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11 best sporty bikinis
Bikinis used to be designed with the sole aim of making the wearer look sexy while they sunbathe on the beach. Or at least it used to feel like that for the women who wore them. But today a new wave of sporty bikinis has hit the shops. These are two-pieces that let you surf, swim, stand up paddle, play frisbee or even do aqua aerobics in comfort and without the fear of exposing yourself if you stretch too far or even just dive into a wave.
We’ve tested a range of shapes, with not a flimsy string triangle in sight. Some were more robust than others, but overall these bikinis were designed to stay put. It’s good to see women can now be active on the beach this summer while enjoying the freeing feeling of wearing a bikini rather than always having to opt for a one-piece.
Deakin and Blue Regular Swim Bikini: £95, Deakin and Blue
We loved this gorgeous bikini from British sports fashion brand Deakin and Blue. It’s made from chlorine- and UV-resistant fabric and has a real quality feel about it but it’s also very comfortable and secure enough to swim fast and lark about at the beach in. The top wasn’t that easy to get on or off but that felt like a small price to pay for an awesome piece of kit. We also liked knowing the bikini was made in Bow, east London using regenerated yarn from consumer waste such as fishing nets. Available in sizes UK 8-24, AA-HH cup.
Finisterre True North Arena Bikini Top and Bottoms: £115 (total), Finisterre
The True North Arena, from the environmentally conscious Cornish brand Finisterre, is a great bikini choice for surfers, stand up paddlers, sea swimmers and anyone else who plans to be active at the beach this summer. We loved the blue and white microplastic-inspired design, the look of the high-cut neck, the support we got from the band around the chest and the comfy racer-style straps on the back. It was flattering and stylish but crucially felt secure too. Ditto the shorts. Plus it’s made from recycled yarn and 10 per cent of the profits go to the charity Surfers Against Sewage. Available in sizes 8-16.
Speedo H2O Active Stormza Crop Top and Sport Brief: £51 (total), Speedo
Given that even pushing off from the side of your holiday pool can challenge a flimsy bikini, let alone diving in, it’s good to see the classic swimwear brand Speedo making a solid two-piece option. We liked the sporty shape of this bikini, it was quite hard to get on and off but it stayed in place really well and would be a great choice for swimming out to the buoy or doing fast lengths of a pool in. Available in sizes XXS to L.
O’Neill Sports Logo Bikini: £24.99, O’Neill
There was a lot to love about this bikini – the sporty style, the bright colours and the retro design, and it looked good on. We liked the way you could tighten the shoulder straps as you would with a bra. And it was definitely robust enough for swimming or stand-up paddling in without worrying about anything popping out, but whether we’d trust it to surf or play beach volleyball in is a different matter entirely. Also available in black and pink; available in sizes 34-40.
Nabaiji Anna Women’s Chlorine-Resistant Aquabiking Crop Top and Swimsuit Bottoms: £19.98 (total), Decathlon
This was the most supportive bikini top on test, with almost sports bra-like properties, which makes sense as it’s primarily designed for aqua-aerobics and aqua-biking workouts. Though it would work just as well for any other beach sports. It was difficult to get on but once on it very much stayed in place. The fabric wasn’t as fancy or shiny as some of the others on test but we liked the electric Eighties pink and blue trim and its promise of chlorine-resistance for 200 hours of use. Though we didn’t manage to test it for that long ourselves. Great support at a really decent price.
Available in sizes UK 10-22.
Roxy Fitness Athletic Tri Bikini Top and Shorty Bikini Bottoms: £67 (total), Roxy
The Roxy Fitness Athletic Tri Bikini felt like a good compromise between the more sturdy and sporty-looking bikinis and the more traditional, skimpy bikini option. The chest band felt supportive, and even though the shoulder straps were quite thin they actually held the top in place in rather well. An innovative design from the popular surf brand, that you could actually surf in. Available in sizes XS to XL, and there is also a black, Hawaiian-inspired design.
Dorina Saint Lucia Triangle Bikini Top and Brief: £35 (total), Littlewoods
With its palm print design and triangle shape, the Dorina Saint Lucia looked to us like a regular fashion bikini, until we tried it on and found it surprisingly robust. Alongside the usual strap at the back it has an extra racer back clip at the shoulders which adds support and keeps everything where it should be when you’re moving about. You probably wouldn’t want to run in it, but you could certainly swim fast and do most other beach sports while wearing it. We also liked the shape of the back. Available in sizes 8 to 18.
Volcom Simply Solid Crop Top and Modest Bikini Bottom: £65 (total), Volcom
The Simply Solid Crop Top from surf brand Volcom had an attractive shape on the front with good coverage, and the straps at the back felt solid, but they were thin so we wondered how well they’d hold up in serious waves or activity. The top also didn’t feel as supportive as some of the others on test. We liked that it was made mostly from recycled yarn though. Available in sizes XS to L.
Seafolly Palm Beach Tank Bikini Top and Wide Side Retro Brief: £103 (total), Fig Leaves
This was a nice-looking bikini from Aussie heritage brand Seafolly but while some people will favour the underwire style, and halter-neck shape at the back did definitely make it feel more secure than a regular bikini, it also didn’t feel like a two-piece you would want to surf or get too active in. Available in sizes 8 to 14.
Women Adidas by Stella McCartney Swim Top and Swim Bottoms: £72.90 (total), Adidas
Designer bikinis that are comfortable and modest are hard to come by but that’s where Stella McCartney’s collaboration with sportswear brand Adidas comes in. Designed alongside Parley for the Oceans – a non-profit organisation that’s tackling marine plastic pollution – this bikini not only looks great but is also good for the environment as it’s actually made from recycled fibres. The top features a racer back silhouette and elastic straps while the bottoms have a regular-rise waist that fits securely against your skin. We also love the blue ombre print that promises to turn heads. Available in sizes 10-18.
Nike Women’s Swim Performance Keyhole Sport Top and Bottoms: £49.50 (total), Allens Swimwear
Nike isn’t normally known for its swimwear but we liked this sporty top and bottom set. It was comfy but felt supportive, not to the extent that you’d want to run in it, but you could certainly dive into waves or play a round of beach volleyball and trust it to stay in place. We liked the racer back style and found it easy to move about in.
Available in sizes S to XL, also available in blue and orange in a similar print.
Verdict: Sporty bikinis
The Deakin and Blue Regular, Finisterre True North Arena and Speedo H2O Active Stormza bikinis were our pick of this sporty selection based on their reliable support, comfort and style. We also liked the Roxy Fitness Athletic Tri Bikini as a good compromise between a regular bikini shape and a more active aesthetic. The Nabaiji Anna from Decathlon was a great value, super-supportive option, especially if you’re planning to do water-based aerobics or other vigorous beach fitness.
IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing.