8 Best Tech Suits for Sprinters- Swim Faster Than Ever

How would it feel to know that you could transform into a high-speed swimming cyborg within a matter of minutes just by changing into your own sprinting tech suit? Well, in the modern world of competitive swimming, that is the reality-

According to a study published in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise by researchers Jean-Claude Chatard and Barry Wilson, there have been findings that fastskins or tech suits can provide swimmers with a 3.2% performance benefit when compared to normal training swimsuits.

Additionally, there were findings that fastskin tech suits reduced drag by roughly 4.4% to 6.2%. As well as a notable reduction in the energy cost of swimming, rounding to approximately 4.5% to 5.5%.

At the end of the day, the study concluded that tech suits were able to drastically reduce passive drag, resulting in a decrease in energy cost while swimming and an increase in distance per stroke and stroke rate. Resulting in faster swimming performances.

By looking at the research above and countless other examples in the swimming world (such as the 2009 World Aquatics Championships, where over 43 world records were broken in a single week after the introduction of new speed suits), it is no secret that tech suits can enhance your swimming performances and assist you in crushing your swim goals. 

In this article, we will look at the best tech suits for sprinters, as well as some good budget sprint tech suits for those swimmers who are looking to cut back on the big bucks.

I will provide you with all the specifications of each suit and everything you want and need to know in order to choose the best tech suit for your needs.

What Are the Best Tech Suits for Sprinters?

Here are the best tech suits for sprinters-

1. Speedo LZR Pure Intent
2. Arena Carbon Core FX
3. TYR Venzo
4. Mizuno Sonic GX V ST
5. Finis Rival 2.0
6. Arena Carbon Ultra
7. Budget suit- Arena R-Evo One
8. Budget suit- Finis Fuse

←Scroll to view full table on mobile→

Sprinter tech suit	Recommended events	Material composition	Our rating	View on SwimOutlet
Speedo LZR Pure Intent	All 50, 100, and 200 events	66% polyamide, 34% elastane	10/10	>View price
Arena Carbon Core FX	All 50, 100, and 200 events	52% polyamide, 47% elastane, and 1% carbon fiber	10/10	>View price
TYR Venzo	All 50, 100, and 200 events	70% nylon, 30% lycra	10/10	>View price
Mizuno Sonic GX V ST	All 50 and 100 events	N/A	10/10	>View price
Finis Rival 2.0	All 50, 100, and 200 events	44% elastane, 41% polyamide, 15% polyester	9/10	>View price
Arena Carbon Ultra	All 50 and 100 events	50% nylon, 47% lycra, and 3% carbon fiber	8/10	>View price
Arena R-Evo One (budget suit)	All 50, 100, and 200 events	78% polyamide and 22% elastane	7/10	>View price
Finis Fuse (budget suit)	All 50, 100, and 200 events	71% polyamide, 29% elastane	7/10	>View price

For help with finding the right size for your tech suit, consider reading my tech suit sizing guide, where I cover all of the most popular swimming brands and their tech suits.

1. Speedo LZR Pure Intent Tech Suit

Kicking things off, we have the Speedo Pure Intent. The Pure Intent is one of Speedo’s latest and most innovative tech suits, and it is absolutely packed with awesome features designed to make you faster in the water.

The Speedo Pure Intent is a great tech suit for sprint swimmers since it has dual compression layers built in, ultimately increasing blood flow to muscle tissue and allowing for higher levels of muscle activation over the course of a short sprinting race.

The suit also improves power output and allows for a greater range of motion in the water by utilizing smart seam placements. Other benefits of the suit include things such as reduced water resistance and reduced drag.

All in all, the Speedo LZR Pure Intent is an awesome tech suit for sprint swimmers with some unique performance features loaded into its design. The suit is also aesthetically pleasing and is available in a few cool color combinations.

Features and benefits of the Speedo Pure Intent tech suit-

• The Speedo LZR Pure Intent has dual compression layers in its design, this will allow for intelligent muscle compression, ultimately enhancing blood flow to muscles which will help you to swim faster.
• The suit also has an ergonomic seam construction, when this is combined with the dual compression layers, it allows the suit to connect your critical muscle groups for an increased power output while racing.
• The LZR Pure Intent has a triple fabric construction with bonded seams, allowing the swimmer to have a greater range of motion in the water so that you’re able to generate maximal power no matter what stroke you are swimming.
• Textured fabric zones in the suit target drag reduction for enhanced swimming performances and more gold medals.
• New band technology in the Speedo Pure Intent allows for a powerful leg kick while racing, which helps you swim faster by maximizing the speed of your legs.
• The suit has a premium waistband engineered to reduce water ingress, ultimately reducing drag and resistance and helping you to swim faster.
• Durable and lightweight construction with a 66% polyamide and 34% elastane composition keeps you light and agile in the water, ensuring peak racing speeds.
• The jammer is available in high-waist and standard-waist variations, while the women’s suits are available in open-back and closed-back variations, allowing you to choose the style you prefer.

