Challenger 5mm Triathlon Wetsuit – 220 Triathlon
Lomo Challenger Wetsuit Review
We tested the Lomo first and it was impressively flexible around the shoulders while offering huge body lift to those completely new to tri. It’s only when we tested the other suits that its mass of neoprene felt unrefined. Yes given it costs about £100 to hire a suit for a season we’d have no qualms recommending this to triathletes, even if Lomo’s direct selling ethos goes against out ‘try before you buy’ mantra.
Out of the box and the Challenger seems a touch agricultural, feeling heavy and featuring few visual flourishes. So is it a false economy or a fish through the water? Into the Atlantic and it’s certainly warm (Lomo hail from Scotland, after all), although there was a little chilly water ingress around the neck and sleeves when the conditions became rough.
In terms of buoyancy, the sizeable 5mm Matsuda neoprene body and bottom thickness felt like it would’ve kept an Iron Man afloat, let alone an Ironman athlete, but the surprise here was the generous flexibility provided by the 1.5mm underarm panels, something we factored wouldn’t exist at this price.
It was easy to get out of and chafe-free, although not much fun to run in if you have long transitions.
VERDICT:
Huge buoyancy and warmth, and surprisingly flexible for the price, too.
– 78%
