Jim is an accomplished triathlete and endurance cyclist, and has raced in more than 35 USAT-certified races. He is also an avid trail runner and endurance gravel bike rider. Jim is a founder of Complete Tri and frequent writer on triathlon and cycling.
Over the summer we had the benefit of competing in the Profile Design Marlin Full Sleeve Triathlon Wetsuit. And we loved it. We felt like fish and we swam like fish. And we finished fast. Put a Profile Design Marlin on and we guarantee that you will swim like you’ve never swam before.
The Profile Design Marlin Triathlon Wetsuit is made out of 100% Yamamoto SCS Nano neoprene (100% non-fibrous sponge rubber laminated to nylon or polyester jersey) with hydrodynamic coating. The main reason we love the Marlin is because Profile Design incorporates design features that are found on more expensive wetsuits. The Profile Design Marlin Wetsuit retails at a moderately pricy $375-$415, but comparable wetsuits retail for much, much more than that.
Other than offering the best technology for the best price, here were a few other things we liked about the Profile Design Marlin Full Sleeve Triathlon Wetsuit:
It’s almost 100% drag resistant: The Marlin’s Yamamoto #39 SCS Nano reduces drag by almost 97% over conventional wetsuit neoprene. The #39 Yamamoto is stretch neoprene with a hydrodynamic coating. When we wore this wetsuit, we felt like sharp knives as we sliced the water around us in half. Tri-athletes we interviewed felt like they finished stronger—less energy is wasted because this suit practically reduces drag all together.
It helps maintain a perfect position: The 5.00 mm SCS Nano in the torso and legs provided maximum buoyancy which helps the wearer keep and maintain the perfect swimming position.
It’s extremely comfortable: The ribbed SCS Nano under the arms allows the chest and shoulders to expand completely without compromising a snug fit. The Marlin’s shaped ribbed SCS back knee panel eliminates all restriction and discomfort during swim and transitions as well. Its non-absorbent jersey lining and curved patterns helped us stay warm and comfortable during our long swims. Overall, it fit like a glove.
The Profile Design Marlin Triathlon Wetsuit features a YKK reverse zipper (a YKK zipper is zipper designed and manufactured by one of the best zipper manufacturers in the world—the Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha group, or YKK). One thing tri-athletes like about the zipper was the fact that it pulls up to open and releases for a quick and simple transition.
Profile Design Marlin Triathlon Wetsuit’s back collar is an added benefit. The back collar has a flap hook and loop closure that is specifically designed to stay snug when it’s wet. It can get really irritating when a wetsuit’s collar gets loose during a swim. The Marlin’s collar doesn’t get loose at all—it stayed snug for the entire swim.
Profile Design also makes a Wahoo Wetsuit, which is a cheaper option for the beginner triathlete or the triathlete on a budget. The Profile Design Wahoo Wetsuit retails at around $139.00-$159.00, which is a great price for a wetsuit. The Wahoo does compromise on technology and comfort, but if you’re new to the sport or you need to save some money, it does the job just fine. It has “short cut” sleeves and legs that are 1-2” shorter than traditional suits. Its short cut sleeves and legs allow for very quick transitions and a full view of your wrist watch or HR monitor.
Our Recommendation:
Get the Profile Design Marlin. For an extra couple hundred of dollars, you’ll get an amazing wetsuit that will last. It’s multi-functional—it’s great for both the beginner triathlete and professional triathlete. The Profile Design Marlin is easily the best triathlon wetsuit available for the price. Profile Design is one of the only companies that offers the Yamamoto #39 technology at such a low price. We also really liked the fact that the Marlin comes in both full sleeve and sleeveless options. At $400, it is a very competitive wetsuit with others around that price point, a price point which includes the Orca Sonar and Zoot Force.
Do you have a Profile Design Triathlon Wetsuit? Tell us about it! We’d love to hear what you think.
