatility they offer with added warmth on the body and core but without the restriction of a full wetsuit.

You won’t be able to wear this in a triathlon swim due to race regulations, but for a bit more warmth on chilly training swims—or, at a push, to wear under a full wetsuit in winter (I’ve done this, and it works surprisingly well!)—these are a versatile bit of kit.

Speedo’s thermal offering comes in two colourways: the zingy one shown here and a more subtle black/khaki option. I like a bit of neon for open water, though—I always think the more visible I am for safety, the better!

The fit here was really nice too, with good coverage on the bum and around the arms but without feeling restrictive. The back is a racer design, which is appreciated for freedom around the shoulders in front crawl, while the front zip makes it easier to do up and undo without help.

This suit is made of Chloroprene, a type of rubber made from quarried limestone rather than petroleum. That is a bit of a shame, as options already on the market from Finisterre and Zone3 are made from Yulex, a much more environmentally friendly alternative made from natural tree rubber.

This suit is cheaper, but like so many purchases, that’s one for you to weigh up! Performance is good, and the suit did make a noticeable difference to warmth.

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3. Budgy Smugglers Thick Strap Racer

• $72 / £55

Not just the preserve of the chaps, Aussie brand Budgy Smuggler also offer women’s swimwear with a wide range of styles and designs on offer.

This thick-strap design with a ‘V’-shape back fits snugly but comfortably and comes in sizes UK6-24 (mine is my usual UK14). For a suit without bust support it did a great job of keeping everything in place (the brand tell us it’s been tested on a 28 metre cliff dive!) and didn’t shift at all during long training swims, though it was a wriggle to get it on.

The fabric is 77% recycled polyester and 23% extra-life elastane and has a quoted 70-80 hours of chlorine resistance.

This design is cheekily named ‘Chilly Willies’ but with many designs in this style online, there’s bound to be one that you love!

4. Orca Mantra Swimskin Women Freedive Wetsuit

• $149 / £119

This curious swimsuit from Orca first came onto my radar when another swimmer turned up at one of my workshops wearing it. 

I’ve already tested a few neoprene swimsuits and shorties on these pages, but this one is unusual as the fabric used is thinner and more flexible – plus it has a more traditional neckline and a back zip. 

Meant for the freediving market, it’s a swimsuit with long sleeves, which is made out of thin, uncoated Yamamoto neoprene and is slightly compressive for a snug fit. 

Sizing is XS to XL and I tried a large (for a UK14) and found it easy to get in and out of. (As a note here, there are other neoprene/Yulex swimsuits on the market, which have a front zip and be cautious with those – they’re near impossible to get out of on your own as I’ve discovered when struggling after swims! 

While I’m no freediver, the suit gave an excellent halfway house for days I didn’t want to pull a full wetsuit on, but it wasn’t quite warm enough to go full skins. 

I used it for short winter swims, but I can also see myself packing this to use for longer swims when overseas or swimming in the summer. 

As a positively buoyant swimmer, I also appreciated the lack of buoyancy achieved through having no legs and through the thin material. 

The range of movement was great as you’d expect from Orca – and I loved the fun pattern. 

There are other products in the range which may be of interest to open-water athletes – reviews online soon.

5. Speedo Colourblock Zip Swimsuit

• $84 / £55

Something a bit different, the Colourblock from swim giants Speedo features a long front zip which gives surf vibes and makes it really easy to get in and out of – as well as allowing the ‘X’ back design to sit perfectly around my shoulder blades for ease of movement.

I liked the Slate Green colourway and pops of colour and the fit here was great. The suit comes in 2XS to 2XL which equates to 6-22 and my L was a 14-16 so I could have maybe sized down as it was a touch too big.

The fit was good though and comfortable. It does feature removable bust pads which I took out as I’m not a fan, but that didn’t affect the fit.

Fabric is chlorine-resistant and quick-dry and while 22% isn’t recycled, the majority of 78% is in Repreve Polyester yarn made from post-consumer waste.

6. 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!

7. Orca RS1 One-Piece

• $69 / £44.95

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. 

8. Zoggs Astral Sprintback

• $56.80 / £45

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.

9. Huub Splat Swim Training Costume

• £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 colour fade design, a basic black option and a pineapple print designed by pro Helen Jenkins.

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-busted 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.

Other sustainability factors makes a difference too. Is your suit going to arrive wrapped in plastic? Has it been made in a factory where standards are good for workers?

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.