Often a new tri suit release from a brand might feature a couple of small updates. Maybe a new colourway. Maybe a mildly improved chamois pad. But for TRI-FIT their latest launch – the VORTEX – is a completely new tri suit built, as they put it, ‘from the ground up.’ The result of a painstakingly detailed, and at times challenging, R&D process. The new VORTEX tri suit promises next level aerodynamics and performance that can stand up against some of the very top end suits on the market. But without compromising on comfort or durability. Essentially bringing top end performance to ‘real’ age-group athletes, who need their race suit to last beyond just the one start line.
So what does it take to take a tri suit from concept to reality? We caught up with the team from TRI-FIT to find out more.
‘It wasn’t about adding small tweaks…’
TRI-FIT’s existing range of tri suits has earned them plenty of accolades and top-rated reviews – some of which you’ll find right here on the virtual pages of TRI247. So with an award-winning fleet of tri suits already on the shelves. Why go to the effort to create something completely new?
“We decided to push the envelope with the VORTEX because we felt like it was time,” TRI-FIT told us. “We’d learned so much over the past few years, through our suits, from our athletes, and from the constant process of refining and improving, that we were ready to take everything to the next level.”
“We wanted to showcase how far we’ve come and what we’re capable of as a brand, not just in terms of design, but in performance and technical innovation too. We knew we had the experience, the relationships, the factory, and the ideas to create something special.”
“And at the heart of it, it was about giving our TRI-FIT community the absolute best advantage out on the race course that we could.”
“This wasn’t just about adding small tweaks to one of our existing suits. It was about building a new flagship, high performance tri suit from the ground up. One that could stand up alongside anything else on the market – and even go beyond it.” But for TRI-FIT, the new VORTEX wasn’t solely a mission in peak performance – it was about creating a high performance race suit designed to achieve the perfect blend of comfort, speed and durability that can often be mutually exclusive. “It’s the fastest, most advanced suit we’ve ever made, but it’s still grounded in what real athletes actually need on race day.”
The ultimate tri suit?
So that’s the why. But we were keen to find out what makes the VORTEX different to TRI-FIT’s other tri suits, and what’s gone into it to find that unicorn-like balance of top level performance without making compromises elsewhere.
“The VORTEX is our most technical and advanced suit to date, and it’s a big step forward for us. What makes it different from our previous top-level suits is that every single detail has been refined to maximise performance, but without losing the comfort and features TRI-FIT is known for. A lot of people assume that if you’re pushing aerodynamics to the limit, you must sacrifice comfort, but that’s not the case here.
“The VORTEX is incredibly fast, but it’s also built to be worn for hours, even in brutal conditions.”
“It’s a tri suit we’re incredibly proud of. It’s a perfect example of how far we’ve come as a brand, and we genuinely believe it’s the ultimate tri-suit.”
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A challenging but rewarding research and development process
We all know that improvements in physical performance don’t come overnight. There are no short cuts. And if you want to achieve even the smallest improvements out on the race course – it’s going to take some blood, sweat and tears.
The same can be said for the process to take a premium, pro-level tri suit from an idea to a reality. “The research and development process for the VORTEX has been of the most challenging, but also most rewarding projects we’ve ever done,” the team at TRI-FIT share.
“We spent months developing and testing fabrics to get the right balance of aero performance, breathability, and structure. That meant trialling different combinations, getting them into the hands of athletes, and really taking our time with it.”
“We also worked closely with our factory to introduce new construction techniques, including heat-welded seams, and laser cut ventilation, which aren’t easy to do but make a big difference both in terms of comfort and performance. It was a long process. But we didn’t want to rush it, we wanted to get it right.”
And that process of ‘getting it right’ has taken a whole bunch of time, patience and wardrobe space. “We have a whole wardrobe full of VORTEX samples at the office. Some good, some not so good, but every single one has taught us something.”
“There have been sleepless nights, a lot of frustrating conversations, misunderstandings, and plenty of rounds of testing, but it’s all worth it when you see the final product. This suit is something really special.”
Created with purpose: What makes the VORTEX tri suit different, and what it took to get it start-line ready
“Every element of this suit has a purpose,” TRI-FIT explained. “From the fabrics, right down to the seam placements. We didn’t just want to make small improvements, like we have done previously, we wanted to rethink everything.”
From what we’ve seen, TRI-FIT have put significant thought into every aspect of the new VORTEX tri suit – more on all the features later. But they highlighted a few key elements that really set it apart.
Targeted ventilation
“The first is the reinforced laser-cut ventilation holes across the shoulders. As you heat up during a race, hot air naturally rises inside the suit, and these vents allow it to escape exactly where it wants to go. It’s subtle but effective in regulating temperature.”
“Getting that ventilation exactly right was one of our biggest hurdles, and we spent a lot of time testing various placements, sizes and patterns to make sure they worked exactly how we wanted them to.”
