The story behind Yulex, the Tarka shorty and the Straven insulated swimsuits

By Kenny Stocker 16 Apr 2025

There’s a moment, standing at the edge of a cold-water tarn or winding river, when everything else fades away. No emails. No buzz. Just you and the water.

That’s the feeling we designed Tarka and Straven for.

We wanted a wetsuit that helps you stay out longer, dive in faster, and swim more naturally — but that also reflects what we stand for. It’s never just about kit, it’s about connection.

Mens shorty swimming wetsuit — Easy in, easy out. Spend more time in the water and less on the shore getting in and out of your wetsuit.

Swimwear made for wilder places

When you’re hiking or biking into remote swim spots, space matters. The mens and womens Tarka shorty packs down small and dries fast — perfect to stuff in a pack without worrying it’ll weigh you down or stay soggy all day.

At the shoreline, there’s no faff. No tug-of-war changing routines. The short legs and sleeves mean you can get it on in seconds. The rear zip? Smooth to pull on, and it won’t get in your way mid-stroke.

Wild swimmer zipping up her wetsuit lakeside — Tarka is designed to help you swim more and wrestle with your wetsuit less.

And because it’s cut to warm your core but leave your limbs free, it’s ideal for swim/run sessions or when spring air warms up but the water’s still nippy. Freedom and function in one.

Yulex Insulated swimsuit — The flexibility of a swimsuit with the insulation of a wetsuit

Straven - our womens insulated swimsuit is also made from Yulex (we will get to that in a mo). It also packs down small and dries quickly. Straven is a step up in warmth from our Dulsie swimsuit, whilst still enabling you to enjoy the feel of the elements over your skin.

What is Yulex?

Savvy readers will know that we already have a range of wetsuits made from a limestone-based neoprene. Manufactured by Yamamoto it is a high end material perfectly suited for performance swimming wetsuits. Flexible, lightweight, warm and available in that smooth glideskin finish that makes you swim like a fish.

Yulex on the other hand is a natural rubber. It has been around a while, hats off to Patagonia for both having a hand in its development and sharing the technology, and it is now more widely available in the form of Yulex 2.

Yulex 2 is as much a change in distribution model as it is in the underlying technology. Tapped from certified forests, it supports local communities, avoids heavy mining, and fits our mission to reduce reliance on oil-based fibres.

The latest Yulex 2.0 materials are more flexible than ever allowing us to develop an open water swim collection using neoprene free technology.

But it’s not just about performance — these suits are part of a bigger push to offer natural fibre alternatives alongside our technical range. Super natural performance, in every sense.

Open water swimmer wading through a lake — Open water swimming is a way to connect with nature.

More thrill, less chill

We believe wild places make us better humans and the gear we use should honour that.

Whether you’re heading to your local river after work, tackling a swim-run, or hiking into a hidden tarn with your mates — Straven and Tarka are tailored to make it easier for you to connect, truly connect, with the outdoors.