Gear talk

I see on many triathlon forums that everyone talks about their gear. So I guess I'll talk about that.

Swim: I have swum with the swedish goggles since I was about 14 years old. (that's more than 20 years if you're counting). I still swim with them, and I don't think I could ever use anything else in a pool. They simply don't leak for me. And they are only $4 a pair! So I don't have to worry about losing them. Last year, I started swimming with earplugs, and it seems to keep the noise level down in the water. I like that. I started using the earplugs as recommended for open water swimming, and now I use them in the pool, too. The earplugs I use are the basic plastic ones that I got at my last job in a distribution center; they're not swimming specific but I like them because I can't feel them. The swim suit I wear in the pool for training is a pair of USMC PT shorts, nothing special and they're only $10 a pair! Do you notice a trend yet? I have a 2XU wetsuit that I bought used from wetsuitrental.com after renting one and liking it. $150 for a once-used wetsuit, maybe not the best deal, but a good one I think. For flippers, I use whatever is available at the pool (free!). I have a pair of Speedo hand paddles that are a size large, and I've realized that they are too big because I noticed some shoulder strain. The vast majority of my swim workouts are straight-up freestyle laps, so I don't use alot of gear anyway.

Bike: I got a Giant Trinity A2 last year as my first road bike. It was inexpensive as tri-bikes go, and I really like it. Theoretically, the frame is really good but the components and wheels are not high grade. I figured that's where I wanted to start for a bike, and I'll upgrade components and wheels when $$$$ available and I need to get speed from somewhere other than my legs and position (which should be a while because I never road-biked before last July). The pedals are Keo LOOK, and I have a pair of Pearl Izumi tri-shoes that I think fit great without socks (I'm moving to no socks for 2009). These shoes are the first I've had, so I don't have anything to compare them to, but I find them quite comfortable. I have an old Schwinn Moab Mountain Bike I bought in 1994 that I use to ride the local trails. For a helmet, I am using a $30 Bell low-grade helmet, but I'm planning to upgrade to something better and more aero this spring. I don't have any special jerseys; I wear compression t-shirts instead and it sheds the wind pretty well and is quite cool on hot days. The one piece of gear that I really love are the DeSoto four pocket tri-shorts. Incredibly comfortable, and they carry all the energy I need for a race. I don't remember my bike computer brand or model, but it's not fancy...just the cadence, avg cadence, miles, time, and such.

Run: Nothing special here, either. I ran in Montrail Hardrock shoes last year, and I really liked them. I like Montrail brand for anything on my feet, to be honest. I'm looking for a deal on Montrail Streaks now...I've missed them on Steep and Cheap a couple of times, and I might have to pay retail for them (gasp, the horror!). Most of my runs are on trails, so I prefer trail shoes. Someday I might get road shoes for races, though, if they are significantly lighter. I run in standard USMC PT shorts or a pair of Champion running shorts and a basic dri-fit shirt.

Accessories: I'm not into accessorizing. I have an old pair of Oakleys with polarized lenses that I wear, and I have to say that everyone should always have polarized lenses. They just seem to make bright sun alot easier on the eyes, and you can see fish better when you're fly-fishing. My heart rate monitor is the base Timex Ironman model and doesn't give much beyond HRs for splits and such....that's all I need. However, some day I would love to have one of the really cool HRs that do cadence with GPS and HR and that can then make a bunch of graphs....I would like to see how the hills affect my HR and cadence.

Nutrition: Hammer Nutrition is the only way to go! I trained the first half of last year without energy, and I fought my way through the hard workouts. I tried Hammer Gel once, and I couldn't believe the boost I got from it. Then I tried GU, and the boost just wasn't as good. Recoverite and Endurolytes also work wonders. Hammer is also all-natural, which I really like.

I consider my local bike shop to be ROBs in Pocatello. I like the guys down there, and they hooked me up with the bike that fit my needs and price range. Customer service is AWESOME!

Finally, I have to mention the most awesome and versatile backpack available. The Camelback Menace is the bag I use almost daily year-round. In the summer, I can put my shoes and sweaty shirt on the back and my work folders in the bag itself as I ride my MTB to work. I also use it for fly-fishing and dayhikes in the summer. In the winter, it's the perfect backcountry ski pack, with safety gear slots and room enough for a stove and coffee along with requisite layers; I put skins and layers on the outside, too, for easy access. Got it on Steep and Cheap for $30!

That's the rundown on my gear. Nothing fancy, and I have to save money for the race entry fees. If I get "good enough" to warrant expensive gear, then I'll probably upgrade my bike a bit. A primary tenet of my triathlon philosophy is to keep it simple and not spend alot of money. I figure I'm about as simple as you can get while being relatively serious about it.