Tri-Fit Geo Lightening tri-suit review

UK-based Tri-Fit was first seen in the pages of 220 Triathlon in 2019, but it has swiftly become a major player in tri-suit design, gobbling up plenty of awards in our list of the best tri-suits over the last few years due to the various incarnations of their debut Evo suit.

Sitting above the Evo 2.3 (£235/$305), the new Geo Lightening is the brand’s top-end offering (£265/$343), yet it occupies a lower price tag than many of the top-end tri-suits we’ve tested recently (it also comes in a Geo Lightening Bundle with Tri-Fit socks and a cap for £280/$397).

Colourways and sizing

Black and white designs have long been Tri-Fit’s standard, so it was an eye-popping surprise to see this black and pink option leap through the letterbox.

Personally, it wasn’t for me and I’d rather stick with the Evo’s stylings, but it’ll certainly help you be seen by the family on race day (or make you run faster!).

Sadly, there’s no alternative colourway, and the women’s pink and white number is even brasher. Sizing ranges from S-XXL and felt standard.

Performance and comfort

Onto the water and the leg fabric saw a degree of aquatic beading on its surface, while the covered, side-access rear pockets didn’t seem to cause hydro drag.

It’s on the bike and run where this suit shines (literally and figuratively), however, and I’d say Santini’s Thorpe tri-suit and Roka’s Gen II are solid picks if you’re a regular non-wetsuit swimmer who doesn’t use a swimskin.

While not the lightest suit on test (it’s 231g for a men’s medium), the comfort of the fabric and the quality of the internal construction is immediately evident.

Features

Smart features include the side-access rear pockets, which limit drag but can still hold plenty of gels without drooping, although those with large hands might struggle accessing them on the move.

There are also a duo of pockets on the hips for smaller energy gel packets (hello Torq and Gu), ensuring you can carry plenty of fuel on the bike and run legs.

The laser-cut hems on the arms and legs give a comfortable and secure fit, with the silicone strips on the leg grippers keeping things in place without being restrictive.

The Geo Lightening has plenty of tech for racing in the heat, with a neat IceDrip Cooling Pocket on the back of neck (see also the Zoot P1 Racesuit) and a sizeable and perforated rear back panel.

The longer sleeves also provide added sun protection and heighten the aero appeal further.

In a top-end test with a surprising number of minimal pads, the Tri-Fit dual-density perforated chamois seen here is hugely supportive and offers plenty of padding for going long.

That padding didn’t come at the expense of run leg discomfort either. 

Minor flaws…

Less positively, I would’ve wanted something more substantial than the tiny zipper garage applied here to minimise the chance of rubbing on the bike and run.

I’d also prefer the breakaway zipper seen on the Tri-Fit Evo 2.3 for going long.

Unfortunately, I personally didn’t experience any compressive benefits from the Hex Dynamic Compression arm fabric, either.

Aero performance

The Geo Lightening held its own during our wind-tunnel testing at the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub with The Bike Tailor.

Its performance over our baseline suit at a 7.5° yaw angle (the amount of crosswind on your bike, essentially) was a lofty 41secs faster at 30km/h and 14secs faster at 40km/h over a 40km bike leg.

That’s mid-table (out of 12 suits on test) but impressive results given the pricier competition on show.

We also took helmets into the wind tunnel this summer. Find out how they performed in our list of the best aero helmets for triathlon.

The bottom line

The Geo Lightening is highly competitive in what’s now the mid-range price bracket and it’s certainly a winner for middle-distance/Ironman 70.3 races in the heat.

The Evo would still be my Tri-Fit pick, as I would’ve preferred a breakaway zipper for going longer… and a colour scheme that played to my more subdued aesthetic tastes.

See all of our tri-suit reviews in our list of the best tri-suits.

Tri-Fit Geo Lightening tri-suit specs

Price:	£265 / $343
Available from:	Tri-Fit
Sizes:	S-XXL (men’s), XS-XL (women’s)
Pockets:	3
Breakaway zip?	No