Zone3 Swimwear Guide
Zone3 makes swimwear in four groups: performance training swimwear, World Aquatics approved race swimwear, buoyancy shorts for technique work, and thermal swimwear for cold water. This guide explains what each group does and how the styles inside it differ, so you can choose on coverage, warmth and how you plan to use it.
Women's performance swimwear runs UK 6 to 22 and men's jammers 28 to 38. Race swimwear is cut closer and sized separately.
Performance swimwear
Every performance cut is built to the same technical standard in Xfinity Renew fabric. Classic suits, strap back designs, high-neck styles, long-sleeve options and men's jammers all use it.
Xfinity Renew, a recycled polyester yarn, is 100% chlorine resistant, sunscreen resistant and rated UPF50+, and holds shape and colour through long-term use. Every suit is finished with a high-performance Italian inner lining and low-profile flatlock seams.
There is no variation in quality between cuts. No difference in construction standard. The choice comes down to coverage, feel and how you prefer to move.
Classic Swimsuit. The standard training cut, with a refined fit for 2026. UK 6 to 22.
Strap Back Swimsuit. An open-back strap design giving the most shoulder and upper-body freedom in the range. The one to pick if a conventional back feels restrictive. UK 6 to 22.
High Neck Costume. High-neck frontal coverage for a secure, streamlined feel, with an integrated shelf bra and a centre-rear zip with pull cord. UK 6 to 22.
Long Sleeve Swimsuit. Long sleeves and higher torso coverage, an integrated shelf bra, and front-zip entry with a discreet internal clasp at the bust that holds the suit in place while you zip. UK 6 to 22.
Men's Jammers. Knee length, with flatlock anti-chafe seams and a compressive inner lining for coverage and support. Waist 28 to 38.
Best for: pool training, open water sessions and regular time in the water.
World Aquatics approved race swimwear
World Aquatics approval means a suit's fabric and cut comply with competition regulations, so it is legal in sanctioned pool racing. World Aquatics was called FINA until December 2022, and approval granted under FINA still stands.
Zone3 race swimwear comes in two tiers. Both are cut for a second-skin fit with flatlock seams.
Performance Gold. PaperLite, the lightest hydrodynamic fabric in the race range, with a Nano coating that repels water at the surface. The Performance Gold Jammers and Performance Gold Kneeskin are both World Aquatics approved, and that kneeskin is the only approved kneeskin Zone3 makes.
Performance Speed. Aquaflo with a water-repellent coating, structured the same way and cut to the same second skin. The Jammers are World Aquatics approved. The Kneeskin is not, so it suits training and events that do not require approved swimwear.
Both kneeskins have an open back, which leaves the shoulders unrestricted through the catch and the recovery.
Choosing between the lines: PaperLite is the lighter fabric, and that is the difference you are paying for. Both jammers are equally legal.
Every approved suit carries a homologation number, listed on its product page. Check it against the World Aquatics list of approved swimwear if your event requires it.
A note on fit: race swimwear is cut deliberately tight, and customer feedback consistently says it runs small. If you are between sizes, size up.
Best for: pool racing.
BUOYANCY SHORTS
Buoyancy shorts are a natural alternative to a pull buoy. They lift the hips and upper legs into a flatter, more streamlined position while you keep full kick and rotation, so the technique you build in training transfers to race day. Zone3 invented the category in 2007.
All three pairs are unisex with a drawstring waist. They are training kit rather than race kit: neoprene is banned in declared non-wetsuit swims.
Active-Flex (3:2mm). The accessible starting point. Balanced lift from the 3mm and 2mm build, smoothskin front panels to reduce drag, nylon-lined side and back panels for durability, and core support through the waist and hips. Sizes S to XXL.
The Originals (5:3mm). The heritage staple, and the first buoyancy shorts ever made. 3mm Yamamoto Smoothskin through the centre lifts the hips, and 5mm Smoothskin side panels promote hip rotation through each stroke. Stitched and bonded the same way as a triathlon wetsuit. Sizes XS to XXL.
The Premium Option (5:3mm). The most buoyant, lowest-drag pair Zone3 makes. 5mm Aerodome side panels, an SCS nano-coating, and 3mm Yamamoto #39 front and back panels over a high-stretch inner lining. Worth knowing before you buy: the very high buoyancy can arch the back and feel uncomfortable, and that is more common for women. If you do not need that much lift, choose one of the others. Sizes XS to XXL.
Best for: technique sessions and body position work.
Swimming through colder water
Two routes, and they work differently.
Ti+ Thermal is a women's line, built with titanium-infused lining panels front and back that reflect body heat back toward the core. The Ti+ Thermal High Neck Swimsuit has an Italian high-shine outer, concealed seams and a centre-rear zip, is 100% chlorine resistant and UPF50+, and dries quickly. The high neck reduces cold air and wind exposure. The Ti+ Long Sleeve Thermal High Neck Swimsuit adds sleeves for upper-body protection in cooler conditions.
Yulex is a plant-based natural rubber from the Hevea tree, refined into a closed-cell foam that absorbs very little water. Zone3 was the first triathlon brand to use it, and the linings are recycled polyester. The 1.5mm range covers vests, kneeskins and swimsuits, and suits cold-water swimming, surfing and paddleboarding as well as open-water training. The vest and kneeskin also layer under a wetsuit in winter.
Choosing between them: Ti+ if you want warmth in a swimsuit with full arm freedom. Yulex if you want more insulation, or something that doubles for paddle sports. Ti+ is women's only, so the Yulex vest and kneeskin are the route to extra warmth for men.
Best for: cold-water swims.
Swim caps
Silicone Swim Cap. 48g silicone with comfortable tension, easy on and off.
Long Hair Swim Cap. 75g silicone with extra room for longer hair, protecting it from chlorine and saltwater.
Best for: pool and open water training.
