At a glance A super light, very quick drying, breathable and well ventilated triathlon top great for short summer races but the back pockets can be difficult to access when you need fuel on longer rides
Tested by
Claire Maxted, tester for The Bike List
Performance
Sugoi are right when they say their ultra thin Hydro Shifter fabric (a polyamide and elastane mix) fits like a second skin. It is very breathable and dries super fast, so when you are whizzing out on to a windy 10 mile bike stage in the summer it's not unusual to find that the Velocity II Tank has dried by the time you get to the run.
The back is made mainly from PowerMesh, which keep you cool
while you grind up the hills and you can vent with the half zip in
the chest area which was very useful, especially on the run 
section where, if you're anything like me and
totally worn out by then, you tend to have less wind whistling past
you at high speed.
The seams are flatlocked so you don't experience any chafing in any of the three triathlon disciplines, swimming, cycling and running despite being soggy and wet for the last two. The reflective dots and logos on the back also come in handy for safety on the bike section.
The fit is tight and aerodynamic, as it should be for the cycling section especially, with a drop tail to keep you covered on the cycle section, however Sugoi clothing does seem to come up small even for bike gear. I am 5ft 7 and a size 12 and the Medium top was slightly too short and too tight across the chest, so go one size up from what you usually wear and that should sort it out.
In the ladies top there is a built in mesh bra, which is fantastic if you have a small bust, however I had to cut it out as for me (a 34D) it didn't provide enough support on its own and when coupled with a bra I could hardly breathe with the double set of elastic round the chest. So just bare this in mind if you have got a larger bust! After I chopped it out, it fitted much better in that department.
After wearing this top several times I have found that it has
got a 
little baggy around the stomach area so once dry,
on hotter days it can flap around a little bit on the bike. This
could perhaps be remedied by some wide-width elastic around the hem
to keep it all in place.
The main drawback however is the two back pockets. With both the men's and women's versions we found them surprisingly hard to access. They are slightly too high up and central on the back to reach, with quite small openings. On the Dambuster Olympic distance triathlon I found myself straining with my hand behind my back desperately trying to lever out my jelly babies and on the men's top the same experience was reported.
Maybe our arms were too long, our flexibility lacking or our pocket expectations too high, but I am afraid to say that it is mainly for this reason that I would urge other triathletes try it on, lean over to simulate being on a bike and make sure they can reach the pockets comfortably. It might sound silly, but mid-26mile ride, staring up at a big hill with no fire in your legs and you need that pocket to relinquish its sweaty jelly baby!
Apart from that, the material is great, the cut is good and the bagginess is not enough to put me off, but do try the pockets before you buy.
Buy from www.wiggle.co.uk
Sugoi says:
Hydro-Shifter is the basis of SUGOI's Velocity II Tri Tank, using tightlywoven fabric construction to cut through water and air. Ultra-fine denier yarns combine with a high Lycra content for an unmatched combination of lightweight, next-to-skin technical performance and comfort.
Sugoi Velocity II Tri Tank Features:
- SUGOI flat seams
- Zone construction: mesh panels
- Smart seams
- 10" front zip
- 2 back "quick draw" fuel pockets
- Reflective accents for added visibility
- Style number 20661F
Find out more www.sugoi.com
