Californian endurance apparel brand BornBound has released its new Skärvatten Pro Tri Suit, made in collaboration with Nalini.
The speed-focused suit features Kinetech’s Dragzero and Clima textiles. The single-fabric, lightweight construction is engineered to minimise resistance through both water and air – aiming to be true to its Swedish name, which translates to ‘cutting water’ – whilst also providing comfort and thermoregulation.
In March 2024, professional triathlete Kieran Lindars, who recently secured second place at the IRONMAN European Championships, put the Skärvatten Pro Suit through comprehensive aero testing. With help from Winspeed Innovation, and Dr Barney Garrood, founder of Aerosensor, the suit was tested at varying speeds against competitor brands. Each was tested in single speed runs of 45km/h and again as part of a speed sweep of 40, 45 and 50km/h.
According to BornBound… ‘The results demonstrated a clear performance benefit for Lindars in a Skärvatten Pro Suit, creating less drag than the market leader.’
With BornBound acknowledging that each athlete may experience differing results, the Pro Suit reportedly produced a 14 watt saving for Lindars at 50km/h, which is estimated to save 263 seconds at 40km/h and 151 seconds at 50km/h over a full IRONMAN bike leg.
The tests were repeated with a female professional athlete reportedly producing similar results and aero gains.
BornBound founder Kyle Dagan said “We set out with a clear goal, with the support of our athlete partners, to create a tri suit that would rival the very best in terms of performance, whilst setting a new benchmark for aerodynamic performance.
“Through dedication to materials testing, selection and the suit’s construction, plus extensive feedback, the team has been able to create something groundbreaking. We hope that it will further establish BornBound on the international triathlon scene as the choice apparel if you’re after performance, comfort and aesthetics all in one.”
The new Skärvatten Pro suit is now available on pre-sale via BornBound’s UK online store or US online store, retailing at £230 or US$295, with only a limited number available in the first production run. Shipping starts from early September 2024.
The suit has been tailored to meet the specific needs of both female and male athletes – which will be available in an array of BornBound’s distinctive Kryptek prints. Colourways include; Black and White for both cuts, Green and Black in the male cuts and Blue Sail and Navy for female cuts.
