Top 5 Tech Suits for Sprint Events

The Tech Suit is a brilliant thing but it is vital that you choose the right one. This guide is going

to be specifically for those who sprint; racing 50 or 100 meters. The things I am looking for are compression, buoyancy and snap, valuing these properties over comfort.

1. Mizuno GX Sonic V ST

Mizuno Tech Suits and sprinting are synonymous. To be honest, number one on this list could be any Mizuno suit that has GX Sonic in the name but the V ST is their latest and greatest suit engineered for sprinting. You won't feel compression anywhere near as extensive in other brands, nor will you have buoyancy that sits you as high in the water. There is also strategic taping that helps kick your legs for you towards the end of the race when you get tired. This is the GOAT of sprint suits!

Order Mizuno GX Sonic V ST

2. TYR Venzo

This suit goes down a different route to Mizuno and instead uses taping to create a cage around all your muscles making more targeted compression that comes and goes with the taping, not just the tightness of the suit and materiels used. It also gives the option of both high and low waist which may tick a big box for those that don't like Mizuno's higher waist fit. It still has good use of dual layering for buoyancy and has a plethora of colorways that may tickle your fancy!

Order TYR Venzo

3. TYR Shockwave

TYR's latest suit to hit the market and the most versatile on the list. On paper it looks almost identical to the Mizuno GX Sonic III ST, with the same taping, layout, fit, and even an attempt at the Mizuno Ribtex materiel. But after slipping into the suit in 5 minutes rather than the Mizuno's hour-long fitting session, you soon realise the material has a lot more give to it and ends up feeling very different in a race. It doesn't have the same compression or buoyancy but the snap from taping is still great. This suit only comes in a jammer for men, with no women's counterpart, points for showing that race suits shouldn't be generalised for genders.

Order TYR Shockwave

4. Arena Carbon Core FX

I think Arena are the best swimming brand out there as a whole but their best sprint suit comes in at just fourth on my list. It does a lot of things well like having a higher waist cut that is still comfy, having twin hamstring taping that supports kick and still utilising carbon fibre in the thread but a lack of dual layering and not using multiple materials hinders it a bit.

Order Arena Carbon Core FX

5. Speedo Fastskin Pure Intent

Speedo's sprint offering just sneaks onto the list. Like the Venzo you can get in high or low waist cuts, and like the Shockwave it takes clear (but not as obvious) inspiration from the Mizuno suits with the likes of a honeycomb texturing instead of the Ribtex. I think the biggest limitation of this suit is the fit with it not being snug in some areas, there are even having reports of water leaking in the suit if not fitted right. I like the taping and in high waist form it will keep the water out and help you swim fast over those short distances. Regardless, I would take everything else on this list before I bought a Pure Intent.

Order Speedo Pure Intent