Review: Zone3 Activate Triathlon Range Introduce more Vibrancy and Comfort

I am sure I’m not the only male triathlon aficionado that gets a bit sick of the standard blue and black drab garb that we have to hoof around in. Zone3 is mixing it up a bit for both male and female athletes by introducing a bit more variety and colour in their range.

For those that don’t know Zone3, it is a 10-year-old UK triathlon brand. Born out of university by a team of athletes. Zone3 is more commonly known for their incredible wetsuits and sponsorship of top end triathletes such as the Ironman Texas and world record holder Tim Don.

Zone3 target their triathlon appear at the beginner/intermediate level triathlete, however, the features and comfort performance competes against the top end brands in the market.

Features

I was lucky enough to try out both the Activate Trisuit one piece and the Activate two-piece top and shorts. Both products have a truck load of features, but the key ones are:

• A TriLite, triathlon specific chamois, that’s sized to help us run and swim without impediment
• Flat locked seams and zips to avoid irritation
• Silicone UFO grippers specifically built for triathletes, that grip on the inside of the knee

Field Testing

I took both the products through an open water and pool swim, a couple of 20km runs and a few 6-hour rides and I have to say I was impressed by the comfort of both products. The overlocked seems and tri-specific chamois didn’t produce any level of rub or chaffing and I didn’t notice any level of interference with my abysmal swim kick.

One major, frankly outstanding feature for me is that the UFO grippers are beyond just marketing hype. They prevent the shorts from rolling up, something that anyone trying to wrestle on a wetsuit in the dark on race morning will attest to as a complete pain in the neoprene.

Now I did mention the snazzy colour scheme before and the Zone3 triathlon apparel doesn’t disappoint. With a variety of colours and fancy designs, you will certainly look brighter than the normal triathlete, just make sure to wipe the snot off our face to maximise photo opportunities.

Overall

What is truly amazing about these products is the price. At $120 for the full triathlon suit and $90 individually for the top and shorts, the Zone3 triathlon suit range represents phenomenal value for money given the pricing and feature set. Combined with online sales you could easily deck out a whole seasons racing and training wardrobe for half what you would pay anywhere else.