I have always liked racing triathlons in swimsuits. Before there were companies such as Kiwami, Orca, 2XU, etc., who specialize in making triathlon specific swim suits, it was difficult to find a race suit for the season. I would go to different sports stores and check out their selections. My criteria were simple - the suit had to be a good color, and it had to fit, at least basically. Most of the time I would be satisfied with getting a nice color, since the fit was always a bit of a problem.
In terms of functionality these swimsuits worked, but in terms of specific technical aspects that could save me time and make me feel more comfortable out on the course, they were far from ideal.
The powerhouse triathlon racing suit company Kiwami spent 9 months and produced several prototypes to develop the Wahina Max race suit. Kiwami co-founder Helene Solomon was in charge of giving the Wahina Max its initial approval. When she felt it met her criteria, Kiwami then moved ahead and tried it out on swimmers, and then triathletes, the hardest to please, before giving the product its final approval. Helene was very specific about the details and requirements that the Wahina Max had to meet before testing it out in the real world; she has a lot of experience racing in triathlons both as an elite triathlete in Ironman distances (she has won Ironman France) and on the Grand Prix Triathlon Circuit in France (short course racing). They also sought out the advice and comments with American and ITU standout Laura (Reback) Bennett.
Some of the more interesting technical features that they set out to achieve are focused on the both the fit and on the appearance. The suit couldn’t ride up the butt when biking and running. This is important because too many athletes lose precious time pulling it down in the middle of the race and waste energy just thinking about it. It had to offer good breast support, comfort while running, lightness, and breathability. Lastly, it had to be visually flattering.
Kiwami believes that if the athlete likes the style, design, and look of the suit, they will be able to approach the race with more confidence and possibly perform better. Like a business man picking out a suit or a tie for a meeting, how you look is an important part of feeling ready and prepared.
The suit is made up of two different fabrics. Kiwami wanted to use the same fabric as the Amphibian, which is their popular trisuit, but the fabric didn’t provide enough support with an open back design, so they designed the Wahina Max using a combination of materials. The fabric around the chest and butt is made of a very supportive fabric. This different, but slightly heavier gauge, material doesn’t add very much weight to the suit, which weighs a paltry 60g. In addition to adding support, it also adds more durability in the particular areas where it is used. The rest of the suit is made of the the Amphibian material, which is similar to the old paper suits and very popular with Kiwami’s current consumers.
In addition to using different fabrics, the suit features cross-over stitching on the front to give better breast support, which really sets it apart as a triathlon-specific swimsuit. It truly is a swimsuit you can swim, bike and run in comfortably.
After spending some time training in the suit, I really began to appreciate the care and thought that went into the suit. It feels like a feather when you wear it. The material is really comfortable and super light. The focus Kiwami put into the appearance of the suit really paid off. The design is very flattering. With the pattern they developed, it pulls you in and fits smoothly in all the right places. In the water, it is very hydrophobic and glides through the water without taking on any.
I fell between two sizes - the medium and the small. The small was probably the better fit for racing between the two, but I have a very long body, so it was a bit overstretched and wasn't quite as comfortable during training. The medium felt great when I put it on, but there was a bit too much material around the bottom. Even though it was a bit large in that area, it still worked quite well.
One feature I really liked was the high neck. It prevents water from coming in when diving in to the swim, which is especially important for ITU athletes who do pontoon starts, and I also think it looks better.
The WahinaMax comes in several different colors. The black is probably the safest color, as the red is a bit transparent on some people, specifically in areas where you might not want it to be transparent. Capiche? In addition, given that I seemed to fall between sizes, some "half" sizes or different lengths would be a nice addition.
All in all, if you like racing in a swimsuit, this is a fantastic suit that really is designed for triathlon racing. It’s not just a swimsuit you can race in, it’s a swimsuit that was specifically designed for you to race in, and that seemingly small difference really shows.