When buying a new kit, you are typically looking for three things – it needs to be comfortable for the length of the race (up to 17 hours in some cases), it needs to keep you cool on hot days and comfortable on cold, and finally it has to look good. After spending a few months with the Sugoi RS Ice Tri Suit, we can tell you that it has all three of those points down pat.

The RS Ice Tri Suit featuring Sugoi’s IceFil Technology is all about that temperature regulation. IceFil provides thermal regulation in three ways. First, it blocks UV radiation, helping protect the skin and keep it cool. Second, it controls moisture by absorbing sweat and then dispersing it. Finally, IceFil is treated with Xylitol, which produces a cooling effect when it comes into contact with perspiration. Not to forget about ride comfort, slim front panels use an ultra-thin fabric for extra breathability. And more robust fabric is found at the inner legs and chassis, allowing for more durability around the chamois. Lastly, because speed is becoming a fourth criterion when buying kit, the outer legs feature a dimpled fabric that provides an aerodynamic surface.

Our Thoughts

We swam, biked, and ran in the RS as part of our review process, and during that time, it became our go-to brick kit. Our longest workout was just around four hours (bike \ run brick) and was typically in 80+ F degree heat with an equally horrible level of humidity. And during that time, we never once had a complaint about it. The chamois was just thick enough to provide comfort on long rides, but not so thick as to cause discomfort on the runs. The leg grippers worked well and stayed in place without causing any level of chafing (something we have experienced with other tri suits). With other kits, we have often had a bit of chafing where the zipper sits on our chest. Our solution is typically to apply body glide in the area to reduce chafing. However, the RS is one of only a few kits where that is not needed. The zipper sits comfortably on your skin and doesn’t move or irritate at all regardless of the discipline you are in.

Wrapping Up

To sum it up, we are big fans of the RS. It’s comfortable during all disciplines, and our only major want is for a sleeved version. All of the data (and the industry trend) is for sleeved trisuits to provide an additional aero advantage on the ride. We would love to see the same fabric used on the legs, be used on sleeves.

At $150, the RS is right in line with, if not cheaper, than other high-end tri suits. And we think you get a lot for the money. Finding a race day kit is hard enough, but finding one that you actually like to use day in and day out training is even harder. But with the RS Ice Tri Suit, Sugoi may have created exactly what you are looking for.