More triathlon gear tests than any other website. EXPERT REVIEWS of the latest and best tri kit, including bikes, running shoes, wetsuits and clothing.
Light boxes may be better known for helping those afflicted with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), but athletes can also benefit from their use by helping them improve mood through the winter months with daily exposure of just 40mins. Lumie, leaders in light box technology, offer up the Pharos Compact as a keenly priced unit that […]
Using motion-sensors, the Pool-Mate records your entire swim session, storing information about how many lengths you’ve done (invaluable if you often lose count), your pace per 100m, stroke rate, calorie-burn and efficiency, without you needing to press any buttons during your swim. You only need to hit ‘Start’ at the beginning and ‘Stop’ at the […]
With the possible exception of watching someone else train, few things in life are as boring as riding a turbo. But Rick Kiddle – a top tri coach since the early nineties – is hoping to combine those two negatives to form one positive biking experience. He’s banking on his ride up the Col du […]
Shimano proudly claim that some of the world’s leading triathletes helped them design their WT51 shoe – and it shows. This shoe boasts both funk and function: the super stiff yet light carbon-fibre sole offers good support to the foot and aids pedaling efficiency, while its sleek good looks mean anyone wearing them looks the […]
This emerging brand from Denmark prides itself on its high-performance sports apparel for triathlon, cycling and running. Their compression range utilises Invista’s Power Lycra, a stronger version of classic Lycra, allowing a compressive effect to be easily applied to the body. Fusion’s latest compression offering, the Power Compression tights, use a panelled design to provide […]
Maximuscle and its Promax range is synonymous with protein. It’s always gone down well with us before, but how does this new flavour – choc and mint (908g tub) – measure up? Weighing in at 120kcals per serving, it’s relatively lightweight compared to its competition in this category. But, for a 70kg male, one serving […]
Normally associated with Wimbledon, tennis rackets and sports clothing, Slazenger has recently launched the S1 Hypotonic, marketed as a fluid replacement drink and coming in two flavours: orange and mixed berry. Hypotonic means the fluid in question has a lower concentration (or osmolality) than plain water or isotonic drinks. This allows for faster absorption into […]
Mavic and Zipp are usually the first names to spring from people’s lips when they’re talking about aero wheels. But while that pair may have the highest profile, they are far from the only stalls in the deep-section marketplace. FSA isn’t exactly a newcomer to that market but is hoping its K-Force wheels will help […]
The Knog may be the most style conscious of the panniers we’ve tested, with discreet yet distinct design touches, but it’s not without substance. Its main compartment is large enough to take clothes, tools and food, plus there’s a padded pouch for a laptop and/or documents, with another mesh pouch on top of that for […]
Dawes is often seen as a byword for affordable, no-frills kit. But a product has to do more than simply be a bargain to be any good. Not that the Dawes pannier is a disaster; it’s just you get the impression that they’re hoping its low price will give it a bit more leeway in […]
The Yamaska may not be as tough as the Carradice CarraDry but it does use the same Rixen Kaul fixing system to clip to your bike. It makes for a solid binding, and the neat design means it remains rigid and rattle free over cobbles, kerbs and potholes. It’s also smaller, but this means there’s […]
At first glance the Outeredge seems a basic little brute, but look closer and you find it has some neat tricks up its sleeve. It shares the same tough, waterproof PVC as the Carradice CarraDry on its front and back, while the plastic-coated fabric on the sides are similar to the AGU Yamaska 435. The […]
Compared to the largely understated black offerings available these days, the silver CarraDry is the loudest pannier around. But while it may be the most ‘disco’ thanks to its shiny exterior, it’s also the most cavernous, with a maw capable of swallowing a 27-litre load. Two clips and an adjustable hook attach it securely to […]
The Avia 2053 is an intriguing shoe: off the shelf you’d tell yourself they’re rigid and heavy just because of the way they look. But on your feet, you’re going to find that they’re amazingly light and rather spacious. Okay, they’re a little stiffer than some shoes on test but that’s because they’re unquestionably a […]
2009 winners of the 220 Award for Innovative Product of the Year, Newton Shoes are taking the world of triathlon by storm. Basically, their shoes encourage you to run up on your toes, working to the theory that runners who do so run more quickly. Of course, such bold thinking creates plenty of argument, but […]
The first thing we noticed with the Paramount 2s was the amount of support around the middle of the foot. Sadly, this was counteracted with the rigid ride underneath the heel, which we’ve never experienced with Saucony before. The end result is a well-cushioned, flexible shoe up front that offers some decent support, coupled with […]
Triathletes who have run in Puma shoes in the last half a decade will know that they tend to provide a hard ride. There are fans of this style, but our testing team know that such a ride is, more often than not, unpopular. It appears Puma has concluded exactly that with this shoe. The […]
This is a light training shoe built on a narrower last, which means a couple of things: it lends itself to pacier workouts and the shoe encourages you to get up on your toes. In terms of support the Wave Precision is well cushioned in the forefoot, but they do feel significantly harder under the […]
These are without doubt among the lightest training shoes on the market. But, importantly, the weight-saving doesn’t appear to be at the loss of any cushioning or too much support. Nike tends to come up with softer shoes (see the Nike Free) and these are no exception, although there’s a hard feel underneath the instep. […]
Likely to appeal to neutral runners who tend to run on their toes, the Stratus 3 is the kind of shoe that you can put on straight out of the box and hit the tarmac. They provide good cushioning, a snug fit and acceptable flexibility. They don’t shout and wave; they just, in an understated […]
Cushioned, responsive and supportive, these shoes are for triathletes with mild to moderate pronation. Running in that category has, until recently, meant enduring a stiffer, non-responsive shoe. But, thankfully – excuse the pun – change is afoot, with the Trance 9 a top-of-the-range option. Key areas such as breathability and grip are both acceptable, making […]
Straight out of the box you know that these are a stable, robust shoe that are designed for high mileage. When you put them on, what you’ve got is a solid but not restrictive feel that does a great job of soaking up the miles. Designed for runners who require moderate stability, there’s plenty of […]
Thanks to the great man Dave’s history in Hawaii and the heritage of this fabled US brand, the name Scott has long been synonymous with triathlon. In terms of performance, these provide a solid, hard ride. While there are softer shoes about not everybody enjoys such a cushioned feel. We’d argue that they’re a touch […]
This recreational heart rate monitor from Polar, the forefathers of this type of technology, is solid, lightweight and a good all-round performer. This package includes the G1 GPS unit, like the Polar RS800CX, but we do wonder why anyone but the most data-hungry would stump up the difference. This watch supplies a wide range of […]
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