I am somewhat tall (6’5") and struggle to find tri gear that actually fits. I’ve searched and haven’t found one- so if there is already some repository of gear information targeted to the needs and limited options of tall athletes, please direct me to it! Otherwise, I thought I would try to start one.
Some things I have tried:
-Cycling pants and cold weather running pants: https://www.aerotechdesigns.com/big-and-tall-man-cycling-tights.html. The two styles of pants I have fit really well. Their tops were pretty loose and not performance fitted, but they have newer options I haven’t tried that look improved.
-Wetsuits: This is the hardest thing for me. ROKA makes Small through Large in Tall versions, but at 6’5" I am a little above heights they are truly comfortable for. Xterra makes a Long only in Small and Medium. I have wanted to try De Soto’s 2 piece system but I don’t know how the bibjohn would fit since they do not have any tall sizing (?)
-Tri shorts: Zoot and Castelli have good options with long inseams
-Trisuit: ROKA again with their Tall sizes that probably work best for those just over 6’.
-Bibs: Voler’s black label bibs are great and actually fit comfortably even without dedicated Tall sizing, where every other brand I’ve tried the shoulder straps are too tight.
Please chime in to share other gear you have found that works.
I’m 6’3" and I can’t imagine anything will beat The Black Bibs Tall for price/fit/quality. Inseam is maybe a tiny bit longer on me than I would prefer but it’s worth it for not feeling like the straps are yanking down and chafing.
I’d say it’s definitely worth giving the Desoto T1 a try. I swam in a Xterra Vengence Pro and then an old B70 reaction, and while the B70 fit much better than the Xterra, the T1 blows them both out of the water. Absolutely zero restriction in the shoulders when reaching above. There’s enough overlap in the bibjohn and pullover that even being 2 inches taller than me you shouldn’t have issues. I run a size 4 pullover and a size 5 bibjohn @ 6’3" ~170lbs. Emilio will absolutely work with you on finding the correct size and their return policy is great, definitely worth at least seeing how you like it.
I’ve never had much of a problem with tri suits. I find they all stretch enough to not affect my motion, but once again, at 6’5" I could believe that starts to matter. I’ve tried Zoot, Wattie, and now Velotec and they’ve all been comfortable and good quality.
I’m 6’3", so not as tall as you but tall enough that I need to seek out stuff that fits.
-Wetsuits: This may not be height-related but I gave up trying to find a sleeved suit that fits. I went sleeveless, and use neoprene arm sleeves if I absolutely need to (I havent’ yet)
-Tri shorts: Haven’t had a problem finding tri-shorts. Zoots have worked fine for me
-Trisuit: DeSoto gear seems to have a longer torso than other manufacturers. Their tri-tops fit me well. I don’t have a tri-suit from them though.
-Bibs: I use bibs from The Black Bibs. The gear just seems “longer” without actually having a “tall” size stuck to it.
I’m 6’3" so don’t have it quite as bad, but on the cycling side Cuore has some custom gear that you can add length in the arms, body, legs, etc. which I have found to be very nice. I’ve only ordered their stuff through a team shop though, so can’t speak to any experience with ordering directly from them. It’d probably be quite expensive if you were only to do 1-2 items on your own.
I swim in a BlueSeventy (Helix) who also make a small and medium tall. I don’t worry about this as much as I don’t think it matters if the ankle and wrist are higher up than perhaps intended. All the benefits of a good-fitting wetsuit really come from the hips and torso/shoulders, so as long as you get the suit/crotch all the way up, and make sure the shoulders are properly set, having some exposed wrist/forearm and ankles/calf aren’t a big deal imo.
I’d say it’s definitely worth giving the Desoto T1 a try. I swam in a Xterra Vengence Pro and then an old B70 reaction, and while the B70 fit much better than the Xterra, the T1 blows them both out of the water. Absolutely zero restriction in the shoulders when reaching above. There’s enough overlap in the bibjohn and pullover that even being 2 inches taller than me you shouldn’t have issues. I run a size 4 pullover and a size 5 bibjohn @ 6’3" ~170lbs. Emilio will absolutely work with you on finding the correct size and their return policy is great, definitely worth at least seeing how you like it.
Thank you, that is very helpful to hear. I’ll plan to get a T1 set this spring when I am able to get in some open water and try it out.
Not a lot to add but I’m following along. I’m 6’6" and while all my business and casual wear fit well (38" inseam, 39 length shirt) I feel like with tri specific gear the stuff is already supposed to be “snug” so I can’t even tell if something fits right. It’s tight and as long as it doesn’t hurt I figure I’m good.
I have an Xterra wetsuit and since getting it when I started tris 10 years ago I’ve lost close to 45 lbs so it’s definitely a lot looser than it should be around the top half but I still stay dry and having the added flexibility in the shoulders from the weight lose is nice with the thing so stretched due to my height.
I’ve only experimented with a few brands of bibs, none specifically tall, and I can’t do them. Too much pull and it feels like it drags me down. Over the years I’ve tired dedicating them to the trainer only and eventually even that pisses me off. I’ve given up. I’ll take my normal TYR 9" inseam tri shorts and a top. I also have a tri kit from Wattie Ink that fits really well, separate top and bottom.
I wish there was a collection of reviews specifically for taller tri related items. Business idea.
