With eye-catching looks and interesting tech, the Akula wetsuit from Sumarpo looks like a promising choice for triathletes looking for something new. Here are my first impressions.

Sponsored post: Nothing excites the 220 team like a big box of new kit from a relatively new brand – and this was exactly the case when Sumarpo delivered a box of wetsuits and swim kit to us. The only kicker? It was during the height of the summer heatwave, when the last thing we felt able to do was test a wetsuit in anger (for context, the water in my local lake has only just dropped below 20 as I write!).

With this in mind, this is a ‘first look’ at this top tier suit, rather than a full review which will follow soon. But first, who are Sumarpo and where does the unusual name come from?

Unlocking potential

Sumarpo is inspired by the Old Icelandic word “Sumarsdag” – found carved in runes as a symbol that heralded the first warm day of early April – the moment of awakening. The brand state that it’s the energy that fuels the start of the triathlon season, helping athletes unlock the limitless “potential” within.

Founded in 2008, the brand produce a wide range of triathlon and swimming kit including wetsuits, swimwear, accessories and more. Originating in the UK they are now based in the US with kit shipped worldwide.

There are eleven wetsuits in the triathlon range, including two sleeveless options, and the Akula is towards the top end of price and spec at $979.95/€949,95.

First impressions are that this is a very striking suit – the unusual collar piece with shiny pink/gold neoprene (green/gold on the men’s version) is joined by a large area over the core and thighs that looks like fish scales and is designed to enhance hydrodynamics in the same way as a sea creature’s body might. It’s a tricky one to quantify in our testing (but believe me, we will try), but looks great either way!

Given those looks it comes as no surprise that ‘Akula’ means ‘shark’, a clear indication of this suit’s intention. But are those fierce looks matched by tech?

Key technology

The Akula is made from limestone Yamamoto neoprene. You’ll find supermely-flexible 1.5 mm Yamamoto #40 neoprene accompanied by SQ-Flex Stretch Inner Lining on the shoulders, sleeves, and armpits which the brand tell us reaches 630% elongation and provides the best flexibility in the industry.

As for buoyancy, The patented Aero Boost 5.0 technology has 34% more buoyancy than Aerodome, making Sumarpo wetsuits 9% more buoyant than wetsuits with Aerodome.

So you have areas of stretch and buoyancy – but how about speed? This is where those ‘fish scales’ come into play. Yamamoto Nano SCS coating covers the majority of the wetsuit. The coating is an ultra smooth surface finish which reduces water resistance and improves hydrodynamic property. Sumarpo tell us this enables swimmers to go much faster with the same effort level. The Bio-Skin Technology takes inspiration from biomimetics and simulates the shape of ancient fish scales to achieve the least hydrodynamic drag possible.

In the water

We’ll be testing the Akula over the next few weeks to assess whether the claims ring true in the water. It’s worth noting that the suit is flexible through the shoulders and upper body, but that our model, open-water swim coach Sarah, is in the XL which is the largest women’s size available (it was a little bit small for me and I’m usually a M/L in other brands), so it’s worth checking the sizing guide before you order.

Sarah’s initial feedback was that the suit felt warm and nicely finished and helped her achieve and maintain a nice position in the water without feeling rigid. Mermaid looks, a shark’s name and improved swimming? If this proves to be the case over our full testing period, then Sumarpo could be on to a real winner with this suit.