I am on Team Zoot, so I've been training and racing in Zoot gear for a few years (it was my go-to brand even before I was on the team--which is why I applied to be on the team in the first place).

I am similar to you, in that I am right on the line between M and L for Zoot products...I wear M in some items and L in others depending how I want them to fit. For race suits, I have always gone with L which has worked well so far. They are tight-fitting, but not overly compressive. I have not tried the new P1 so I can't comment there, but the Elite suit is great. If you are doing a hot race, the ice pockets are a real life-saver. And the ability to fully unzip the front makes toilet stops much less of a hassle (and faster, if you're stopping mid-race). I have not had a problem with the legs riding up, but I don't have a particularly long torso, so there's no pulling happening from the top.

I’ve been racing in the P1 for a bit - had an early release due to the Team Zoot Kona kits they did. It’s by far the best suit they’ve made and the. Eat one I’ve ever used. Despite the fact that it’s more form fitting than other suits, it’s actually more comfortable rather than less comfortable, as compared with their LTD suits or the old Ultra suit. The materials are extremely light and stretchy and there’s no restriction. Contrast that to the current LTD suit, which I don’t like all that much because of how dense the fabric is and overly tight through the arms. The P1 is great because it’s a fast suit for the FOPers, but also very comfortable for the BOPers.

That does come with the extra ventilation because the fabric is so thin. That being said, I wore it at St George worlds last weekend (mens day, so not as cold as the women’s day but still cold). I think it was upper 40s when we got on the bike, and with Mylar stuffed underneath the chest until mile 15, it was comfortable in the temps. I think any reasonable temperature race (65 deg plus) you’ll be fine.

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MS: Exercise Science
Your speed matters a lot, sometimes you need to be very fast, where sometimes you need to breakdown your speed.

Go with M. It’s tight at first but water and sweat will stretch it out slightly as you race more and more, so M will fit better later. Their fabric is better than 3-4 years ago so it lasts longer now. I’ve been racing with Zoot kit forever. P1 kit has black bottom which I don’t like much so I didn’t get it.

Many thanks for sharing, much appreciated. Indeed, until size “tall M” becomes a standard measurement (I am not holding my breath), my take is like yours; it becomes a case by case decision. In the case with the Elite and P1, perhaps M for the former (relatively less race fit) and L for the latter (relatively more) is the way to go.

Thanks for an extensive reasoning, very valuable. One follow up question, if I may, seeing that the bottom part of the P1 suit ends above the model’s navel, whereas the Elite’s ends below; is the material of P1’s bottom stretchy enough to be easily pulled down to enable mid-race pit stop? I am asking on the back of a thought this might have been purposefully sacrificed for other benefits, seeing that P1’s target customer groups are pros and hotter races, where toilet visits are less a concern.

Great to know this type of real world experience in my decision on size, thank you. Also happy to hear that durability has improved; I am happy to pay up for quality, but then it should also last.

It is JUST stretchy enough - I found I had to unzip the whole front in order to get access, but I didn’t have to pull the top down.

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MS: Exercise Science
Your speed matters a lot, sometimes you need to be very fast, where sometimes you need to breakdown your speed.

Thanks! Not being FOP, I can spend a couple of seconds for the purpose, it is more that the less fine motor skills required when you are a bit shaky coming off the bike, the better. :)

Again, thanks all for your input!

Returns appeared to be free of charge, so ordered both M and L. For future prospective buyers looking for guidance:

M: As expected, good fit. However, slight feeling of downward push on shoulders.
L: Comfortable! But excess material around arm pits and leg ends very loose

Pulling down the bottoms far enough to allow quick pit stop not possible for either size.

I’m between a L and XL. I went with an XL and also found the leg openings to be very loose.

Frustrating, isn’t?

I checked two topics today with Zoot:

1. Besides being less compressive, fit is no different between Elite and P1.
2. Zoot insist it should be possible to pull down the P1 bottoms enough to take a pee, but I still fail to see how they would be possible.