Given the recent number of threads surrounding race and training apparel, I wanted to share the following, which is a comprehensive review of Kiwami two-piece triathlon suits. While quite long, each section has a bolded heading for easy navigation.
I want to start by giving a little background about my relationship with Kiwami Triathlon. At the end of the 2011 season, I had started to follow another strong amateur named Bill Robertson; he is an accomplished racer and also an accomplished writer. I noticed he was supported by a company called Kiwami, which at the time, I knew little about. After exploring Kiwami’s website and getting into a pair of their tri shorts, I was sold on having them create and customize my race kit. That said, at the time I was still a grad student and my budget was tight. I reached out to Andre (Director of Kiwami USA) and explained my situation, as well as my goals as an aspiring athlete, my credentials as a writer, and my broader involvement in the triathlon community. He saw that there could be mutual value in forging a partnership, and thus agreed to help me out with my kit. Since then, my relationship with Kiwami represents the quintessential partnership between an aspiring amateur and company; Kiwami has helped me out with my apparel needs, and at the same time, they have sought continuous advice from me on how to improve both their product and presence in the United States market.
Kiwami is dedicated to continuous improvement and excellence. In that spirit, when I started hearing a similar theme from prospective customers – “I really wanted to try Kiwami and have heard good things, but the descriptions on their website stink and do not really differentiate between the products, so I went with something else” – I approached Andre and shared the news. After some quick review, it didn’t take us long to realize that they were right; the product descriptions available on the internet were not very telling. So, thanks everyone for your feedback, and consider this an effort to act on it! I was instructed to put the latest and greatest Kiwami racing gear to the test.
What follows is a product review of Kiwami’s most popular two-piece triathlon clothing. Consider this Part 1, with Part 2 coming shortly to cover the one-piece options. Everything is broken down into bolded sections for easy navigation. I start with some general topics which, since they apply to everything, I recommend you read regardless of what garment you are considering, and then go into specific products. Everything comes from my own experience training and racing in these tops and bottoms. Not that I would do it any differently, but I want to explicitly highlight that I got specific instructions to make this a “no BS write-up,” so everything below represents my honest perspective.
Overall Experience: Obviously I am biased, but you would be hard-pressed to find another company that offers a better combination of quality and service. You won’t find Kiwami in stores because they decided to sell DTC in an effort to keep prices in line with the competition while offering higher quality products; e.g., cut out the $$ that goes to the middle man, invest it in the product instead. The kicker is that while most DTC companies struggle with the customer service element since that is not their sweet-spot, Kiwami hits service out of the park. If you call the “Contact Us” number on the website, someone from their team will literally spend more time with you on the phone than your physician; going over sizing, your wants and needs, and then recommending the right product…only to have it shipped immediately and at your door 3-5 days later. The return policy is great, and now, hopefully the product information will be solid too! I will end this section by saying I realize you may be thinking “of course Brad is going to say Kiwami is the best quality, he is one of their athlete ambassadors and even admits he is biased.” Against that backdrop, I want to point out that many World Champion athletes across distances ranging from IM to ITU Olympic events (including the Olympic medalist Brownlee brothers) choose Kiwami…and every company in the world is eager to send these guys and gals free stuff…
Customization: I could not find a better option anywhere, including my local T-shirt store. For between $5-$15 per logo, you can have pretty much anything printed. No rubbing, no peeling, and as little as a seven day turn-around, so this is perfect if you are rushed. You simply send in a vector style logo(s) with instructions on sizing and placement, Kiwami confirms it is workable, and boom, you have a kick-ass kit. This was put together in less than a week:
Sizing: Particular details will follow in the product-specific reviews, but generally speaking, all of the bottoms run true , and the tops seem to run small. For instance, at 6 foot and a broad 160, I am a Med short pretty much across the board, but an XL in some tops. Put simply, the tops are tight and short. While a large top would be workable for me in the shoulders, they tend to ride up on the midsection. I find that an XL doesn’t ride up as bad, and at the same time, the material itself still clings to my body very well (e.g., does not catch wind, which is a problem I have had with many other tri tops). All of that said, my overarching advice on sizing is to size up for comfort in training apparel, but size true for what you will wear on race-day. I say this because none of tops will ever be so tight that they are truly restrictive to the point that they would negatively impact performance, so in my opinion, it’s always better to ensure a snug fit on race-day, since wind resistance is killer. If you want more detail on this, check out this great read and diagram that shows just how important a proper-fitting race suit is.
