by
Olivier Poirier-Leroy
Looking to suit up and hit the pool? Here’s a breakdown of the best women’s swimsuits for lap swimming and training.
Having the right swimsuit at the pool can make or break your swim workout. A women’s practice swimsuit needs to durable, comfortable, and of course, should look good.
Fortunately, there are plenty of options when it comes to women’s swimsuits that will align with your goals in the pool and your body type.
Most women’s swimsuits designed for swim practices and lap swimming are constructed of a blend of durable and high-performance fabrics. But the biggest thing to consider when picking out the right swimsuit is finding the right fit.
When your suit is too constrictive, it hampers your ability to execute your swim stroke, streamline, and use a full range of motion. Conversely, a swimsuit that is too big or baggy will chafe and slow you down.
Below are our favorite swimsuits for women according to experienced competitive swimmers, recreational swimmers, and reviewers.
Let’s dive right in!
⭐ Best overall women’s swimsuit for lap swimming
Speedo is one of the biggest names in the swimwear market. They produce all sorts of gear for the aquatic enthusiast, including some of our favorite swim goggles and men’s swim briefs (colloquially known as “Speedos”). Speedo’s line of athletic swimwear for women is extensive, from two-piece training suits to tech suits for women competing at elite swim meets.
With their long history of creating superior products for swimmers, we had to rank the Speedo Endurance+ One Piece as our favorite training swimsuit for women.
It’s durable as heck, has spaghetti straps for maximum range of motion, and the blend of two types of polyester–the most durable fabric on the planet for lap swimming suits–means it will work as hard as you do in the pool.
Made with a blend of polyester (50%) and PBT (50%), the Endurance+ is designed to do just that, endure. The swimsuit fabric prevents pesky pilling and a four-way construction ensures that it fits according to your body type.
The Endurance+ dries quickly and is available in a wide variety of color combinations and sizes.
⭐ Best women’s training suit with a conservative cut
The Speedo Powerflex Princess Seam Ultraback is a lap swimming suit that provides a conservative leg cut. This offering from Speedo features their lowest leg cut.
Made of 76% polyester and 24% Spandex, the Powerflex is an excellent combination of chlorine-resistant durability and stretchiness for a durable and comfortable fit while in and out of the water.
While it won’t last as long in the water compared to lap swimming suits that are made totally of polyester, the Spandex in the suit will make it a more comfortable and stretchy fit, making it perfect for swimmers who want a more custom fit from their swimsuit.
⭐ Best budget-friendly lap swimming suit
Sporti, the in-house brand to online swim retailed Swim Outlet, is a budget-friendly line that makes excellent swimming gear for recreational and competitive swimmers without breaking the bank.
Priced at around $25, the Sporti Solid Thin Strap Swimsuit is an excellent choice for women who want to get more from their time in the pool.
The thin straps provide excellent freedom of movement and reduce pesky tan lines, and the 80% polyester and 20% Lycra blend ensures durability with enough “flex” in the suit for coverage and comfort.
Sporti offers this swimsuit for laps, one of their best sellers and in 8 different solid colors, from size 26 to size 40.
⭐ Best two-piece suit for lap swimming
For you swimmers lucky enough to be stacking the laps in an outdoor pool, the TYR Sport Durafast Two-Piece is a fully-lined two-piece swimsuit that provides an exceptional range of motion.
Available in four colors, the TYR two-piece swimsuit is made of long-lasting polyester and PBT, keeping it from fading from chlorine and sun exposure. Because of this one-two punch, consider rinsing your suit out in the shower or in the sink after use to maximize its shelf life.
⭐ Runner-up for most durable swimsuit for lap swimming
TYR is one of the big players in the competitive swimwear market, with some of the top swimmers on the planet rocking their swimsuits, including Olympic champion and world record-holder Katie Ledecky.
The TYR Hexa Maxfit Swimsuit is their most durable suit for swimming laps. Made with their longest-lasting fabric, Durafast Elite, a blend of polyester and spandex, the Hexa Maxfit features a medium neckline, thicker shoulder straps, keyhole back, and a bold print.
Available in over a dozen colors, the Hexa Maxfit is a well-reviewed, durable, and comfortable swimsuit for training and lap swimming.
For added durability, the Speedo Super Pro ProLT suit is a one-piece that is made of 82% polyester. The proprietary ProLT fabric gives a comfortable and secure fit while you swim, all at a very budget-friendly price point.
Because the suit has 18% Spandex, there is a fair amount of stretch that hugs your skin and body. With wide straps for all those overhead strokes (reduces chafing), five different solid color options, and the highest leg cut available from Speedo’s line of training suits for women, the ProLT is an excellent training suit that will help you crush laps in comfort.
