The unspoken secret of the successful triathlete is the quality of their equipment, but most athletes focus too much attention on bike upgrades, and forget about some of the other areas that might be in need of attention. Here we talk about some items that will help with both performance improvements and making triathlons more enjoyable. These are as good for the new triathlete as they are for the seasoned ‘Professional Amateur’. Enjoy.
Watches
Let’s face it, the watch is one of the most important pieces of kit we are going to have during a race or training. Heart rate, speed, distance are all captured for instant feedback, and transferred to online applications for tracking and record keeping. Some important features to consider are battery life (especially for Iron distance races), adjustable pool sizes for swimming at home, comfort, and ease of use. This Garmin is a workhorse and will last for years. It has great native integrations with Garmin Connect, and supports safety features such as Live track and incident detection.
Recommendation Garmin Forerunner 945 – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QTVMWVL/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=floatspingwal-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07QTVMWVL&linkId=1d7e4955d9fe89fd09b099a2a67a672f
Goggles
There are few things worse than enduring a poor swim leg of a race. With all of the things that can go wrong and are out of your hands, why chance the few things you can control. Goggles are one of the elements you can control, and there are a few decisions to make with these. After trying out many types, a few features have stood out. The first is an easy adjusting ratchet system to tighten or loosen the straps to keep the water out. This makes last minute tweaks easy and effortless. A soft eye cup that won’t leave you in pain during a long swim, and doesn’t make you look like a racoon at the office after early morning swims. And maybe most important, a light sensitive lens that will darken or lighten based on sun conditions. Because swims often have direction changes there will be different sun exposures throughout. With an adjusting photo chromatic lens, the swimmer won’t have to choose for only one section of the leg.
Recommendation HUUB Aphotic –https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QGC8G78/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07QGC8G78&linkCode=as2&tag=floatspingwal-20&linkId=1be81960141313587143257861a09d9a
Sun Protection
Training and racing have tremendous health benefits, but there are some risks that come with being under the sun in a tank top for hours. Triathletes need to protect themselves from the sun, but this is not an easy task. For starters, many sunscreens are applied before the swim and are largely gone by the time T1 rolls around. Re-applying takes precious time from the finish, and might be the difference between a podium and a participation award. The goal is to use something that works for the whole race with minimal re-application needs. Another consideration is keeping cool on the hottest days. One way to achieve both sun protection and keeping cool is to use a wet neck gaiter. This has the benefit of being reusable, is quick to put on, and the sun protection won’t wear out from sweat.
Recommendation Mission Cooling Gaiter – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UR4HHC8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=floatspingwal-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00UR4HHC8&linkId=3633ca3ee407a2936b880663ae570326
Zealios Sun Barrier – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F48C08S/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=floatspingwal-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00F48C08S&linkId=b143de0b012e603652f31ae3bad450a7
Recovery
The often over looked post race and workout recovery is the difference between facing a staircase with confidence the day after a long course, or searching for the wheelchair ramp. There are numerous devices and techniques to consider, some being better depending on the situation and fatigue involved. Compression is a great method, from socks to full leg enclosures. The automated systems don’t require much thought and can be done while relaxing or sitting on the couch. Rollers are also very good, and can be easily packed for a destination or travel race. These do require a bit more diligence but are the best for targeting specific areas.
Recommendation Normatec Boots – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RD6QWZC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=floatspingwal-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07RD6QWZC&linkId=392557aff92c23855929edd2989b2d60
TriggerPoint Foam roller – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040EGNIU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=floatspingwal-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B0040EGNIU&linkId=078636b9c257bda830e4d521bfc99237
Gear Bag
Triathlon involves a lot of gear. Multiple changes of clothes, shoes, hats, helmets, sunglasses, water bottles, towels, nutrition, lubes, ointments, you get the idea. Carrying all of this in addition to a bike is not always an easy task. Ideally, a bag is easy to carry WHILE riding a bike to accommodate long parking to transition races. It should also have good storage space with plenty of pockets for specific items, as well as wet and dry pockets to keep your swim gear separate from the rest of your equipment after the race.
Recommendation Ogio Endurance 9.0 – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078JDPX1S/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=floatspingwal-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B078JDPX1S&linkId=c23c6d3fcd580298cc423f4040849e40
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Float. Spin. Walk. 