Best Bikinis for Active Women of Any Age

As a woman who is pretty far from her 20s, I sometimes wonder: Am I supposed to stop wearing bikinis? I own a couple of one-piece swimsuits and pull them out for work trips and winter hot tubbing (sometimes). But here’s the thing: Bikinis make me happy. I grew up being dropped off at the beach in the morning and picked up at dusk, and wearing a bikini makes me feel like that young, carefree girl. I find them much more comfortable than one-pieces—they’re more supportive up top, they creep less on the bottom, and they’re cooler in summer heat. Plus,  they’re just fun to wear.

Thankfully, there is a plethora of bikinis made for active use and cut for women who are not teenagers (more likely mothers of teenagers). They cover us comfortably and stay put while we surf, swim, play beach volleyball and soccer, do cartwheels, jump off rocks, paddle board, and even garden if we want. (I have a tall fence.)

I’ve updated this round-up with new offerings for summer 2026, all of which were tested by me and a couple by friends of similar age who share my addiction to activities that involve water, sand, and movement.

Best Active Bikinis At a Glance

Best Value Active Bikini

Best Secure, Minimal Bikini Tops

Best Medium-Coverage Bikini Tops

Best Full-Coverage Bikini Tops

Best Low-Rise, Medium-Coverage Bikini Bottoms

Best Mid-Rise, Full Coverage Bottoms

Best Hi-Rise, Slightly Cheeky Bottoms

Best Value Active Bikini

It’s nearly impossible to find a good-looking, activewear bathing suit top and bottom for under 50 bucks, but these two separates deliver a modest, functional cut and style at that bargain price. And their performance won them a spot on our list of best bikinis for active women.

The Quince Italian V-neck Bikini Top provided more coverage than a classic triangle top and stayed put while wallowing in lazy rivers and hitting the snack bar. The adjustable shoulder straps helped two testers of different shapes and cup sizes find a perfect fit, but our personal recommendation: This suit is best for low-impact activity. “This top is movement-friendly and okay for walking and easy swimming, but didn’t stay in place for cliff-jumping,” said a 52-year-old tester. The recycled polyamide/spandex blend fabric looks and feels good when dry but seems to stay wet longer than other suits in this roundup, especially with the removable pads in place. (Staying damp can provide a natural cooling system in sweltering heat, but it can be a drag after a while.)

Quince Italian High-Rise Bikini Bottom

While most high-rise bikini bottoms make up for the tummy coverage by practically baring both butt cheeks, the Quince Italian High-Rise Bikini Bottom offers a bit more material on the rear, without looking like your granny’s underwear. We appreciated the coverage when walking around the community swimming pool and liked how the bottoms stayed in place while swimming a few casual laps. A downside to these bottoms is that it, like the top, stays wet longer than others, and can feel like a lot of material on the skin.

Best Secure, Minimal Bikini Tops

Left on Friday Sunday Top

This lightweight, minimal top is extremely comfortable thanks to no hooks or fasteners, yet stays put during high-energy activities. It quickly became my favorite of the bunch. It’s neither too skimpy nor too frumpy, is lined for modesty instead of relying on awkward foam inserts, and comes in 35 (!) colors. The nylon/polyester/Lycra blend is insanely soft and perfectly compressive, stands up to chlorine and salt water, and is also machine-washable.

Patagonia Reversible Seaglass Bay Top

I love the look and feel of the strappy back of this top. The stretchy straps help the top stay in place, even when lap swimming and flip-turning, and the fit makes the top one of the most comfortable I’ve tried. A word of caution: I tested the Coral color and found it too sheer when wet, so I’d go with a darker color. Also, while touted as “reversible,” all but one colorway are the same on both sides (the one, however, does have a bright, playful print on the reverse side).

Vuori Heat Wave Bikini Top

The adjustability of this top—both via the shoulder straps and the hook-and-loop closure of the chest band—makes it easy to dial in a custom fit. The top didn’t budge while swimming freestyle in an outdoor pool, and has a classic silhouette that pairs well with a range of bikini bottoms. I’m still on the fence about the dart detailing on the cups, but I generally found this top comfortable and functional for a range of activities.

Best Medium-Coverage Bikini Tops

Jolyn Eryn Bikini Top

This top is made out of recycled fishing nets and other discarded nylon, which is a big win for me. The material feels soft and stretchy but holds its shape when wet. The scoop-neck caught water and caused a little drag while swimming laps, but that wouldn’t bother me a bit if I had a surfboard beneath me. Though it’s only adjustable on the shoulder straps—not the band size—this is the most comfortable adjustable top I tested.

