Top 20 triathlon buys of 2020
It wasn't the season any of us were hoping for, but during 2020 tri’s designers continued to serve up cutting-edge kit on a weekly basis. Here are 220’s top 20 products of 2020
01. WATTBIKE NEXT GEN ATOM
£1,899
More refinement than complete overhaul, but there’s much to celebrate in the slicker and more productive Atom of 2020. The resistance unit has been upgraded for more precise movement through the gears, while the flywheel and crank-angle sensors now generate data 1,000 times per second – twice that of the original – and power range is extended from 2,000 to 2,500 watts.
Read our full review of the WattBike Next Generation Atom here
02. ORCA ALPHA
£549
The Alpha is Orca’s top-end ‘ Natural Swimmers’ wetsuit, aimed at ‘floaters’ rather than ‘sinkers’. The Alpha has some of the best flexibility around, especially for the all-important shoulder rotation, stroke distance and for easy T1 removal.
- Buy from Sigma Sports
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£54.99
The Triban RC500 winter jacket is an absolute bargain of a winter bike jacket – thick enough to keep you warm when the temperature drops to freezing and below, while doing a fine job of regulating body temperatures on long training rides. Plenty of pockets and even a snood/neck warmer on the inside collar add to the appeal
04 FORM SMART GOGGLES
£156
Previously aimed squarely at pool swimmers, a major firmware update by Form has revamped the Smart goggles with an open-water mode that tells you time and stroke rate without a watch. The result is one of the most useful tech innovations for triathletes since the dawn of the GPS watch
Read our review of the Form Smart goggles here
£380
Aussies 2XU once again topped many of our wetsuit tests this year. The Propel is 2XU’s most buoyant suit, thanks to its 39-cell 5mm front panel, and they’ve got their ratios spot on. The ‘Rollbar’ provides extra core control, supporting swimming without feeling unbalanced even as fatigue sets in.
£275
Going into 2020, Zone3 had yet to create a truly leading aero tri-suit. That all changed with the Aeroforce X, complete with dimpled sleeves, pinstripes and a close-to-the-skin fit. The hydrophobic material scores aquatic points and, on the road, the input from aero specialists Nopinz reaped the rewards – it led the way with Endura in our own wind tunnel tests.
- Buy from SwimInn
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07 MAVIC COSMIC SL ULTIMATE KONA
£299
At 239g, the Kona tri bike shoes are crazily light. The Hawaii look is matched by impressive performance – the full-carbon outsole is one of the stiffest around, which equates to optimised power transfer. Neat-looking outsole mesh vents add breathability and drain water. mavic.com
- Buy from Sigma Sports
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08 HUUB AURA
£140
Huub’s mid-range Aura is a classy tri-suit, boasting breathable Italian fabric and Coldblack tech to reflect heat and UV rays. There’s an instant quality feel and the zip is superior: sturdy, with a large toggle for speed. Its race-fit feels supportive, even though there’s zero lining, and in action there’s no shoulder ache nor chafing.
09 POLAR GRIT X
£379
£379
Polar’s return to form continues with this superb watch aimed at rugged outdoor adventurers. There’s a Run Hill Splitter option that automatically detects when you’re ascending and descending, and the FuelWise feature that tells you when and how much to fuel, with all data maximised later in the impressive Polar Flow App
Read our review of the Polar Grit X here
$14.99
Sufferfest upped its game in 2020 to offer an immersive and competitive alternative to Zwift and TrainerRoad. It offers structured training personalised to your fitness, tri training plans and footage of racing in iconic destinations. All delivered with the unique ‘Sufferlandrian’ sense of humour.
- Buy from thesufferfest.com
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£90
Long, endurance runs were the theme of our summer (and winter) and the Gecko Vest was a mighty companion. Situated on the side, the 500ml bottles feel easier to carry and are simple to access, while the multiple pockets are roomy enough for all your essentials.
12 ARK KORP
£285
The Korp is Ark’s mid-range swimrun suit, and the first thing you notice is just how light it is. So it’s brilliant for running in (as brilliant as any wetsuit can be on land), which gives a big advantage on the run sections of swimrun races. The suit comes with removable neoprene arm sleeves for when you need extra thermal protection
Find out more about swimrun, including training plans, in our swimrun section
13 SELLE ITALIA CARBONIO SUPERFLOW
£240
You’ll have to fork out a huge amount if you want the same saddle as two-time Ironman world champ Patrick Lange. Yet we think the Superflow is worth the spend. Weighing 203g, there’s more padding than you’d expect from a saddle this light, with a sizeable central channel for pressure relief.
14 PARCOURS STRADE
£999
This new full carbon wheelset was subjected to countless hours of R&D, starting with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis to design a disc brake, tubeless-ready wheel optimised for 28mm tyres and refined in the wind tunnel. The 56mm depth is no problem in crosswinds, they roll smoothly and they’re fairly light at 1,520g.
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15 SCOTT KINABALU ULTRA RC 2.0
£140
The Kinabalu Ultras tip the scales at a lean 270g (for trail shoes) and, for a shoe with an ‘ultra’ tag, they instantly feel nimble. The responsiveness is due to a combo of Scott’s Kinetic midsole foam and an aggressive outsole traction, while the rock plate in the midsole heightens the versatility. Pricey, though.
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16 DHB HYDRON
£110
The Hydron 2.0 is a budget suit that’s very hard to fault. The construction is durable, the fit true to size and the buoyancy is surprisingly moderate for an entry-level suit thanks to the 3mm thickness on the hips and 2.5mm on the thighs. The zip’s a standard bottom-up affair, while removal is swift thanks to the calf panels.
17 SWIM FOR TRI TRAINING AID
£8
Instead of stuffing paper under a bottle with your set written on, why not just have it on the bottle? SFT’s 750ml ‘Intelligent’ bottle does just that, with warm-ups, six main sets and cool-downs printed on, varying between 2.8km-4km per session.
18 TRI-FIT EVO
£179
The Evo is an outstanding package from Aussie brand. The suit is comfortable, the pad is great for long-distance races, and the focus on aerodynamics across the shoulders, back and arms doesn’t inhibit flexibility. Pocket space is amongst the best, too.
19 QUINTANA ROO PRSIX 2
£9,895
The changes made on the PRsix2 are evolutionary rather than a complete overhaul, with the frame weight
brought down by 10%. The result is a refined ride feel, multiple tri-specific accessories and huge adjustability. If
you want one of the most advanced tri bikes on the market, this one is very
hard to fault.
Read our full review of the Quintana PRsix2 here
£105
We were largely underwhelmed with Hoka’s 2020 releases (see the TenNine, Clifton Edge and Clifton 7), but the Rincon 2 bucked that trend, and then some, with a road shoe that encapsulates all that’s good about Hoka. There’s support and forward propulsion from the Meta-Rocker, and also nimbleness from the lean 218g weight.
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220 Triathlon Team
Journalists, reviewers, coaches and athletes 