“Under the arms, we’ve created a single-piece panel with no seams. Just clean, uninterrupted fabric, and we’ve added laser-cut ventilation there too. That area moves a lot during racing, so removing seams makes a huge difference in comfort and durability, but the area also generates heat which the ventilation holes deal with.”
“It seems like a small detail, but when you’re working with such technical fabrics and trying to maintain both aerodynamics and durability, it’s a real challenge.”
Aero but with no silly sacrifices when it comes to practicality
For those of us racing the full Iron distance, being able to carry all of our nutrition and not rely on aid stations can be one of those no-compromise things. And thankfully TRI-FIT have factored that in with the VORTEX – without an aero penalty.
“We’ve completely redesigned the rear pocket system so that it offers integrated gel storage into the structure of the suit.”
“We noticed that some suits at this level were stripping out storage completely in the name of pure aerodynamics, which makes sense for pros, but for our customers it just wasn’t practical. So, we found a way to keep the storage, make it aero, and ensure it actually works in real racing conditions. That’s the kind of detail we weren’t willing to compromise on.”
“It took several attempts to get it right, because we wanted a solution that looked sleek and aero but was still genuinely useful on race day. It’s not something you can just guess at; you have to keep testing and refining until it works perfectly.”
Lightning fast performance without compromise on comfort
Those are the headlines, but what else has gone into the VORTEX tri suit? First up is the aero performance. “The sleeves and back panel use an ultra-light ribbed aero fabric we sourced from France. It’s the same kind of material you’d see in the fastest time trial suits in pro cycling, and it’s been proven to reduce drag and improve airflow across the body. But what surprised us is how breathable it is too, it manages heat incredibly well, which is crucial over long distances, and is very lightweight.”
“The main body uses a premium Italian performance fabric that offers just the right amount of compression for muscle support, while still being flexible and lightweight. It dries quickly, holds its shape, and just feels great to wear, even deep into a race.”
“We also introduced heat-welded seam construction in certain areas of the suit. That’s something you rarely see, and it makes a huge difference, not just for aero gains, but for comfort too. There’s no rubbing, no chafing, and the suit sits flatter and sleeker on the body.”
The finer details you didn’t know you needed
Alongside that redesigned rear pocket, TRI-FIT have also integrated two internal pockets in the VORTEX. Adding storage, where other ‘super suits’ tend to take it away. “Despite being a performance, aero suit – you still have stacks of usable storage.”
“It also features our IceDrip pocket on the rear of the neck, which is now finished with heat-welded seams [it’s a feature we at TRI247 loved on the TRI-FIT EVO 2.3]”
“It’s a clever little pocket designed for holding ice or sponges during hot races. It’s one of those details that athletes don’t realise they need until they use it. But it makes a real difference when the heat is on.”
Always sitting comfortably
If you’ve seen our reviews of TRI-FIT’s previous tri suits, you’ll know that chamois pad comfort is something the brand have got nailed. We’ve put that to the test over two full Ironman distance races!
And thankfully, that’s another area that TRI-FIT haven’t sacrificed in the name of pure aero performance with the new VORTEX suit.
“The chamois is the TRI COMP EVO pad from Elastic Interface, which we selected specifically for the VORTEX. Elastic Interface is a market leader when it comes to chamois pads, and we have used them since day one. The TRI COMP EVO is the best pad they do. It offers the comfort you need on the bike without getting in the way on the run.
“We tested a lot of options, and this pad hit the sweet spot for performance without bulk.”
Not just a one race wonder
Take a walk around a triathlon expo these days, and you’ll come across tri suits which not only have an eye-watering price tag – but feel like they need handling with a pair of silk gloves and storing in a glass case complete with red velvet ropes. All-out performance, coming at the cost of durability. But that’s not a path TRI-FIT wanted to tread.
“Durability was also really important to us,” they explained. “There are suits out there that cost more than this one and feel like they’ll fall apart after a few races. The VORTEX is made to last.”
“All the materials we’ve used are proven, hard-wearing, and chosen not just for performance, but for reliability. You can train and race in it confidently, season after season.”
TRI-FIT VORTEX: Features, pricing and where to buy
Now all of that sounds like the makings of a pretty exciting tri suit that could well disrupt some of the major players on the triathlon apparel scene. And what’s more, while the price tag certainly isn’t as accessible as TRI-FIT’s entry level suit – the VANGUARD. Given the high end market the VORTEX is entering, it’s comparatively reasonably priced: the RRP is £399.
You can find an overview of all the key features of the VORTEX below.
| Premium, high-performance tri suit | Ultra-light French ribbed aero fabric |
| Laser-cut ventilation | Heat-welded seams |
| Full-front opening with YKK stop lock zipper and zip garage | Aero rear pocket and 2 x internal storage pockets |
| IceDrip heat-welded rear neck pocket | Laser cut legs with printed silicone gripper |
| UV protecton: UPF35+ on key panels | Made using Oeko-Tex® certified materials |
| Market-leading chamois pad ideal for long distances | RRP £399 GBP / ~$535 USD / ~€459.99 EUR |
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