MooMotion: Functional Fitness Fashion for Ladies Who Tri

Triathlon gear can be tricky. I mean, whatever you wear has to work for swimming, cycling and running, plus, you know, it should fit well and, ideally, look good.

And if you’re like me, you have another component to add — you want a bright color that stands out so anyone who came to the race to cheer you on can spot you in a crowd. (What? It’s important!)

This is the MooMotion Rosa Tri Kit. Cute, right?

MooMotion, a company created by Parsons School of Design Alum Melissa Moo Harkins (you’ll hear more about her tomorrow — she’s amazing), seeks to combine the technical functionality triathlon kits need with a fashion-forward element. It might not seem like a big deal to some, but the fact is that in an endurance race, you’ll take any sort of help you can get. If it happens to come in the way of confidence because you really like what you’re wearing? Hey, it counts. Believe me.

I tried out the Rosa Tri Jersey ($87)and Short ($89) — the cross-strap detail on back of the jersey really caught my eye, as did the pink and navy color blocking. After trying it on, I realized that the color blocking pattern on this particular style might not be the most flattering to my thicker-through-the-middle body type — it was a little bit, uhh, embiggening to my midsection, but the majority of the other styles feature more slimming panels of color, which, if I were ordering another one, is probably the route I’d go.

Front and back of Rosa Jersey and Short. See why I loved that criss-cross detail?

Fit-wise, though, both the jersey and short felt fab — fitted without squeezing anything or feeling too tight, no straps digging in, no rough seams or sharp tags. And, for those who are particular about the padding in their bike shorts (which I’m guessing is pretty much everybody because, HI, that bike seat gets pretty uncomfortable after an hour or so), I found it to be perfectly sufficient for a medium-length ride, maybe even a longer one, but was still thin enough to be comfortable (i.e. not like a diaper) on the run. It’s a fine line, and the padding in these shorts walked it well.

Both the jersey and short feature flat seam construction, UFP 50+ sun protection fabric, several pockets large enough for snacks and things, reflective piping, moisture-wicking, and are designed to perform in both chlorine and salt water.

Although the top provided enough support for a bike ride, it wasn’t quite enough for my run — I mean, the girls didn’t come popping out or anything, but there was more movement than I’d like. The shorts performed really well in terms of fit and comfort, but I did run into one slight issue — that pink that I was so drawn to? It shows sweat. You know, butt sweat. So by the time I started running after the bike, I looked a bit like I’d wet myself. However! All the other styles have darker colors in that area, so I truly believe it’s only the Rosa Short that would have that issue.

And let’s be honest here — it’s not that big an issue. Plenty of people do pee themselves in triathlon and nobody bats an eye, you know?

Overall, I’d definitely recommend checking out the line, although perhaps not the exact style I chose for my review. If you’re looking for something to wear for triathlon that’s feminine without being, you know, floral and girly, the MooMotion line has that nailed.

Have you ever done a triathlon, or are you planning to do one this year? What do you look for in your gear? —Kristen