Best swimsuits for women: 18 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 swimsuits for women at a glance

• Best swimsuit overall: Aquasphere Essentials Classic Back | Buy now from Decathlon
• Best budget swimsuit: Zoggs Dynamite Y-back | Buy now from Amazon UK
• Best sustainable swimsuit: Finisterre Anella | Buy now from Finisterre

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Best swimsuits for women in 2024

Deakin and Blue X-Back Swimsuit

Buy now from Deakin and Blue

• £130

There are no two ways about it – this is the most beautifully-made swimsuit I’ve ever been lucky enough to swim in.

Brand founder Rosie Cook is on a mission to create swimwear that is both functional and flattering, consciously made in small batches in her London workshops and which is photographed on real women.

That ethos comes through into the sizing, which is based on both bust and body-size. My suit is a UK14 and a ‘Monroe’ (for C-E cups) and is constructed in a way that the panels and design fit me perfectly, rather than relying on all-round stretch to cover my body.

The recycled Econyl yarn is made from regenerated waste such as old fishing nets but is beautifully soft.

The suit is reversible, too, so you can show off the marble print in the above photo, or a plain teal block colour. Other designs are available too.

Update October 2024: Deakin and Blue have announced the brand will be closing, so this swimsuit is on sale with 50% off at the moment. A last drop of full-priced designs has also just been released.

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!

Zoggs Mamba Sprintback

• £45

You can’t go wrong with a Zoggs swimsuit in my opinion – and this is seconded by the many swimmers I coach who wear their suits too.

The fit is excellent, they cater for different needs, shapes and sizes and the 100% chlorine-resistant Zoggs Ecolast+ fabric is made from recycled plastic bottles.

Not only that, but these suits can survive seemingless endless wash-and- wear cycles.

Here, the Mamba is front-lined and with a high-leg height and neutral bust support suits long training swims (though swimmers with a larger bust may want more support).

I loved the sprintback design, which features two skinny straps in an ‘X’ shape that didn’t impede my front crawl technique at all.

I’m in a UK14 here, but sadly the suit only comes in sizes UK6-16.

Speedo Colourblock Swimsuit

• £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.

Funkita Summer Nights diamond back

• $69.95/£44.95

The Diamond Back is Funkita’s most popular style – and with good reason. It includes double-bind spaghetti straps with a wider panel underneath which gives the suit superb stability as well as comfort through the front crawl stroke.

Made from 100% Eco C-finity fabric it uses discarded plastic bottles and is front-lined.

Rear coverage is in Funkita’s ‘modest’ category which held up in testing, with no uncomfortable adjusting needed mid-session!

Sizing is only from 28-38 (equivalent to 6-16) which is a shame, but if the pink florals designed with Olympian Summer McIntosh aren’t your thing (they’re not really mine, I’ll be honest!), many other prints are available in the same style suit. 

Nike Poly Solid Fastback

• £49.95

Available in solid black or red, the Poly Solid is a classic swimsuit for swimmers looking for a no-fuss approach to training.

That led to it being one of the last to appear in my testing schedule (I tend to reach for funky suits first!) but actually, the simple design belies a really lovely swimsuit. In sizes UK4-24 the range is good and my UK14 was an absolutely superb fit, giving just the right amount of coverage and support without getting in the way of my stroke.

The straps are wide enough to feel stable without digging in and lead to a simple fastback design.

The fabric is Nike Hydrastrong and wore and washed well and is fully-lined. It’s a shame the there are no recycled materials here though, with 53% polyester and 47% PBT.

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.

Orca RS1 One-Piece

• £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. 

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).

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.

Huub Splat Swim Training Costume

Buy now from Wetsuit Centre (£44.95), SportsShoes (£40.49)

• £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.

Yonda Astratto Blu

Buy now from Yonda (£29.99)

• £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.

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.

• £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!

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.

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. 

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.

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.