Orca Vanir Flex Swimrun Wetsuit Overview & Review
We have had our eye on the new Orca Swimrun Wetsuit range since we saw their debut at the One Water Race with one American teams. Orca was cool enough to send not only the us the newest Orca suits, but our Gear Talk buddies Annie and Brooke from the Swimrun Labs, some of their new Orca suits as well including their new thermal model. We are super appreciative of them sending the suits over we had to test them out and give you our thoughts on a recent episode of Gear Talk. Also be sure to check out our YouTube channel where we have a video overview and review of this wetsuit.
Vanir Flex Overview
The Vanir Flex retails for $259 and it is Orca’s evolution of their entry level wetsuit. Orca website describes the Vanir Flex as “a new (r)evolution of the Swimrun Core. The Vanir Flex wetsuit is the most comfortable in Orca's Swimrun range. It incorporates highly elastic materials and its construction with a front zipper allows for added comfort for running and open water swimming.” We did feel the suit was very comfortable when we were testing it out at our Shakeout Swimrun before one of our favorite races, Ödyssey Austin. The suit comes in men’s and women’s sizes and we were all disappointed that the women’s suits only came in 5 sizes while the men’s suits came in 9 sizes. This ended up being a drawback to the women’s suit because it was tough to get the sizing and fit perfect.
SWIMMING IMPRESSIONS
During both longer steady state swims and shorter faster swimming the shoulder mobility on the Vanir Flex was great. The sleeve length was sufficient and the arm band cuffs had a grippy texture that made for a solid fit and didn’t leak at all. This suit comes with arm sleeves as well which is something that we love to see. They also stayed up nicely and didn’t slip during any of the swimming.
TRANSITION IMPRESSIONS
This suit performs as expected during transitions and was a none issue which is just how your wetsuit should be! There was enough mobility to cab down in the suit, which is helpful for preventing overheating during the run. Be sure to check out our video on how to cab down!
RUNNING IMPRESSIONS
We really were impressed with the improvements Orca has made on the running portion of this wetsuit. This suit features a running forward bottom that really enables a more free running experience. The fit of the suit was great on the lower half which is great for avoiding any chafing issues that might be caused from a poor fit.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Great Value: For an entry level cost this wetsuit really has everything you need to enjoy a swimrun for years to come. This suit also has a very solid construction and we think it will be a very durable suit in the long run.
Storage Volume: This suit has a large 15cm x 12cm rear pocket that can certainly hold a lot of fuel and some swimrun equipment. We did find this pocket couldn’t fit out paddles though.
Cons:
Limited Storage Options: There is only one usable pocket and it is very large. This would be tough to keep all your fuel, like our favorite Precision Hydration & Fuel 90 Jumbo Gels, apart from your tether, goggles or anything else you are bringing along. We would recommend picking up a storage top of some sort like the Ark Kangaroo or the Nu Lapa Bra.
Heat Management: This suit uses very durable neoprene and one downside of that is that it is usually thicker and if you are prone to overheating on the runs it could be something to watch out for. Be sure you know how to cab down which is the best way to cool off during a swimrun.
Limited Women’s Sizes: We were disappointed to see only 5 women’s sized suits compared to the 9 they offer men. This caused some sizing and fit issues with Annie’s suit and she would likely need to size down. We hope Orca offers size parody in their future wetsuit lines.
Who is this suit for?
Beginner swimrunner: If you dont want to spend a lot of money, but want to enjoy the benefits (more fun) that a swimrun wetsuit will give you this suit is for you. Durable and high quality wetsuit that has updated running technology and arm warmers. For around $250 this is one of our top picks for entry level swimrun wetsuits.
Secondary/Training Wetsuit: If you have already invested in a top shelf swimrun wetsuit, this suit would be a great option for a training wetsuit. You still get all the newest tech, but with more durability and less stress about beating up your race wetsuit.
PULL BUOY RANKINGS RANKINGS
Chipper: 4.5 Pull Buoys
Chris: 4.5 Pull Buoys
Brooke: 4.0 Pull Buoys
Annie: 4.5 Pull Buoys (Thermal Model)
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS
Overall this wetsuit has really impressed us and earned a spot as one of our top entry level swimrun wetsuits. This durable wetsuit will enable you to enjoy swimrun for many years to come! Be sure to checkout Orca’s full range of swimrun wetsuits and equipment.
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