Cons-

• High price point, this is one of the most expensive tech suits available.
• Leaking at the back, on jammers, if you don’t put the suit on properly.
• Waistband is a bit tight for some swimmers

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2. Arena Carbon Core FX Tech Suit

The Carbon Core FX is one of Arena’s latest tech suits, and it has some great features ideal for sprint swimmers. The suit also packs some new and innovative technology, and the construction is quite unique.

The Arena Carbon Core FX has great muscle compression due to its advanced carbon cage fabric technology.

Strong compression is an important feature for sprint swimmers since you require optimal blood circulation and muscle activation throughout your entire race.

Further, the suit provides a great snapback effect helping you to generate maximal power off every dive and push-off.

The suit also allows for unrestricted movement in all directions, making it usable for any stroke while the dual taping optimizes your body position by creating a lifting effect that will reduce your drag in the water and help you to swim faster so that you can claim that gold medal.

Features and benefits of the Arena Carbon Core FX tech suit-

• The internal taping system allows for powerful muscular support and core stabilization, resulting in higher power output and allowing you to maintain speed when you start to get tired.
• Dual taping on the hamstring ensures a lifting effect, helping you maintain an optimal body position, even when tired. This significantly reduces resistance in the water and optimizes your swim speed.
• Advanced carbon cage fabric forms a horizontal and vertical grid around important muscle groups, resulting in very strong and durable muscle compression with a locked-in effect. This ensures faster blood circulation, higher oxygen consumption, and a tight streamline.
• Lightweight design with a material composition of 52% polyamide, 47% elastane, and 1% carbon fiber keeps you light and agile, optimizing your speed and reducing drag while you swim.
• Versatile tech suit, ideal for sprint swimmers. This suit allows for unrestricted movement in all of the strokes but is ideal for 50s, 100s, and 200s due to the high compression levels.
• The Arena Carbon Core FX comes in at an excellent price point, considering that it’s a flagship tech suit, this ultimately saves you some money.
• Women’s suit is available in open- and closed-back variations so that swimmers can choose the suit they prefer most.

Cons-

• Water repellency isn’t the best, considering this is a premium tech suit.

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3. TYR Venzo Tech Suit

The third tech suit on our list is going to be the TYR Venzo. This is another great tech suit for sprinters manufactured from high-quality fabrics and packed with great features.

The Venzo is TYR’s latest tech suit and is currently being rocked out onto pool deck and international stages, such as the International Swimming League and other major swimming competitions, by a large number of elite and professional swimmers.

The Venzo tech suit contains some of the most supreme speed-enhancing features for sprinters, such as a built-in endo compression cage, frictionless fiber construction, drag and resistance reduction technology, and much more.

All in all, the TYR Venzo tech suit is easily one of the best tech suits currently available for sprinters. I probably also shouldn’t forget to mention that it is available in some cool patterns making it one tough-looking tech suit.

Features and benefits of the TYR Venzo tech suit-

• The TYR Venzo has a frictionless fiber construction. The TYR team has analyzed drag on a microscopic level to design a suit that utilizes ultra-smooth fiber, allowing for a frictionless and durable fabric that will reduce your resistance in the water.
• Surface lift technology in the suit stops water from permeating the fabric of the tech suit, ultimately resulting in a higher body position in the water. This can reduce resistance and help you to swim faster.
• The TYR Venzo contains an endo compression cage. This forms a flexible and compressive cage of support for the abdominals, obliques, and quadriceps and creates a snapback effect that increases distance per stroke, resulting in faster swimming times.
• The seamless Exo shell design is aimed at streamlining body position while decreasing drag for maximized performance.
• The lightweight material composition of 70% nylon and 30% lycra allows for lower drag, increased agility, comfort, and ideal swimming performance.
• Durable fabrics allow the suit to retain critical features like compression and water-repellency for longer. This keeps your suit fresh and saves you from purchasing a new suit earlier on.
• The jammer is available in both a high- and standard waist variation, while women’s suits are available in open- and closed-back variations.