Carve Designs Escondido Top

The Escondido Top pulls on overhead and fits like a sports bra. Though the company rates it as “light support” for A/B cups, I found it plenty supportive for a run and any other beach activity. I love the simplicity of this top. There are no hooks, loops, adjustment straps, or fasteners digging into the skin, so it’s comfortable to wear under a PFD or backpack. I also love how the fabric is a blend of 82 percent recycled polyester, made from plastic water bottles, and 18 percent spandex for stretch. I’m a big fan of companies striving to minimize plastics that end up in the ocean, especially when I’m wearing a suit to enjoy said ocean. Plus, the material is 50 UPF.

 Best Full-Coverage Bikini Tops

Carve Designs Sanitas Compression Reversible Top

The Sanitas Compression Reversible Top made me feel securely covered, with its high neck providing both modesty and coverage from the sun. The neckline and the racerback style (with a cut out), also provide support, making the top function like a long sports bra. We love all the reversible color and print options, and the top’s major comfort helped it stand out in our testing.

Patagonia Cami Top

The Patagonia Cami Top’s high neck silhouette made me feel perfectly appropriate when driving my 13-year-old son and his friend to the local pool. It then remained comfortable when I snuck in 1600 yards of laps, and it dried in time to drive home comfortably. The racerback cut makes the top fit and stay put as well as a sports bra, while the blend of recycled nylon/recycled spandex material both looks and feels good.

Title Nine Better Bikini Top

The wide-cut shoulder straps on this top offer full coverage, while the V-neck keeps it flattering and playful. The top comes in B-C or D cups in sizes XS-XL, which, combined with adjustable straps and chest band, allows for a dialed-in fit. I found the Better Bikini top extremely comfortable for its level of support, and appreciated how quickly the perforated, removable pads dried.

Best Low-Rise, Medium-coverage Bikini Bottoms

Jolyn Valle Bottoms

For me, these bottoms have a perfect cut—modest without being frumpy. They’re made out of recycled nylon fishing nets, and the fabric feels soft against the skin—almost cotton-like—while holding up to active use. Despite the soft hand, I was amazed that this bottom stayed on and didn’t droop while lap swimming—flip-turns and all.

Carve Designs Reversible St. Barth Bottom

The Carve Designs Reversible St. Barth Bottoms strike a great balance of fit, function, and style. Fun prints (reversible with a solid color) and comfortable recycled polyester/spandex make these bottoms easy to wear. “These were chafe-free during a short trail run,” said a tester who took them on a family summer trip to Switzerland. She also wore them on a sweltering hike where she got sweaty and took a dip in the ocean. “I loved that these bottoms stayed in place,” she reported. “This is a practical and flattering suit for a 50+ year old.”

Best Mid-Rise, Full Coverage Bikini Bottoms

Title Nine Lehua Bottom

These mid-rise bottoms offer full coverage on the rear and did a good job staying put, especially when I tightened the drawstring cord at the waist. The waist straddles the line between midrise and high cut. This is a good choice for those looking for a modest suit that can handle all sorts of activity.

Carve Designs Stinson Bottom

Earning a place among the best bikinis for active women this year, the Carve Designs Stinson Bottoms have a banded waist designed for high-energy activity, and they stayed put through lap swimming, surfing, pickleball, and sand volleyball. The Stinson Bottoms provide moderate coverage without being frumpy. They’re extremely comfortable for active use and lounging alike.

Prana Summer Wave Swim Bottoms

The nylon/elastane blend of this bottom dries quickly, making it a favorite for cool spring days at the pool. I found the elastic at the leg openings and wide waistband comfortable yet secure enough to keep the suit in place. The cut is modest, providing ample coverage, but playful prints keep these bottoms from looking or feeling frumpy.

Best High-Rise, Slightly Cheeky Bikini Bottoms

Carve Designs Erin Reversible Bottom

I’ve reached for this high-waisted bottom more than I thought I would. The over-belly cut provides coverage when I want it, like after eating a burrito, for instance. When I want a different look, feel, or tan line, I fold the bottom over at the waist for a lower cut. I love that the bottom is reversible, with a fun print on one side and a solid color on the other. This is a versatile piece I’ve worn time and again.

How I Tested Bikinis

For more than two years, I’ve tested bikinis designed for active women on trips to Costa Rica, Hawaii, the British Virgin Islands, Southern California, and the Colorado River, as well as in pools, lakes, and reservoirs around Boulder, Colorado. The women’s swim suits on this list have been thoroughly—and I mean thoroughly—tested and kept me covered whether I’m diving for a beach volleyball or under a wave, lap swimming, or folding up my inflatable paddleboard and shoving it into the back of my Subaru.