Most of the articles on TriRig are written for the experienced athlete. I don't often write for the novice. But today, I'm doing a breakdown of what's in my typical transition bag, which could be useful for the newbie and veteran alike. At some points I might stop to explain certain choices at a novice level, so if you're an old hat at the sport, just be patient.
As always, it's up to you to determine the exact setup you need for yourself, which will depend things like the distance you're racing, the climate and potential weather conditions, your personal preferences, etc. But people often ask what I personally use in a given situation, and that's what the last section of this article is for.
Personally, I like to pack as light as possible, bringing the bare minimum I think I can get away with. Other folks like the belt-and-suspenders approach, and want to plan for every possible contingency, packing their entire wardrobe and toolbox. There's no wrong approach, but it's best to know why you go the route you do and what you'll do if things go wrong. As long as you are mentally prepared, you won't waste energy panicking if you hit a snag on race morning.
As they say, there's a perfect tool for every job. Racing a triathlon can be thought of as a series of small jobs that have to be accomplished, one-at-a-time, in a specific order. And that includes not only the race itself, but in your race prep as well, including what you pack in your bag. Here's what I bring in mine.
The Bag
Before getting to the contents, I should talk about the bag itself. I've used a variety of bags over the years, and come to the conclusion that I don't really want anything fancy in this department. Triathlon-specific bags tend to be big, bulky, and cumbersome. Lately, I've been cramming everything into an old backpack. There's no waterproof pocket for the wetsuit, but I find that to be pretty moot. On the way TO the race, nothing is wet to begin with, and on the way BACK, everything is dirty anyway, so who cares if it gets wet? Again, this is just me, and your mileage may vary. But since I pack light, I find that I don't really need 18 pockets and 10 zippered compartments. Just one main compartment for gear and a secondary pocked for keys/gels/phone is enough for me.
Racing Suit
A tri suit is your best friend on race day
This is the only thing you�ll need to wear on race day. There are a lot of great options on the market, and we've reviewed several of them in the past. Ladies, add a sports bra underneath if you want, which may or may not be necessary depending on your build. The suit can either be a one-piece or a separate top and bottom. The latter is preferable if you anticipate needing to hit the bathroom during the race, but I prefer the smooth feel of a one-piece suit, especially when they're built right. In either case, the shorts will have a chamois that is slightly thinner than the pad on regular bike shorts. This helps to prevent it from soaking up too much water, so it doesn't weigh you down on the swim, and stays out of the way on the run.
I like to think of the tri suit as a uniform. Put on the suit, and you're on the job. To that end, I really like a suit that not only functions well, but looks awesome. I had Epix Gear make me some custom-printed suits with TriRig branding, and every time I put it on, I feel like a boss. I highly recommend checking out their custom program, where you can order a custom suit with any design you want � they'll even help you design one if you aren't artistically inclined.
Pre-race, it's a good idea to wear some sweats on top of the tri suit - it can be pretty brisk at 5am when transition opens, and you don't want to waste any energy keeping warm, if you don't have to.
Swim Stuff
Bike Stuff
For low positions, an integrated helmet visor is a huge benefit to seeing up the road.
Okay, got all that? Quite a bit more involved than your average 5k run, isn�t it? Well, we�re not through yet. The key to making a tri go smoothly is to have everything prepped before you start. Hit the next page for the full rundown of what you're gonna do on race day.
