Hello Friends! Its been a crazy week but I’m popping in to share my beginner triathlon gear. I’ve gotten lots of questions lately and want to have a place I can direct everyone. Please note that Triathlon gear can get very expensive, I recommend building your selection slowly and waiting for the right price and option for you! Also, any products listed are not sponsored.
Swim:Traditional One Piece, Sports Bra and Shorts, Tri Suit…
- Wetsuit! I bought the Xterra sleeveless, make sure you check on availability before you purchase as I had a long wait for mine to ship.
- Most transition areas are not private and if you chose to wear a wetsuit you will strip it off in front of everyone. I definitely saw women running (and biking) in one piece swim suits, but that seems painful to me.
- I would recommend a sports bra and shorts for beginners, make sure you swim in them at least once to be sure they fit properly.
- I love everything about my MooMotion Tri Suit. I won it through a giveway, but am purchasing a second pair of shorts as I love them and can’t find a decent pair of women’s tri shorts anywhere else.
Goggles: I haven’t experimented with goggles enough to give advice at this point. I bought non-tinted and have been loving them, until last week when I had trouble sighting in the afternoon sun. I just picked up a tinted pair and I’ll see how they differ.
Bike: Mountain, Road, Hybrid, or Tri: For my first Duathlon I used my old mountain bike that my parents bought me when I was about 13. It worked just fine, although I did take it in for a tuneup.
- If you are looking to buy a bike, first go to a bike shop and get a proper fit, learn what size you will be, then start searching Craigs list!
- What kind of bike you buy depends on your goals. I think I will max out at a Half Ironman, so I purchased a road bike. If you want more freedom, pick a hybrid. If you want to be triathlon specific, then you can jump into those more expensive wheels.
Helmet: Most races require a helmet, at this moment I’m using an older one, but I will eventually upgrade to a newer model.
Sunglasses: Biking at high speed usually means bugs to the face. I have a pair of polarized sunglasses that I bought on super sale at Sunglass Hut. They have lots of rubber on the sides which mean they won’t slip.
Run: Shoes!
- If you are already a runner or fairly active you probably already have a pair. The run portion of a sprint triathlon is usually under 5 miles, which means this is an easy spot to save some money, if you already have shoes, use what you have!
Do you have any gear recommendations for me?
katielookingforward.wordpress.com 
you are so helpful!
So I have no recommendations for a tri…but I’ve always been a fan of Asics for running!! I know everyone is different, but I’ve never had issues with them and I’ve probably owned 10 pairs by now!
Also, I think it’s funny how you say doing a tri in a one-piece would be painful, because the whole thing seems painful! 😉
Haha, can you just imagine the wedgies?! I seriously wanted to ask those ladies how they were doing it!