As a beginner, navigating the technical details can feel overwhelming, but at Watery, our experienced swimming experts are ready to guide you safely through the entire buying journey. We'll explain exactly what you need, so you understand the equipment's functions along the way and can confidently choose the perfect competitive swimwear for your new ambitions in the pool.
Which competitive swimwear should I choose as a beginner?
| Gender | Recommended Product | What characterizes the product? | Why choose it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men | Arena competitive swim trunks for men - ST NEXT | Sustainable and flexible suit with moderate compression, providing fantastic comfort and freedom of movement. | Easy to put on and highly flexible |
| Women | Arena competitive swimsuit for women - ST NEXT | The world's first recycled FINA-approved suit. Provides comfortable support without feeling too tight. | Perfect balance between support and comfort |
| Girls | Watery competitive swimsuit for girls - Rapidskin 2.0 | Perfect entry-level suit for younger swimmers. Extremely water-repellent and durable. | Optimal first-time experience |
| Boys | Watery competitive swim trunks for boys - Rapidskin 2.0 | Gives young swimmers the perfect glide feeling in the water and good muscle support. | Maximum value for money |
Master the technique before investing in expensive equipment
While it's tempting to buy the most expensive competitive swimsuit or the most advanced competitive swim trunks right away, your basic swimming technique is the absolute most important foundation. As a beginner, you'll gain much more by focusing on your movements in the water before investing heavily in advanced equipment.
Fortunately, there's plenty of help available when you want to improve. You can benefit from reading our good advice and tips for swimming technique, which gives you a solid head start. At the same time, you can check out our range of general swimming equipment that can help improve your technique in daily practice. Once your movements are spot on, your new swimwear will make a noticeable difference in your times.
What should you look for when buying a competitive suit
When you switch your regular swimwear for a real competitive suit, you'll immediately notice a huge difference. The suit provides you with maximum hydrodynamics, allowing you to glide effortlessly through the water. The smooth materials effectively repel water, significantly reducing resistance. At the same time, the suit creates targeted compression around your muscles. This tight fit increases blood circulation and helps your body transport lactic acid away, allowing you to maintain a high pace for longer. When buying your first competitive gear, you should keep an eye on three key elements:
- Understand the materials: Pay special attention to the distribution of polyamide and elastane. Polyamide ensures high durability and good comfort, making it an ideal choice for beginners. Elastane gives you extreme flexibility and speed, but a high amount of elastane also shortens the suit's lifespan.
- Find the exact size: Your competitive swimwear must fit much tighter than you're used to. If you buy the suit too large, you'll lose both the important water-repellent effect and muscle support. Measure yourself carefully and follow the size guide closely to achieve the full effect.
- Match the suit to your swimming style: If you swim short, explosive distances, you need a high degree of compression. However, if you swim longer distances, you should choose a model with slightly less pressure to maintain your freedom of movement all the way to the finish line.
How do I choose competitive swimwear as a beginner?
When you're a beginner choosing your first gear, the extreme tightness of the materials can feel a bit overwhelming. That's why our swimming experts clearly recommend the Arena ST Next series for those just starting with competitive swimming. These models utilize a high content of polyamide, providing fantastic comfort and making them incredibly durable. You'll get swimwear that's noticeably easier to put on, allowing you to focus fully on learning the sport without the gear pinching uncomfortably. To make the choice easy for you, we've highlighted our two clear favorites for your first time on the starting block:
- If you're looking for the best starter competitive swimsuit, here's a model that perfectly supports your body and gives you a safe and comfortable introduction to compression in the water.
- If you're instead searching for the best starter competitive swim trunks, this streamlined version ensures you excellent glide and an incredibly flexible fit over the thighs.
How to choose the right equipment as you become a more advanced swimmer
When your swimming technique is spot on, and you've developed into a more advanced swimmer, it's time to look at upgrading your equipment. While as a beginner you primarily needed comfort, you can now benefit from swimwear with a higher elastane content and advanced carbon panels. These lightweight and incredibly strong panels provide you with much more targeted compression, squeezing and supporting your muscles precisely where you need it most. This results in an even more streamlined position in the water and noticeably more speed without compromising your flexibility. For this level, our experts recommend the Arena Carbon Air 2 series, which is the absolute best all-around solution when you want to push your times further down.
- If you're ready to feel the effect of targeted compression, we highly recommend this Arena Carbon Air 2 competitive swimsuit, which ensures you a fantastic balance between freedom of movement and maximum speed.
- If you're instead looking for the optimal gear for men, these lightning-fast Arena Carbon Air 2 competitive swim trunks will give you unparalleled glide and perfectly support your thigh muscles throughout the race.
Which competitive swimwear should my child choose?
When your child starts competitive swimming, it's crucial to choose equipment that provides a safe and good experience in the water. For young beginners, we recommend the Watery Rapidskin 2.0 series. Here, your child gets a material with a high content of durable polyamide, ensuring a long lifespan. It provides gentle and comfortable compression, which is easy for the child to get used to during both weekly training and the first exciting competitions.
- For girls, we recommend the Watery Rapidskin 2.0 swimsuit, which provides comfortable support over the shoulders and ensures full freedom of movement.
- For boys, the Watery Rapidskin 2.0 swim trunks are the ideal choice, as they fit snugly over the thighs and reduce water resistance without being too tight.
How do I put on my competitive swimwear?
When you put on the suit for the first time, you'll immediately feel how tight it fits. To ensure the optimal fit, your new competitive swimwear must fit snugly against your body. Therefore, putting it on requires good patience and the right technique to avoid damaging the delicate material. Follow the key steps below, and get even more specific tips in our guide to putting on a competitive suit
- Fold the silicone edges at the bottom of the legs up so they don't catch on the skin along the way.
- Carefully pull the gear over your hips in small tugs with fingers and knuckles - never use your nails.
- Adjust the fabric until it fits perfectly, and finally flip the silicone edges back into place.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions about Competitive Swimsuits and Swim Trunks
What is the difference between regular swimwear and a competition swimsuit?
The difference between regular swimwear and a competition swimsuit is that the competition swimsuit is designed to reduce drag and provide maximum hydrodynamics. It is made from water-repellent materials that create targeted compression. This actively supports your muscles and helps transport lactic acid away during intense exertion in the water.
How do I choose the right size for my competition swimsuit?
Choose the right size for your competition swimsuit by selecting a fit that is noticeably tighter than your regular swimwear. If the swimsuit is too loose, it lets water in, causing you to lose the hydrodynamic advantage. The close compression is absolutely essential for the equipment to function as intended.
Which material is best for competition swim trunks and swimsuits?
The best material for your competition swim trunks and swimsuits depends entirely on your swimming level. As a beginner, you should choose polyamide, as it provides high durability and good comfort. If you are an experienced swimmer, you will benefit most from elastane and carbon panels, which provide targeted compression and explosive speed.
What is the easiest way to put on a tight competition swimsuit?
The easiest way to put on a tight competition swimsuit is to first make sure that your skin is completely dry. Turn the silicone edges at the bottom outward so they do not stick to your skin. Then gently pull the swimsuit upwards with flat hands, and always avoid using your fingernails, as the delicate material can quickly develop holes.
Former elite swimmer and founder of Watery.ie
With a background as a former competitive swimmer, Daniel has deep hands-on experience with both training, competitions, and technical swimwear. He knows exactly how a competitive suit should fit to provide maximum speed and support in the water, and it's this knowledge he shares here in the guide.
Read more about Daniel and Watery here