Review: Speedo Women’s Long Sleeve Swimsuit

I’m looking for a long sleeved swimsuit that’s going to keep me warm during the winter but protect me from the sun when I’m out on my paddle board. Having long arms also gives me a little bit of peace of mind. It’s the same when I go into open waters, if I have my swim socks on and my arms covered, it makes me feel more protected from the elements and mentally I feel confident to just get in and swim.

During the winter periods, I’m still getting out for some open water swims, and the long sleeved costumes definitely give more protection against the temperature. I want a costume that also fits and keeps me secure. I find costumes at the moment come up really high on the hips, almost exposing you – which isn’t very practical when you’re swimming in the open water. I want that fashionability of the colours but the practicality of being able to swim comfortably and with coverage.

Taking the swimsuit out into the cold lochs and rivers of Scotland was a perfect way to see if it was going to keep me sufficiently covered and warm, particularly focusing on a specific trip to explore a local waterfall on a cold autumn day to see how well it would adapt and protect me against the power of the falls. 

Often with a bit of a larger chest, I find that zips don’t stay up – but I’ve never had issue with Speedo swimsuits and their zips coming undone at all. Once zipped up, you are locked into the suit until you are finished with your activity. There’s also a zip lining at the top so you don’t feel any discomfort. This design is also really easy to get off and unzips easily. 

Taking the first few steps into the water, as I started to submerge my initial concerns came through with the water immediately coming down the back of the suit. I don’t suffer too badly in cold water, but sometimes it does take me a while to adjust depending on the temperature. You definitely do have to be prepared for the whoosh of water filling up and hitting the exposed section of your back! 

For the rest of the swim, I felt sufficiently protected and my whole upper body and my arms felt warm – sleeves really do make such a big difference.

Because of the bright colours of this design, it stands out well in the water, so I know that I wouldn’t get lost if anyone was trying to spot me in swimming events. A great plus side of the awesome design. The costume dried very quickly after swimming which is always nice so it’s ready to go for the next swim!

You might be wondering how such a small piece of material can possibly be worth £60 full price, and there certainly are cheaper long sleeved swimsuits on the market, but you can’t deny that Speedo puts effort into their material, design and durability. 

I would always go to Speedo for durable and well fitting swimsuits, I know that when I use one, I’m going to use it on every occasion I can until I’ve worn it into the ground. For me, it’s worth the price tag – and if you go NOW, it’s on sale for £48!