I’m not a small person.
Even if I was at my goal weight, which I’m definitely not, I would still be a large person. I’m 6′4″ and my weight, if I’m in shape and eating right, is naturally around 230 lbs. It’s tough to find things that fit me, particularly athletic clothes.
After doing my first brick, in which I changed my clothes from a biking kit to a running kit, it became clear that I needed to get a tri suit. I already knew this was going to be part of the plan, but actually going through a transition really demonstrated it. It was pretty annoying to strip off sweaty, tight-fitting clothes and put on other clothes, not to mention the modesty aspects. And that wasn’t even after a swim. I definitely needed a kit I could wear for the entire race.
I started with Amazon, because I for one welcome our benevolent retail overlords. My first attempt: the
Spotti Men’s Triathlon Tri Suit in size XXL. Had good reviews and seemed like a bargain. Unfortunately, it was a wedgie-fest. There was no way I could run or bike in something that was driving so far up my nether regions. I returned it.
Next, I went for the Sparx X Triathlon Suit, which came in a XXXL size, no less. Surely that would have to fit me! …Nope. The same problem; all the extra X’s seemed to mean width, not height, and it just wasn’t going to work. Back went that tri suit too.
I did some research. I knew there were lots of tall triathletes out there, professionals even, and they were getting their gear somewhere. I just had to find out where. (Local stores for trying things on isn’t really an option where I live).
I came across a post on https://beginnertriathlete.com which pointed me to one particular manufacturer: De Soto. Some folks with my similar body type had had good luck with them. I checked them out. Their gear was more expensive, but definitely seemed high quality and if it fit, it seemed worth it. Plus, they had some tri shorts on sale. I went for it. I ordered directly from De Soto because their selection on Amazon was limited.
I also decided to try a two-piece suit instead of a one-piece, on the advice I found in the Beginner Triathlete forum. Presumably that would help alleviate the wedgie issues.
When it finally arrived, I apprehensively tried it on. The shorts were tight, but from what I had read, that was the way they were supposed to fit. They definitely gave me enough coverage. And the top was long enough that it went all the way down to my lower hips when I stood straight up. Looked like a winner at last!
I was excited to try it out on my next brick.
