Tri clothes?

[RachelV]

I'm signed up for some tri training through a local sports shop, and this Wednesday they're going to have some kind of super-discount day where we can buy whatever we might still need at a pretty good discount. Seeing as I have nothing, I figure I should buy whatever I can then.

So - what do you all swim/bike/run in during tris? I really have no idea what I need, here. I don't really mind cold water, and the FAQ says the Hudson will be in the low 70's, so I don't think I'll need an all-out wetsuit at all (I've surfed in just board shorts and a light top in water that was around 60).

I'm looking to spend as little as possible since I've spent such a ridiculous amount of money over the last 6 months or so, but I also don't want to be unprepared.

Thanks!!

 

[Robyn]

Yeah, it sounds like the wetsuit would be nice but not necessary. The main 2 options (there are more but this is what most use) for the rest of your clothing is either a tri top and tri shorts or a tri suit. Itri uses a top and short, I use a full suit. My reasoning for the full suit is that tops tend ride up on me and I don't want to be tugging on clothing then entire race. Also because I had a coupon for 50% off one item it meant that it was less expensive. The bottoms with either option have a thin chamois that gives you some padding on the bike but it dries fast out of the water and doesn't feel like you're running in a wet diaper like regular bike shorts would. Here are some pics from Zoot but there are plenty of other manufacturers as well.

Top and shorts

Race suit (this is mine only I have the purple color they offer)

 

[itri]

I really like a tri tank and tri shorts. I tried on a trisuit and just wasn't comfortable with it. Plus I like to be able to use the portopotty quickly and easily when necessary.

I'm on my second tri tank and third pair of tri shorts. I've liked all of them, just needed different sizes as I lost weight. I started out with a Zoot trifit tank, and I loved it. I was so disappointed when I couldn't find it in a smaller size. I have a Sugoi tank now that I like a lot, but it doesn't have any pockets. Not a big deal for a shorter race, but I'm not entirely sure what I'll do for my Oly races, since I like to have sportbeans (and stretch them out) while I'm on the bike. I have a pair each of Danskin, Zoot, and Pearl Izumi shorts, and they're all fine. My current pair (the PIs) are probably my favorite, just because they're a shorter length, and I really don't like a longer short.

I think you should be fine without a wetsuit. It'll be brutally cold when you get in, but once you start swimming, you should be ok.

You might want to invest in some open water goggles. I did my first couple of tris with regular goggles, and it was fine, but the open water goggles are SO much better for visibility. I wasn't entirely convinced how much better they would be at first, but they really are. And if you can get them at a discount, all the better!

The only other thing I can think of is another nice, but not necessary item...a race number belt. They're pretty cheap, though, and well worth it. That way you don't have to worry about pinning your number on in transition or having to put a shirt with the number already pinned on it on for the run. Just grab the belt/number and snap it on and go.

 

[ski.like.a.girl]

I'm going with the tri suit this weekend. I have a purple 2XU. It was pricey but I'm a member of one of the local tri clubs and got a discount. My problem with all of the tri tops and tri suits was lack of support. The shelf bra just doesn't do it for me for the run. So I end up wearing a sports bra under the suit. It's kind of a pain but necessary for now.
I switched goggles to open water goggle. Couldn't see anything with my pool goggles.
I'm using a wet suit. It's still cold here. We have a local shop that rents them. I think later in the summer I won't have to.

 

[RachelV]

Yeah, I ended up renting a wetsuit after talking the the guy for a while. It's $75, which isn't terrible, and he was saying that the vast majority of the field in the NYC tri - like 99% - would have wetsuits. I figure it can't hurt to be a little more "floaty" then usual for what will probably be my first open water swim, and I suspect 70 degree water will feel pretty cold at 6 in the morning, so we'll see. I got a sleeveless one.

I still have a coupon for my 15% discount, since it didn't apply to rentals, so I'm going to go back in a few days/weeks and get a tri suit or top/bottom.

 

[itri]

Ouch! $75 for wetsuit rental?! They go for $30 around here...gotta love NYC pricing, I guess. I think you'll be happy you did it, though. If you can, try to practice with it on once before the race, or at least practice getting it on and off. Body glide on knees and elbows helps. One tip that someone showed me that I really like is to pull your swimcap and goggles off first and hold them in one hand. Then unzip the wetsuit and pull the top off, turning the sleeves inside out. As you pull the arm holding your cap and goggles out, leave them in the sleeve. They're securely tucked in the sleeve so you don't have to worry about dropping them or where to put them when you get to transition.

ski.like~I hear you on the support thing. I really didn't think I would be able to go with the shelf bras in the tri tanks, but I was really pleasantly surprised when I tried them on. I think that the band is just tight enough that it really does a good job of support. You should have seen me jumping around the dressing room at REI testing it out when I bought my first tri tank!

 

[Robyn]

With shipping to/from I am paying $60 for my rental from wetsuitrental.com but I can apply $40 of that to the purchase of a use one (either that one or a different one) if I like. And if I want to rent again later in the season I can apply that $40 too so I'd have an $80 discount on a used purchase from them in the future.

 

[RachelV]

I can actually apply the whole $75 towards purchase if I want to, which is the main reason I did the rental. This way, just in case I hate doing the tri or something, I'm not stuck with a wetsuit I'll never use again.

And -- wouldn't you know it -- tri wetsuits are NOT the same kind of wetsuits you'd use to surf. Why is nothing ever the same?? Apparently surfing wetsuits have a bunch of extra reinforcement in the knees and elbows, and if you tried to surf with a tri wetsuit you'd basically destroy it. Maybe I should look into getting a surfing wetsuit that I can also use for tris...

 

[Robyn]

From what I've been told surfing wetsuits don't have the range of motion that a tri wetsuit does. Additionally, tri wetsuits have slick coatings on them that reduce drag while surf wetsuits do not. I know, wat a PITA!