Durability and Drying: I group these together because they go hand-in-hand. If you follow the care instructions and hand-wash the garments in cold water and then air-dry, they will last you many seasons. But since I promised total honesty in this review, I will delve just a bit into what happens if you stray from the protocol. I have experimented (in a rush) with machine washing on delicate and then tumble-drying on the air-fluff (e.g., the most delicate) mode. I have found that this approach has not hurt the integrity of the material itself, but has lead to some peeling of the logo and any other print that may be on the apparel. I would advise you to follow this approach at your own risk, with an understanding that while it may be OK, it’s far better off not to be lazy and handwash and air dry. Also worth mentioning here, all of the Kiwami products dry out extremely fast (easily overnight, even after 4 hour rides on the indoor trainer whcih all lead to heavy perspiration), and as a result, they don’t hold nearly as much odor as other brands I have worn. I will often go 4-8 wears before washing.
Jammy Swim Bottom: Great swim focused item. More comfortable at the same price-point as comparables from the swim-specific brands. There is no padding in this bottom, so I would not recommend it for any distance above a Sprint, or maybe an Oly if the swim is non-wetsuit. Although I wear this in a Sprint, it’s best use is daily at the pool for swim training. Sizing wise, I am in between a Med/Large here; cut goes right above my knee. Holds the upper leg tight so there is no drooping down. No neoprene or any other buoyancy creating devices, but there may be some “bubble-lift” created by the hydrophonic material they use; hard to experiment here because so much changes day-to-day in the pool, but in general I’ve noticed I am about one second faster per 100/m in these versus a traditional Speedo. Interesting to note that they won’t dry nearly as fast as the other bottoms, and that probably has to do with the “bubble-lift” trapping some water. I thoroughly rinse them in cold water after every use, and then use the “wringing machine” at the pool for an initial dry, and hang-dry over night. I’m sure they would last slightly longer if I didn’t use the “wringing machine,” but when I am rushed to get from the pool to the office, it is a must. I’ve heard mixed things, but expect anywhere from 3-6 months out of these before stretching of the suit occurs. The wide range depends on factors like how you rinse and dry, and chlorine levels in the pool.
Prima XC Top: The most important thing to note here is this top runs very small. At 6’, 160lbs I am in an XL and even that rides up in the mid-section while running, so if you are a larger athlete you will absolutely want to size up here. The material on this top is interesting; it is legitimately water repellent (e.g., sweat rolls right off of it) which is incredible, but this causes it to be a bit stiffer feeling. Early in a race when you are dry it may not be the most comfortable top, but later in the day you will be very happy that you aren’t water logged from sweat and aid-stations. Perfect for long-course hot weather racing where you expect a lot of perspiration and “water-over-the-head” aid-stations. If you don’t think you will be wet, I would steer away from this and toward something softer so you can maximize comfort when waterproof isn’t a priorty.
Prima XC Bottom: These also run a bit small, but not to the same extent as the top. I am a large here, so the range of sizing will cover pretty much all athletes. I would recommend sizing up, but it wouldn’t hurt to call Kiwami prior to ordering these and go over your individual specs to minimize the risk of needing to exchange. In terms of material, see above as it is the same. During a hot indoor workout on the bike, it was cool to literally see my sweat roll right off the shorts. The padding in this short is pretty built up; I would say closer to a true cycling short than most tri bottoms. That said, running off the bike in these was very comfortable; I had no issues with chaffing, rubbing, or padding impacting my stride. This bottom is a great option for all hot-weather races where you anticipate getting wet, or for IM racing where saddle comfort is key and the built-up padding becomes helpful. Also great for use as a a pure-play cycling short.