Speedo offers the Super Pro ProLT in a wide variety of spicy color blends and vibrant patterns, giving swimmers a chance to find a color combo that matches their style.
A slightly more stretchy and water-repellant training suit is the TYR Sport Solid Maxfit.
Spaghetti straps give your neck and shoulders a generous range of motion, a high leg cut ensures maximum hip and leg flexibility, and the 20% elastane component gives that stretchy and snug feel that hugs your body.
TYR’s suits are made with recycled fabric, meaning you can feel good about your purchase while comfortably churning around the black line at the pool. Available in eight solid colors.
Although Nike isn’t traditionally known as one of the power players when it comes to competitive swimwear, they do make some pretty decent kit. The Nike Swim Pol Core Women’s Swimsuit is a highly-durable one-piece.
Made of 100% polyester with a V back and thin straps, Nike’s entry into our list of the best women’s swimsuits is durable and comfortable, although it lacks some of the stretch that you find in lap swimming swimsuits that have a polyester and spandex blend.
The 100% polyester construction means it won’t fade from chlorine soaking or from UV exposure, giving swimmers a suit that will last for months of consistent use.
Nike offers the Poly Core in seven solid colors an din sizes from 26 to 36.
Here are the key things to look for when pouring over the nearly endless number of women’s swimsuits designed for swimming laps:
The cut of the swimsuit is just about everything, as a good cut means you have full range of motion along with minimal drag from reducing extra fabric.
Swimsuits with a higher cut allow swimmers to kick with full freedom in the water, and an open back helps swimmers use the shoulders and upper back unimpeded to perform arm strokes while swimming up and down the pool.
Swimsuits for lap swimming come with thin straps, regular straps, or even oversized straps. Thin straps provide great freedom of movement and are ideal for outdoor swimming as they reduce tan lines.
Thicker straps are more prone to staying in place, however, so some swimmers will opt for a regular or thick strap as they stay in place better during swim practices, which feature lots of overhead movements.
Lap swimming suits are made primarily of two types of fabrics. The durability fabrics are mainly polyester and occasionally nylon. This group of fabrics are resistant to fading and stretching from chlorine. The downside of this is that suits made of 100% polyester can feel “stiff” and can be uncomfortable if not sized properly.
The second group includes the stretch and performance fabrics, namely elastane (also known as Spandex or Lycra). These fabrics are thin, stretchy, and allow swimmers to get a custom fit from their swimsuits. Because of the thinness, however, they fade faster and will stretch out.
The perfect lap swimming suit for you has the right blend of these fabrics that ensure both comfort and durability.
All of the swimsuits in this list feature a lining that provide modesty coverage. Unlined swimsuits, particularly once wet, can quickly hug the contours of the body and even become see-through. When choosing a swimsuit for doing laps, look for suits that sport an inner lining.
The best two-piece swimsuits for lap swimming are tankinis, which are designed to stay in place when swimming while also providing adequate coverage.
This is thanks to the drawstrings included with the bottom piece, a hydrodynamic top that won’t “catch” water, and more coverage compared to bikinis and other two-piece swimsuits better designed for leisure activities.
Swimsuits that are made completely of polyester will last the longest. This fabric is awesome for standing up against pool chemicals like chlorine and also can be exposed to UV rays without fading too aggressively. Polyester, however, is a stiffer fabric and doesn’t have as much give.
For women who want a lap swimming suit that is going to fit to the shape of their body, look for a swimsuit that has a blend of mostly polyester with a splash (ha!) of elastane, Lycra, or Spandex. The latter fabrics aren’t as resilient as polyester (or a common poly substitute, nylon) and will stretch and thin faster.
The right swimsuit for swimming laps doesn’t just keep you comfortable, it helps you swim with proper technique and range of motion, provides coverage, and by extension, keeps you motivated to keep heading down to the lap pool.
Although there are a metric buttload of swimsuits for lap swimming on the market, all you need to do is find the swimsuit that has the cut you like, the right fabric blend, and the colors and/or print that you want.
To recap:
⭐ The Speedo Endurance + Women’s One Piece Swimsuit is our top overall choice thanks to its maximum durability, color options, and thin shoulder straps and open back for freedom of movement.
⭐ Sporti’s Solid One Piece Lap Swimming Swimsuit has an excellent blend of polyester and Lycra for a custom suit fit without breaking the bank.
⭐ For women who want a two-piece swimsuit for the pool, the TYR Durafast Tankini Swimsuit is fully lined, made with 100% polyester, and will stay in place while you motor up and down the pool.
Choose the right swimsuit for you and hit the pool and your next swim workout with confidence!
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Olivier Poirier-Leroy Olivier Poirier-Leroy is the founder of YourSwimLog.com. He is an author, former national level swimmer, two-time Olympic Trials qualifier, and swim coach.
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