There is no right amount of coverage. There is the one that suits what you are about to do.
A cheeky leg, a modest line, a boyshort: each one has its own beauty, and every woman chooses for herself. What we can tell you is how each cut behaves once you are in the water, because that is what we design for.
Leda Sport makes four cuts. Here is what each one covers, the sport it suits best, and the styles to try. Then, why the fabric matters more as coverage grows.
Our four cuts
Seen from the back, from the most open leg line to the fullest.
Leda swim bottom cuts · back view
Cut 1 · Cheeky
For lap training
Much of the seat shows · our cheeky leg covers about halfTraining suits are cut high at the leg for a reason. Nothing pulls at the hip when you kick, and there is less fabric to drag through the water, length after length. If you swim laps several times a week, a cheeky cut is the one that stays out of the way.
Gene, Alma and Pona use our mid-high cheeky leg. It lengthens the line of the leg and stays in place when you push off the wall.
Cut 2 · Modest
For new swimmers, and easy laps
A little of the seat shows · about half to 70%If you are new to swimming, coming back to it, or would simply rather not think about what shows when you climb out, a modest cut covers most of the seat and lets you forget about it. Plenty of women with no worries at all choose modest too, because they like the line.
Pura covers about half the seat. Verda and Viva cover about two thirds. Our royal blue high-waist brief covers about 70%.
Cut 3 · Classic
For feeling covered
Almost the whole seat · about 90%Classic coverage is for the swimmer who wants to sit on the pool steps, kick, and climb the ladder without a second thought. It is where most modest swimwear sits, and it suits beginners as well as anyone who simply prefers it.
Mira and Lina have a low leg that covers about 90% of the seat. The Zeta brief covers all of it.
Cut 4 · Boyshort
For surf, dive, paddle and row
The whole seat and the upper thighWhen the water moves you around, the bottom has to stay where it is. A boyshort holds at both ends: a leg that wraps the upper thigh, and a waistband built for where it sits. That is why it stays on when a wave hits, when you roll off a paddleboard, or kick down on a dive. Each of ours does it a little differently.
- Cala high-waist boyshort sits above the navel, at the narrowest part of the waist, so it carries a 2 cm wide elastic to hold it there. The high waist also covers the lower tummy and smooths the line.
- Tenacy shorts sit below the navel and reach below the seat, so a standard 1 cm waistband keeps them on through everyday sport, and feels softer at the waist.
- Nora is a one-piece, so there is no waistband to lose. An elastic band sewn inside the leg hem keeps the leg from riding up and stops water scooping in.
The Siena skort, with built-in shorts, covers from waist to thigh as well.
Check the fit at home
- Look at the back view. Front photos hide the leg line.
- Sit, bend, lift one knee. Note where the hem moves and whether it needs pulling down.
- Check the leg opening. It should lie flat on the upper thigh, not cut in.
More coverage, more fabric, more water
A fuller cut covers more skin. In the water, that means more fabric holding water. Out of the water, it means more fabric against your skin while it dries.
So as coverage grows, the fabric does more of the work. In the wrong fabric, a boyshort feels like a pair of wet shorts. In the right one, you stop noticing it a few minutes after you climb out.
Swim bottoms are not yoga pants
They can look alike: close-fitting, stretchy, often dark. The difference shows when they get wet.
Yoga fabric is made for dry land
Many yoga leggings are soft to the hand and lightly brushed. They are built to resist rubbing and to take up sweat. In water, that same fabric soaks up and holds on to water. It turns heavy, clings, breathes less and stays wet long after you climb out. Fine for a short paddle. Not for an hour in the sea.
Standard swim fabric is made to let water go
Swim fabric is built the other way round: to take up as little water as possible. Many close-fitting, high-coverage swim bottoms use polyester for this reason. It absorbs very little, so it feels drier once you are out. It can also feel firmer and less soft against the skin.
| Yoga leggings | Standard swim bottom | Leda Sport | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface | Soft, often lightly brushed | Smooth, can feel firm | Smooth, silky, cool to the touch; strong stretch |
| In the water | Soaks up and holds water | Takes up little water | Water runs through and off |
| Out of the water | Heavy, clinging, slow to dry | Lighter, dries faster | Wet feeling fades within minutes; dry to the hand in about 15 |
| Made for | Studio and dry land | Pool and sea | Long sessions in pool and sea, hot days |
Three things at once: our fabric
Most fabrics win on one thing. A soft fabric feels good dry and heavy wet. A fast-drying fabric can feel firm. We wanted three things together, so we chose a functional fabric that balances them.
- ComfortSmooth and silky against the skin, with strong stretch and recovery.
- Water flowWater runs through and off the fabric instead of sitting in it.
- Quick dryThe wet feeling fades within minutes. Dry to the hand in about 15.
Leda Sport swimwear is cut from 80% functional ultrafine nylon and 20% LYCRA® elastane, in two layers of the same fabric. We chose nylon because it is far more comfortable to wear, then tuned the fabric so that comfort does not cost you water flow or drying speed. That balance is unique to Leda.
It shows most in our fullest cuts. Customers tell us that a few minutes after climbing out, they no longer feel wet fabric on their skin. The fabric is cool to the touch, too, so on very hot days it helps you stay comfortable in and out of the water.
Choose by how you swim
Start with what you will do in the water. Then pick the line you like from the back.
Three questions
Which swim bottom is best for lap swimming?
A higher leg line, like a cheeky cut, leaves the hips free when you kick and carries less fabric through the water. That is why training suits are usually cut high. If you would rather have more cover, a modest cut swims well too.
What swim bottoms stay on when surfing?
Look for a bottom that holds at both ends: a leg that wraps the thigh and a waistband that grips where it sits. Our Cala boyshort uses a 2 cm elastic at the narrowest part of the waist, and the Nora one-piece has no waistband to lose. In everyday surf, our high-waist brief stays put too, thanks to its 1.5 cm waistband elastic.
Can you swim in yoga pants?
For a short paddle, yes. For swimming, no. Most yoga fabric soaks up water, turns heavy and clings, and stays wet long after you are out. Choose a bottom made from swim fabric.
Your cut, your sport.
Choose the line you love from the back, in a fabric that lets the water go.
Continue reading
Why 80/20 Is Only the Beginning What Is Your Swimsuit Really Made Of? Swimsuit straps digging in? Two ways we fix it.Seat coverage figures come from each style’s product page. Drying times are typical and vary with weather, size and style. Customer comments come from shoppers at our store in China.