Prima Classic Top: While this top shares the “Prima” name, it is quite different from the XC. For starters, the Prima Classic runs much more true to size. I am in between an L and XL, and while I am comfortable in either, I prefer to train in an XL and race in an L – following my logic in the sizing section that I want to optimize around comfort in training, and around aero-dynamics in racing. Even though the XL fits snug, I figure if a large doesn’t ride up on my mid-section too badly, there is less likelihood that it will catch any wind at all. The other major difference between this and the XC is the material. The Prima Classic is much softer and smoother than the XC, but this comes at the cost of sacrificing water repellence; although the Classic is fast drying, it still carries some moisture. In practice, the Prima Classic top is great for athletes that 1) are larger and simply cannot fit in the XC 2) prefer early race comfort and are not concerned about carrying a little moisture later on and 3) cooler weather races where it is anticipated that the athlete says dry. If you don’t anticipate extreme sweat and/or dumping water over yourself at aid-stations, I would go with the Classic over the XC in almost any circumstance; the material is that much softer. That said, in hot weather races, the Prima XC ends up becoming more comfortable by the end of the race since it literally does not carry any moisture.
Prima Classic Bottom: Same material characteristics as the Prima Classic Top above. For sizing, like most Kiwami products, size down one degree in the Bottom versus the top; so for the Classic, given I am in between an L and XL in the Top, I am comfortable in either an Med or L in the Bottom. The other difference between the Classic and the XC Bottom is the padding. The Classic has a slightly less built up pad, and the cushioning itself is made of a softer material. Personally, it is plenty of padding for me, and I prefer the softer material in the Classic versus the XC Bottom.
Quick Summary of the Classic Family: Particularly larger athletes should look toward the Classic over the XC in all circumstances Size down by one degree in Bottom versus Top for both. Cool weather races where waterproof isn’t a priorty I recommend the Classic full suit. In hot weather races, I recommend the XC, or a combination of the XC top and Classic bottom since I personally find that softness on the bottom and water repellence on the top are the most important factors. The other thing to keep in mind is specific to the shorts, and that revolves around athlete preference on the amount of padding; think of the XC as closer to a cycling short, and the Classic more similar to a traditional tri short. That said, I had no ‘problems’ running in either, just the Classic is more comfortable.
Twinki Bottom: This is a highly versatile short with sizing that runs true, and if anything, unlike most Kiwami products, these may even run a bit on the larger side. This short is made from a very soft material that although not water repellent, is extremely quick to dry. The padding is sufficient, but less built up than both of the Prima models. This is a perfect option for Olympic and HIM distance races, as well as for use as an everyday training short. The Twinki’s strength is in the comfort it yields running off the bike. Of course this comes as a result of having less padding, but if you are an individual that doesn’t need much in the way of padding, this could be your best option for any distance. It is also a bit more flexible than the Prima bottoms.
Tempo Top: Sizing runs true, although athletes may want to order up here as well. I am right in between a Large and XL, and like I point out in the section on sizing, during training I’ll wear an XL, but at a Sprint Tri, I would want to be in a Large. This is a great “everyday” top in the sense that it is extremely light-weight, simple, and comfortable. While not water repellent, the Tempo hardly holds any moisture at all during workouts, and drys out within a few hours of even the sweatiest indoor sessions. The Tempo does not give the same attention to structural fit as either of the Primas, meaning that while it doesn’t provide that extra level of compression, it does become a great choice for athletes with unique physiques that need some additional flexibility. Pairing this with the Twinki bottom seems to make a lot of sense.
******Note that this review will likely be edited over time to account for factors such as product-life and also to include additional products. Remember that “Part 2” will focus on one-piece suits and be released shortly. If you have any questions or want to follow up on anything, don’t hesitate to PM me. ***