Cons-

• External seams are slightly bulky.
• High price point.

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4. Mizuno Sonic GX V ST Tech Suit

The Sonic GX V is Mizuno’s latest and most innovative tech suit to date. This suit is built for fast swimming performances and will make a great fit for sprint swimmers.

What I really like about the Mizuno Sonic GX V is the fact that it comes in an ST (sprinter) and MR (multi-racer) variation. The ST variation of the suit really allows sprint swimmers the opportunity to race in a suit that is specifically designed for them.

The ST variation of the suit offers excellent muscle compression and a bunch of drag reduction and optimization technology that will allow swimmers to swim faster than ever before. This will ensure that you crush that important meet record or snatch that qualifying time that you’ve been chasing for months now.

Features and benefits of the Mizuno Sonic GX V Tech suit-

• The suit utilizes Mizuno’s flat concept design. This means that the suit is constructed to increase hip elevation while assisting you in maintaining an optimal body position throughout your entire race, resulting in far less drag and higher swimming speed.
• Manufactured using Sonic light ribtex fabric, a unique and innovative fabric designed to enhance your speed and performance in the water. It also assists you in maintaining a tight and rigid body line.
• Water-repellent fabric and coating reduce the amount of water the suit absorbs, this allows your suit to be lighter while providing you with less resistance, faster swimming, and more medals.
• Compressive internal panels engineered to support and align your important muscle groups allow for higher power output, faster swimming, and more gold medals.
• Sonic Line X taping supports the up-and-down kick and provides a hip-lifting effect throughout your entire kick cycle, allowing for more power to be generated by your legs.
• Low-profile taped seams reduce resistance in the water by cutting down the surface area of the suit, optimizing your speed in the water.
• The Sonic GX V is available in an ST (sprinter) variation, which is optimized for short 50 and 100 sprinting events.

Cons-

• High price point (still cheaper than some of the other suits, though)
• Hard to get on due to the tight and compressive design

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5. Finis Rival 2.0 Tech Suit

Moving on, we have the Finis Rival 2.0 tech suit. The Rival 2.0 is the latest tech suit to be released by Finis, and it comes with a bunch of great features to enhance swimming performances.

The Finis Rival 2.0 is an excellent tech suit for sprinters because of its flexible design allowing for maximum range of motion and power output while swimming. The suit will assist the swimmer in maintaining an optimal body position while swimming, and it also provides good muscle compression.

The Rival 2.0 is highly water-resistant, and the design is very lightweight to avoid slowing you down. As a bonus, it is also a pretty mean-looking racing suit, and its proprietary fabric allows for a durable design.

Overall, I really like the Finis Rival 2.0. It is a great tech suit with some awesome specifications, and it will certainly suffice your sprinter needs.

Features and benefits of the Finis Rival 2.0 tech suit-

• The Finis Rival 2.0 tech suit utilizes fabric technology to retain very small amounts of water. This ultimately creates a shield-like effect while reducing your drag and friction in the water.
• The shield-tech proprietary fabric allows the suit to move with your body for a maximal range of motion in the water.
• The tough and durable fabric allows for a suit that will last you a long time.
• The Finis Rival 2.0 has flexible hip panels built-in. These single-layered panels on the inner thighs allow for an increased range of motion in all of the strokes.
• Hip-lift technology utilizes innovative seams on the back of the legs to increase muscle compression and lock you into a perfect body position.
• Ultra-lightweight design with a material composition of 44% elastane, 41% polyamide, and 15% polyester keeps you agile while racing.
• The jammer has a slightly higher-waisted design allowing the stabilization of the core and lower back when you start to fatigue in your race.

Cons-

• High price point.
• Women’s suit is very hard to get on.

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6. Arena Carbon Ultra Tech Suit

The next tech suit for sprinters on our list is going to be the Arena Carbon Ultra. Traditionally, I wouldn’t often recommend the Arena Carbon Ultra since it has an extremely compressive design, but in the case of a sprint swimmer such as yourself, I can, without a doubt, say that it isn’t a bad option.

The Carbon Ultra tech suit is a slightly older tech suit when compared to some of the other suits on this list, but it is still packed with some substantial features and is available in some cool-looking color options and patterns.

