By April Corey
Many athletes that are new to triathlon struggle with the decision of whether to wear a one-piece or a two-piece triathlon kit. And for those that are really new to triathlon, a kit is what you wear on race day or even sometimes in training.
One Piece Kit
Pros
No worry with forgetting a top or bottom part of the kit when packing for a race
The top doesn’t ride up and everything generally stays put
Potential for less rubbing/digging
Cons
It can be difficult to use the restroom, either before or during the race
If you are tall, it may be challenging to find a kit that doesn’t pull on the shoulders
Some folks feel like a stuffed sausage
Two Piece Kit
Pros
If you want to change into a different top for the bike or run, it is easier to swap out the tops
You can mix and match tops and bottoms, which is helpful to fit more body types
It is easier to use the restroom.
Cons
The kit may ride/bunch up and expose the back on the bike or the belly on the run. (You can add snaps to the bottom of the shirt and outside of the shorts to address that.)
The waistband may cause pressure on the belly if there is some GI distress
If you don’t tighten the string on the bottoms, and there are wetsuit strippers, your bottoms may come off with your wetsuit (and as Coach MarkT says…that would be “no bueno”)
Another item that women need to also determine, is whether you will need additional support for the chest. Some women’s kits have built-in shelf bras that are all that one will need. Others, who are more heavily endowed, may choose to wear a fast drying sports bra under their kit for additional support.
And ALWAYS train in what you are going to wear for the race – that goes for trying it for swimming, biking and running. You don’t want to wear a brand spanking new kit on race day without having worn it before. You may discover that the pretty kit that matches your bike, helmet and shoes doesn't work so well because it rides up, isn’t comfortable, or rubs in not-so-favorable areas.
Happy Racing!
Order Team MPI Epix Gear apparel at https://epixgear.com/team/team-mpi/