Kiwami Kona Aero Wings Short Sleeve Review

22 September 2015-

I was lucky enough to be sent one of the first Kiwami Kona Wings Short Sleeve tops a few months back. I was very excited to receive the new short sleeved version of the top and to see what modifications and upgrades they had made since the release of their Kona Wings Long Sleeved edition, which I had also received ahead of schedule back in 2014 and was one of the first athletes to race in it both in Kona and Lanzarote.

I am going to be honest, I was not a big fan of the long sleeve top. I felt a bit hot in it and have decided since then not to race in it in hot weather. (Kiwami continues to be upping their game and developing more top quality products, and I currently race in the Rio LD Aero one piece sleeved suit - available in Europe right now and should be available in the US in the next few months). 

 
I think the Kona Wings Long Sleeve top does have some great features. It’s an excellent product for riding faster in cooler conditions and races with wetsuit swims - when you can wear the top under your wetsuit. But the thing that I liked most about it was the UV protection. This is something that was very evident in the second race I did in it. I had ripped a small hole in it on my arm and that one spot was sun burned after the race, yet the rest of my upper body was not. This is something that many athletes should take into consideration when choosing between the short sleeve and long sleeve top. If you are concerned about your skin (which everyone should be) then I would highly recommend the long sleeve top, if you are not racing in extremely hot conditions.

For those of you looking to do hot races and would like something that provides UV protection for your shoulders and upper arms, then I would highly suggest the new Kona Wings Short Sleeve version. This aero top has newer more breathable material in all areas and I have found it actually easier to get on, specifically when wet. Some may be wondering why this is important, but for those people doing races that have non-wetsuit swims you are not allowed to swim with sleeves, so you have to put the top on in T1. I tested this out by taking the top on and off while in the shower, and it took less than 20 seconds to get on and less than 5 seconds to get off. I would consider this to be cost effective in terms of the aero benefits that sleeved tops can provide, along with the UV protection.

Overall I was extremely happy with how well the top fits, how easy it is to get on in a hurry and while wet. If you are looking for making an investment in going faster, I would highly recommend looking into the Kiwami Kona Wings Short Sleeve Top.

 
You can purchase it here: http://www.kiwamitri.com/kona-wings-short-sleeves-p/wingss.htm
and you can save 10% with discount code BWTRI10.

 
You will also be able to buy it at the Kiwami stand in Kona (Uncle Billy’s expo site), if you’re lucky enough to be there for IRONMAN World Championships.

Feel free to email or comment with any questions.

Sorry for the trainer pics, easiest way to show the top