A unique design characteristic of the suit is its material composition. The Arena Carbon Ultra contains a stunning 3% carbon fiber, which is by far the most carbon fiber a tech suit has been constructed with.

Other features include its infinity loop technology, ultra compression panels, and targeted muscle isolation, as well as improved body position and enhanced stroke rate technology.

All in all, the Arena Carbon Ultra is a great tech suit when it comes to short sprinting events. If you are, however, looking to invest in a suit for more than sprinting events, then I recommend you go with some of the options mentioned above since they are quite versatile for the most part.

Here are some features of the Arena Carbon Ultra tech suit-

• Ultra-cage fabric creates an innovative outer shell that delivers intelligent muscle compression and increases muscle activation, allowing you to reach your peak swimming speed as soon as possible.
• The infinity-loop design, based on a deep knowledge of key muscle chains, helps to streamline your body position and optimize your efficiency in the water.
• Continuous taping throughout the suit anchors important muscle groups for added support. This allows for a stabilized stroke when swimming at high speeds, which will allow for good technique and maximized stroke efficiency.
• X-pivot technology in the suit provides intelligent compression and anatomical support without limiting your range of motion while swimming. This allows you to generate maximal power with each pull and kick.
• The suit has a material composition of 50% nylon, 47% lycra, and 3% carbon fiber, allowing for a highly durable and watertight design that will reduce your drag in the water.
• Ultra-compression panels in the suit are designed to work in harmony with the outer ultra-cage to provide targeted muscle compression on the inside of the suit to support and align muscles in the direction of movement, this optimizes your speed and helps you to win more gold medals.

Cons-

• The highly compressive design makes the suit a bit uncomfortable and hard to get on.
• The suit is quite dense/thick.

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7. Arena R-Evo One Tech Suit- Budget Option

If you are looking for a good tech suit coming in at a more affordable price, then the Arena R-Evo One is a great choice.

The R-Evo One still has some good features built-in and will certainly serve as a great sprinting tech suit. Additionally, the suit is also quite comfortable and has a lightweight design.

The tech suit is manufactured using a fine-thread and high-density weave resulting in improved hydrodynamics, enhanced compression, and decreased drag while swimming at sprinting speeds.

Overall, the Arena R-Evo One is a great tech suit for swimmers looking for something functional and a bit more affordable. If you’d like, you can check out my article on the best budget tech suits for swimmers for some more options.

Here are some features of the Arena R-Evo One tech suit-

• The Arena R-Evo One is constructed with a single fabric design and has a single bonded seam at the back, eliminating the traditional side and upper-body seams. This allows for an increased range of motion and comfort while reducing your drag in the water.
• Fine-thread and high-density weave of the fabric allows for advanced hydrodynamics resulting in enhanced compression, reduced water absorption, and decreased drag to maximize your performance in the pool.
• Lightweight and flexible design with a material composition of 78% polyamide and 22% elastane keeps you agile and fast.
• The design of the suit makes it easy to get on and off and allows for a comfortable and compressive fit.
• The affordable price point saves you money.

Cons-

• Lacks durability when compared to high-end suits.
• The compression is slightly lower than some of the other Arena tech suits, some swimmers may, however, prefer this.

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8. Finis Fuse Tech Suit- Budget Option

If the Arena R-Evo One’s price point still didn’t cut it for you, then you might want to consider checking out the Finis Fuse. In my opinion, this is one of the best value-for-money tech suits currently available. The suit packs some really solid features and comes in 3-4 times less expensive than a lot of the flagship suits.

The suit has good muscle compression and allows for unrestricted movement in all directions and strokes. The water-repellency, durability, and other features of the suit are also really good and will definitely help you to swim faster.

All in all, a really solid tech suit coming in at a very affordable price point.

Features and benefits of the Finis Fuse tech suit-

• Flexible muscle compression allows for a full range of motion on every stroke and kick, ensuring maximal power output and making the suit usable for a wide range of events.
• Bonded seams combined with a double-panel construction reduces drag and improve speed in the water.
• Water-repellent technology ensures a reduction in drag and turbulence while racing and optimizes your speed, helping you to crush that record or best time.
• Compression technology allows for high levels of muscle compression with resilient elasticity built-in. This enhances blood circulation, increases muscle activation, and ultimately helps you to swim faster.
• Silicone watertight edges ensure a comfortable, secure, and water-tight fit while wearing, ultimately reducing drag and optimizing your swimming speed.
• High-quality fabric with a material composition of 71% polyamide and 29% elastane provides you with a durable and light tech suit.
• The budget price makes the suit one of the best value-for-money tech suits available.

Cons-

• The suit doesn’t come with a carrying pouch.

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Interested in some more tech suits? Consider checking out these articles-

• Best tech suits for butterfly
• Best tech suits for backstroke
• Best tech suits for breaststroke
• Best tech suits freestyle
• Best tech suits of all time
• Best tech suits for IM swimmers
• Best budget tech suits
• Best tech suits for swimmers 12 and under

How to Choose a Tech Suit for Sprinters

Now that we have covered the best tech suits for sprinters, we are going to have a look at a few things to consider before choosing your tech suit. It is important to keep these things in mind since not all swimmers are the same, and some swimmers may have different preferences.

1. Tech Suit Size and Fit

When it comes to choosing your sprinting tech suit, the sizing and fit of the suit is really important. If you choose a size that is too big, you will lose some of the benefits of the suit, on the other end of the spectrum, if you choose a size that is too small, you might restrict yourself in terms of range of motion and comfort while swimming.

Ideally, your tech suit should be just tight enough to feel like it is holding your muscles in place and providing some compression and natural muscle activation without cutting blood circulation or reducing freedom of movement.

I recommend choosing one to two sizes smaller than your standard training suit when choosing a tech suit. But it is also important to keep in mind that each swimming brand is different in its sizing, so make sure to view their size guides before choosing a tech suit for sprinting.

2. Tech Suit Material

The second aspect to consider when choosing your sprint tech suit is the material and fabric construction. The type of material used in a tech suit can affect its water-repellency and compression.

Ideally, the suit shouldn’t contain too much nylon as it is a fabric that absorbs more water. Some tech suits, however, do contain up to 70% nylon- this is usually done to increase comfort, and it’s made up for by using a water-repellent coating over the fabric. 

At the same time, you should keep in mind that tech suits are designed to increase speed and do not necessarily have to be comfortable. So if you do choose a more ‘uncomfortable’ suit don’t worry too much as it will usually be made up for with other benefits and features.

3. Tech Suit Performance

The performance of a tech suit is a good factor to consider, but it is also a slightly harder one to take into consideration, especially if you have only had one or two tech suits in your swimming career.

As you become more familiar with your tech suits, you will learn to judge the performance of the suit and will know what features you like. Personally, when I get a new tech suit, I like to play around with how far I can glide from a dive and push off in my new suit.

I also do some swimming in the strokes I bought it for to make sure it doesn’t affect my range of motion or restrict me in any way possible.

4. Tech Suit Brand

The branding of the tech suit could be something to consider before making a decision. It is always a good idea to invest in a suit from a big and reputable swimming brand such as Arena, for example.

Obviously, branding shouldn’t be the only factor to consider when choosing your suit since there are a couple of smaller brands also delivering some good suits, but it is always something to keep in mind.

Benefits of Tech Suits for Sprinters

Muscular Compression for Enhanced Sprinting Performance

All modern tech suits contain some form of muscular compression in their designs. This is an essential feature to have in your suit, especially for sprinters. Compression allows blood to circulate at an increased rate resulting in faster replenishment of oxygen and other nutrients, all while removing other toxins that are detrimental to swimming performance. 

Increased Stroke Rate, Stroke Length, and Decreased Drag While Swimming

In another study conducted by the faculty of sports sciences at the University of Rouen in France, 15 elite french swimmers were used to determine the differences in buoyancy, passive torque, glide, and arm coordination with and without a tech suit.

At the end of the day, that study concluded that tech suits had the effect of improving glide and reducing drag while swimming. This created conditions allowing swimmers to exert a faster stroke rate, ultimately improving performance in the water.

If you would like to learn a bit more about how tech suits affect your swimming performances, both physically and mentally, then I recommend that you check out my article- Do tech suits make a difference?

Sprint Faster with a New Tech Suit

Tech suits are a great way to bump up your performance in the pool that extra bit. They provide many great benefits, such as muscle compression, increased power output, reduced cost of energy while swimming, and a reduction in drag, just to name a few.

There are also some cool psychological benefits in wearing a tech suit that can further improve your swimming sprint performances. 

And so whether you go with a high-end tech suit with all the bells and whistles or with a more basic budget tech suit, you are sure to cherish it every time you dive into the water for another sprinting performance.