The best wetsuits for open water swimming | Zone 3 Vanquish Review
Dani Wallwork - Ultra marathon swimmer
Let’s face it, when you’re swimming for hours in open water, your wetsuit can either feel like a second skin or a straitjacket. The Zone 3 Vanquish falls firmly into the best wetsuits category, built for long-distance comfort, speed, and flexibility. I put it through its paces across multiple swims, including a marathon 17-hour challenge, and here’s why it made my list of the best wetsuits for serious swimmers.
Comfort & Fit
When I first pulled on the Vanquish, I’ll admit I was sceptical. Compared to my old Zone 3 Aspire, it felt looser, especially across the torso. But after a few swims and a helpful chat with Zone3’s support team, I realised this wasn’t a sizing issue, it was just a different design philosophy.
The Vanquish uses ultra-thin, flexible shoulder panels that move with you rather than against you. Once I’d adjusted the fit properly (the trick is to really pull the neoprene up into your arms and shoulders), it felt incredible, like the suit was built just for me.
The titanium lining inside the upper body added noticeable warmth, and even after hours in the water, I never felt chilled or restricted. That’s the beauty of one of the best wetsuits: it enhances your movement rather than fighting it.
After long training sessions, I had no chafing, no sore spots, and no stiffness in my shoulders — and that’s saying something after swimming for nearly an entire day.
Sizing
Zone3’s sizing can be a bit of an art form. They base it on your height, weight, and bust rather than standard dress sizes. I’m a UK size 12 and went for a Large, but they advised me to choose the size where my weight sat at the lower end of the range. It felt counterintuitive, but it worked perfectly.
If you’re in between sizes, I highly recommend contacting their customer service — they’re brilliant. Once I’d broken it in, the fit felt sleek but not suffocating. And the best part? It’s easy to get on and off, even with cold fingers. That alone gives it major points in the best wetsuits category.
Functionality
This is where the Zone 3 Vanquish shines. The design is built for performance a titanium-lined chest panel to retain warmth, buoyant lower panels to keep your hips high in the water, and those ultra-flexible shoulders that let you move effortlessly through your stroke.
I noticed an immediate difference in buoyancy compared to my Aspire. My body position stayed higher, which reduced drag and fatigue over long distances. During my 17-hour endurance swim, I didn’t once feel restricted in my arms or shoulders. The suit moved fluidly, almost making me forget I was wearing it and trust me, that’s the gold standard for the best wetsuits.
Even after hours of continuous swimming, I didn’t experience any major rubbing or irritation. Minor marks only appeared after that monster 17-hour swim; all my shorter training sessions (up to 8 hours) were completely rub-free.
Taking it off was surprisingly easy, too. The flexibility of the panels and smooth lining meant no wrestling matches on the beach or transition zone drama.
Value
Let’s not sugarcoat it, the Zone 3 Vanquish is an expensive piece of kit. But when you consider what it delivers warmth, buoyancy, shoulder freedom, and durability — it earns its place among the best wetsuits on the market.
This is a suit for swimmers who are serious about performance, comfort, and longevity. It’s an investment, but if you’re clocking long swim sessions or tackling triathlons, the payoff is worth it. I bought mine in a sale (winning!) and haven’t looked back since.
Recommend
Would I recommend the Zone 3 Vanquish? Absolutely without hesitation. Once I got the fit right, I genuinely fell in love with how it made me feel in the water. Light, fast, and free — it’s one of those rare wetsuits that helps you swim better and feel better.
If you’re training for long-distance events, open-water races, or just want to invest in one of the best wetsuits designed with serious swimmers in mind, the Vanquish should be top of your list.
Final Verdict
The Zone 3 Vanquish is one of the best wetsuits I’ve ever worn — high-performance, comfortable, and thoughtfully designed for endurance swimming. Once you’ve mastered the fit, it delivers unbeatable flexibility, warmth, and buoyancy.
