It seems that female triathletes in the US and Australia are spoilt for choice when it comes to kit for racing and training in. It gives me serious envy when I’m browsing Instagram and see ladies swimming, cycling and running in kit from Coeur, Smashfest Queen, Betty Designs and Soas. I’ve lusted after these brands for some time, but they aren’t available in the UK and I’m always wary of ordering from overseas incase of hefty customs charges.
Kyra Sports have answered my prayers and set up an online store selling Coeur clothing to the UK and Ireland market. Based in Co Antrim, Caroline and Claire are keen triathletes who struggled to find good quality kit which is both stylish and comfortable. They launched Kyra Sports in March stocking a selection of the coveted Coeur clothing including shorts, tanks and sports bras. I was really excited for the launch of this website and to finally get my hands on some Coeur kit!
Since receiving the 8″ Triathlon Shorts around a month ago, I’ve rarely taken them off! I’ve put them through their paces on the bike, at spin classes, on brick sessions and trail runs- they’ve certainly lived up to their reputation. They’ve become my go-to choice for every training session now that the weather is warmer. Being black, these shorts can be paired with any number of tops or jerseys. I tend to wear them with my club cycling jersey or a looser T-shirt.
These shorts are unique in that they feature Coeur’s legendary “seam-free chamois”. The brushed fleece panel extends all the way down the inside leg into the hem meaning that the seams are eliminated so chaffing and soreness are reduced. I love this feature- it almost feels like sitting on a tiny fleece blanket! The chamois is thinner than I am typically used to in other shorts, but this reduces bulk and means that they dry quickly when transitioning from swim to bike.
The girls at Kyra Sports gave an amazing service in helping me chose the right kit and sizing. I’m not a fan of super-short shorts, so they suggested this style as it’s a longer version of the popular 5″ Triathlon Shorts. I’ve found these to be the perfect length, reaching the mid-thigh and staying put. The leg bands are trimmed in hot pink with silicone grippers to hold them in place without the sausage-leg effect!
The fabric is soft, stretchy and durable- the only issue I’d note is that the printed Coeur logo on the thigh is starting to crack and peel.
The back of the shorts features three credit-card sized pockets below the waistband, which could be used for gels or keys. To be honest, I haven’t used the pockets and I would prefer them to be zipped to keep items secure.
I was sent the shorts for review, but all opinions are my own.
Have you tried any Coeur kit? Are there any US brands you love which are not available in the UK?
Loving the new site Lucy! It looks great. I’ve not tried Coeur but the length and the chamois padding on these looks good.
I’ve just discovered New Zealand brand Mons Royale. They’re probably more of a mountain bike or an apres cycle brand but I love their stuff. It’s made of merino and super comfy. The pieces we have saw us through our recent Lake Constance cycle tour both on and off the bike.
I’ll look forward to following your training progress for your half iron-man triathlon. Go you! I’m so impressed!
My half-ironman is done, it was last weekend! 🙂 I’ll check out Mons Royale, sounds great!
Oh my, the fleece chamois looks heavenly. I’m not biking much anymore but back when I was, the seams on my (cheap, not-really-bike-)shorts were the bane of my existence. Much Hoo-Ha Ride Glide was used.
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