Forget hydration vests, at Unbound Gravel, hydration skinsuits are all the rage

Rapha Blaerosuit.

Due to the self-sufficiency nature of gravel racing, riders are often covering some 50 miles before having a chance to replenish their water and nutrition. This has caused a proliferation of hydration packs across the competitive spectrum of gravel riding as well as the emergence of extra pockets on bibshorts and on jerseys. 

The added carrying capacity for food and hydration is essential for any rider completing long distance rides in remote locations yet the aerodynamic penalty, the bouncing and awkwardness of the packs has been a concern in elite competition. 

The apparel industry decided to tackle this conundrum all at the same time, it appears, as several brands debuted their answer to aerodynamic fueling at Unbound Gravel this week. 

Castelli was quickest off the mark with the release of its Unlimited Pro Jersey, complete with a built-in sleeve for a hydration bladder and a strap to hold the hose sewed into the lightweight jersey.

Castelli's Unlimited Pro jersey with a built-in pouch for a hydration bladder (Image credit: Castelli)

Rule 28 followed on May 30th with its hydration bladder-carrying aerosuit, worn by riders like Brit Danni Shrosbree and American Dylan Johnson.

Rapha, the sponsor of a quite a few race favorites, held off on revealing its Unbound kit until race time.

Titled 'Project Blaero' or the ‘Blaerosuit’ (bladder + aero + suit) is a skinsuit that features a hydration bladder pocket, mouthpiece holder and internal straps to secure the hydration bladder and reduce bounce while riding.

(Image credit: Rapha)

Rapha says that it was reigning Unbound champion Keegan Swenson who made the initial request to Rapha for a suit that made using a hydration pack easier. Further design input came from riders Lachlan Morton, Sarah Sturm and Ellen Campbell.

The riders stated that vests were awkward, tended to bounce and cause chafing issues during a long endeavor. A vest can also restrict breathability and airflow, impede access to pockets, add excess weight due to unnecessary parts and, of course, reduce aerodynamics.

With the Blaerosuit, Rapha set out to address the common issues while also enabling the rider to be more self-sufficient at feed zones, as switching out the hydration reservoir can be done in a matter of seconds without the aid of a crew member.

Swenson and multiple other elite athletes including Alexis Skarda, Jordan Schleck, Lachlan Mortan, Sarah Sturm and Ellen Campbell will be wearing the Blaerosuit at the 200-mile Unbound race.

But don't get your hopes up, as of yet, the Blaerosuit will not be made commercially available. The suit is currently only for the brand's elite gravel athletes, who are entirely focused on saving precious seconds in key long-distance races.

(Image credit: Rapha)

Some key features of the Blaerosuit:

• The base is Rapha's WorldTour level Summer Roadsuit, which was developed in partnership with riders from EF Education
• The suit sports a mesh front panel for greater breathability
• Bladder pocket on the back with capacity to hold a 2L bladder
• Built-in internal strap system to secure pocket bag; to create stability and reduce bounce throughout the race
• Mouthpiece holder: there is a hanger loop on each shoulder for the bladder hose so it’s close to mouth and doesn’t flap 
• The bladders sit beneath the back panel of the suit. This allows the riders design/sponsor visibility to remain unimpacted, as if they were just wearing a jersey
• The bladder gives no restriction on access on the back pockets
• The suit sports extra storage for gel pockets on the sleeves
• Pockets are on the bottom of the bibs (back of the bibs rather than the side for aero gains)