Packing my tribag for the new season

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I have a dedicated bag for my triathlon kit – it saves me from forgetting stuff more than I’d like to imagine (like the infamous ‘Honey, I left my helmet at home’ call of 2018), but think I’m probably like a lot of people in that over time the contents diverge from what the imagined ideal would be. As a result, early in the season it’s good to take a look at what’s in there and reset everything. There have been some surprising additions since I first started to race.

In the top pouch I’ve added a couple of new things this year. I’ve added a tiny packaway jacket just so there’s always one there – the weather has surprised me a couple of times in the last 12 months and this means I don’t need to grab one as I leave the house. A little while back I also added a tiny battery pack (something like this); it’s not there to charge my phone but if I use one of the cable ties I have in my spares kit I’ve got an option if I manage to arrive at a race with a flat garmin.

As summer is finally approaching I added a ultralight sun hat (as much to keep sweat out of my eyes on hot days) and a dedicated pair of race day sunglasses. I also have a couple of packs of disposable earplugs in here – not for me, but in case I find myself sharing a room with some unfortunate.

In the middle pouch I’ve got a mini pump, spares (separate to the toolkit on the bike just in case), hole punch and running belt (Ideally I’ll have a spare in there but I keep giving them away). I’ve relegated the now 18 month old goggles to my pool swim bag and put two pairs of the same, but shiny new ones in there – minimising the chance of a race day failure and giving me an option if it does occur.

I’ve also started (once they are bone dry) stuffing my tri shoes with brown paper in between races – this makes it easier for me to slip the shoes on in transition as the shoe upper sits more upright and isn’t flattened in the bag. I have a buff (or necktube) in here in case of extreme and unexpected weather of just about any sort, hot or cold, and a small microfibre towel. I have my transition mat neatly folded on the top of the pile as it’s usually what comes out first. Thinking about, I really ought to run that through the washing machine as it’s covered in gel dribble from discarded tubes, which is a bit grim and crunchy.

I had to remove assorted socks, several thousand swim hats and the remainder of a decent number of race day packs that had accumulated over the last season.

Each spares kit (one on the bike, one in the bag) has an inner tube, a patch kit, a co2 inflator and 2 co2 cartridges, 2 tyre levers, a couple of cable ties and a small multitool.

I’ve bought a massive amount of nutrition – all the gels I think I need over the year and a few of the energy bars I got on well with; I’ve also started seriously using electrolyte powders as I think I blew up in an important race last year due to low sodium. I’m training with all of the above so my body gets used to it and although I’m not lugging the entire box about I have an emergency stash in the bag. I’ll fill two bottles with electrolyte the night before the race and leave them alongside the bag.

I have bodyglide anti chafe balm, compeed blister plasters, ibuprofen and paracetamol. Possibly most importantly I’ve made sure I’ve got suncream.

Finally I have carefully rolled my race day wetsuit and slid it into the bottom pouch on the bag.

Assuming I dress wearing run shoes, trisuit and jumper, all I have left to remember is the bag itself and my helmet. Surely not even I would get that wrong?

Please share below if there’s something surprising that has made itself an essential part of your race kit. I’ve got an Olympic on Sunday and I’m happy to try something new out!