So a friend (@MrJoeSterne) referred me to an article written on Gizmodo.com (Click Here) The Ultimate Triathlon Outfit For Under $1,000. He asked my thoughts on this, and while there are some reasonable recommendations, there are other ways to gear up while staying within the $1,000.00 limit.
The main things that the author, Brent Rose, missed while talking to coaches and other athletes was extensive use of the secondary market, purchasing closeout or sale items, and using rental equipment.
Within many communities of athletes, whether it is cycling clubs, training groups, or email servers, there are people that are looking to purge their garage or cycling room of old or unused parts. In Washington, D.C. there are people that post anything that they are willing to sell or trade, such as bike frames, cranks, aerobars, and trainers. This would be the first place to look for a "new to you" bike due to the reliability when comparing to Craigslist or Ebay.
When stores or websites have products that have been available for some time these products will go to to their sale or closeout sections. Within these sections items are typically deeply discounted to make room in their warehouse or store fronts for the newest products. The key thing to take away from this is that most companies products do not change from year to year. The product that you buy from last year will be the same or close to the same as this season.
Rental equipment is also a cheaper way to test the waters (no pun intended) of triathlons. Local triathlon stores will have wetsuits as well as aerodynamic wheels. This is a way to have the benefits of the wetsuit such as warmth, hydrodynamics, and buoyancy without having to invest.
Now to get into my $1,000 triathlon outfitting.
For this, I will use some of what I prefer while mixing in some research on Google and other triathlon specific online stores. Everyone should keep in mind that each person is unique. While some of these products I have used, they might not be for everyone. With clothing what is cheapest and what is the most expensive might not be the best for you. A lot of the clothing I have used is based on trial and error.
CLOTHING
Clothing selection for triathlons is one of the most (if not THE MOST) important items needed for the race. This is the only thing that will be worn the entire race. There are three main options for what can be worn: tri suit, tri top/bottom, and speedo.
Personally I have worn only the tri suit and tri top/bottom. Trust me, no one wants to see me in a speedo especially if I'm running! The main thing to consider for suit vs top/bottom is the length of the race. For races that are shorter, i.e. Sprint and Olympic distance, personal preference is the only thing to consider. I have not notice a difference between these two assuming same company, product style, and fit.
The key choice between the two will come with the longer distances 70.3 and up. 70.3, for the non-triathlete is a half Ironman, this is 1.2 miles swimming, 56 miles biking, and 13.1 mile run. For these longer races there will be a time (assuming proper hydration) that bathroom breaks will be required, the top/bottom option is the better choice. As a side note, unless you are going for the overall win for prize money, don't pee on yourself it's not worth it.
2XU tri suit (Click Here) is a solid performance tri suit for a reasonable price. This has all that is needed for a race with a small but comfortable chamois. This suit is durable as well, I have had mine for over two years and only some minor stitching has been worn out. Typically this can be found for around $130.00 on most websites. One of the best things to do before finalizing a purchase would be to search on triathlete blogs or online for discount codes.
My tri top/bottom of choice now is the Sugoi Turbo Tri Tank (Click Here) and Sugoi Turbo Tri shorts (Click Here). Both of these items run for around $55 each (from Sugoi.com), but with a little investigation in their sale selection or other websites clearance this would be the high end cost for Sugoi clothing.
Deal of the season: I purchased Pearl Izumi's P.R.O. line from Trisports.com at the end of the season (December 2011) and paid half of the overall cost for the shorts and top. These combine for $270 for the top and bottom, but I walked away paying about $130.
SWIMMING
Wetsuits are more of a luxury item in the Triathlon world. While it isn't required for any race, this is an item desired when in cooler water. I recently did Ironman Coeur d'Alene where the water was a cool 55 degrees Fahrenheit. For this race only one person did not wear a wetsuit.
USA Triathlon (the governing body for triathlons within the USA) does not require a wetsuit at any race, but if the water temp is 78 degrees F or below, wetsuits are allowed without limitations. If the water temperature is between 78.1 and 83.9 degrees, you can wear one but you won't be eligible for awards or prize money. At 84 degrees and up, wetsuits are illegal.
A simple Google search can show you that wetsuits can be affordable, with the cheap side being below $100. My recommendation is that a wetsuit should be tried on before purchasing. You will not know how it feels on your neck or body without trying it on. There is no uniformity to a Small, Medium, Large, or Extra-Large between companies.
My choices of wetsuits are the Blue Seventy Men's Fusion full arm suit (Seen Here) on sale for $188. This is the wetsuit I've had for almost four years now and feels brand new. Blue Seventy has a flexible and comfortable wetsuit that is affordable and durable. This has been through cross country trips, 3 years of racing, and multiple open water swims.
Sleeveless wetsuits can be beneficial for the events that are closer to the 78 degree water temperature. These will provide the bouyancy and swim efficiency of a sleeved wetsuit with reduced insulation. The sleeveless suit I have is a 2XU that I found at my local triathlon/bike shop that they previously rented from the shop for one-third of the price.
In my next post I will discuss the bike.
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