I can’t help re your question as I’m on 5’9 (and a half) but Desoto has a very good return policy so it’s worth giving it a try. I use their wetsuits and couldn’t be happier with them.
6’-7"/210ish lbs here and I’ll echo The Black Bibs recommendations above. I’ve got the XL tall bibs, and honestly probably will order the L Tall for my next ones.
6’-7"/210ish lbs here and I’ll echo The Black Bibs recommendations above. I’ve got the XL tall bibs, and honestly probably will order the L Tall for my next ones.
I don’t, sorry. I only swim in water warm enough for a speedo, haha. I’m a pool swimmer primarily, and do 1 or 2 open water swims each summer. I ride when I can’t swim, and don’t run at all. Except maybe to the fridge when my beer is empty. I do have a leftover Blueseventy body suit from the poly suit era of pool swimming in 2008/09, and have worn that in colder open water once, but don’t have a real wetsuit. Good luck!
I’m not super tall (6-0) but have short legs and a tall torso so I buy mostly Tall sizes when I can find them.
I have a couple of Roka wetsuits, Large-Tall size in both, the older version of the high-end Maverick and their top end sleeveless that I was just about to put up for sale somewhere. I can let you have them for a smoking deal if you want! I bought the new Maverick X2 so I have no need for the previous Maverick, and I’m dumping the sleeveless because I can’t wear sleeveless, too much chafing, etc and the just prefer the full sleeved suits anyway.
Here’s another vote for DeSoto. 2-peice is great for us. They are very responsive to email and will help you with sizing.
I’ve also had good luck with the Roka medium-tall size, but it seems to be a little short for my torso. Great over sprint distance, a little constraining by 70.3
6’4†, 185lbs here. Ill echo what others here have said, black bibs in medium tall work great for me. I have also tried aerotech tall bibs, They werent as long as the black bibs, and the aerotech ones bunched a bit in the crotch for me. For wetsuit I just got a roka medium tall and it fits great. Havent swam in it yet thought. For long leggings for running/cycling in the cold, I use medium tall aerotech ones, they fit great!
Hope this helps. I’m in the market for a trisuit this year so if anyone has any recommendations it would be appreciated.
Our old team suits were sleeveless by Squadra and XL worked. Current suit is sleeved by Borah and I wear a L. I also have a DeSoto sleeveless in L and Kiwami sleeved in XL.
I’m within an inch of TS, and about the same weight. I’d very much like to be 10-15 lbs lighter, but I haven’t been under 200 since the early 2000s.
I have a B70 Helix which I think is XL (it’s midwinter, there was no tri season last year, and it’s somewhere in the cupboards).
Trisuits - Castelli 2 piece was good but not quite long enough to make a proper join at the waist - no one needs to see the bit of gut there. Now have a Trimtex 1 piece which is awesome. In a perfect world I’d like a much longer inseam for the shorts, but it’s nitpicking.
Matong bike gear and trisuit fits great (it’s dutch so their market is the tallest population in the world). They have custom gear but the off-the-rack xxxl is tall build
For wetsuit I found xxl aquasphere was taller than orca, but could be taller imho
I’m 6’4" but I’m all leg and no spine. Or rather I’ve the back length that’s more typical of a 6 foot bloke, and legs that are disproportionately long. I mention this as it was only last year (aged 45) I fully figured this all out for the purposes of tri-kit, wetsuits especially.
For wetsuits then I was buying too big for height and weight. And that’s as several kilos are in my legs and not on my torso. So I am in medium tall which is suposed to be for 5’10"-6ft-1" and I’m over the upper kilo but that’s the right fit. Only issue is the wetsuit is calf length and so not quckest to get off over size 13 feet, but then a lot of people cut to that length anyway.
And same applies to tri-kit (medium top/large bottom for deSoto Forza 2 peice and large for the skin suit.
Medium for most nike, 2xu, craft, asics tech tees.
off the shelf cycle gear is large in LG and Castelli, but my club kit is the Tinelli stuff where i use a medium top, but with an extra 2.5cm length on top and to the legs of the bib shorts - love that customisation
6 foot 4 here, 178 lbs. And it can really be a pain in all areas from shoes to shirts etc.
Wetsuits: Tried the tall version of and it just did not work. Bought a 2xu Tall wetsuit, and fits very nice for my height, but I also think I’m mostly “legs”.
For bibs, its more a matter of how short you can tolerate them being on the leg. Tried some castelli, Fusion and Diadora (they make long version), ended up with a normal Fusion one and the diadora was itching on my legs with the rubber at the end.
Tri suit: You could justgo 2 piece and mix and match. For suits i have had 2 different 2xu suits both fitted very well for my size.
Im 6’5" 160lbs and other than the inseam being a bit short on some things Ive never really had an issue.
Cycling wise Im pretty much fully kitted out in Craft. A couple of my shorts are a bit “short” but I have one pair of the Hale Glow bibs that are spot on when it comes to length. My jerseys are small and still seem to be long enough.
As for a race kit this season Im in Louis Garneau for the first time and Im loving their longer inseam compression tri short (10.5") and the matching top is the perfect length.
Wow you guys are all so frigging lean. I’m 6’6" 220#. If I wanted to get down sub 200 I’d need to hack a limb off. Definitely some good suggestions though for longer clothing, taking a lot of notes.