Reviewed: Fitbit Sense Smartwatch
Jam-packed with sensors, Fitbit’s latest has a lot of data, but is any of it useful to triathletes? We break it down.
Chris Foster is the editor-in-chief of Triathlete magazine and a former pro ITU/short-course triathlete. After a collegiate running career at Penn State University, where he was a part of the school record-setting distance medley relay with a 4:01 mile leg, Foster represented the U.S. national team at the ITU Elite Triathlon World Championships in 2010.
Today he lives in Los Angeles with his wife where he tends to a small flock of chickens, runs the nearby hills, and swims in the Pacific when it gets a little bit too hot.
Favorite Race: La Paz ITU Continental Cup, La Paz Argentina
Favorite Quote: “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow! What a Ride!'”
— Hunter S. Thompson
Favorite Triathlete story: “Never Get Out Of The Boat: An Ötillö Catalina Race Report”
Jam-packed with sensors, Fitbit’s latest has a lot of data, but is any of it useful to triathletes? We break it down.
This week we talk to bike shop owner and master fitter Jon Blyer about three new tri bikes, UCI rules, and what it's like owning a business during the pandemic.
Because short-course training requires less mileage and less time spent swimming, biking, and running, supplemental work—like strength training and consistent benchmark testing—is essential.
What do you get when you mix mysterious wealthy Nazi sympathizers, an abandoned utopian nightmare, and some of the most expensive real estate in the country? A spooky story that could only exist in L.A.
We help break down the alphabet soup of helmet certifications.
Despite the small price tag, this watch is an absolute category killer with pretty much everything a triathlete needs to train and race.
Orbea's newly updated version of the Ordu has been a long time coming—finally we get some superbike features on a well-loved tri bike.
As the weather slowly starts to turn, reach for a pair of trail-looking shoes that’ll take the muck but still run strong through the spring.
With a ton of new smartwatches popping up this year, triathletes are able to get more for less. We break down what to get (and what to avoid) in training and lifestyle smartwatches.
The second week in October has traditionally been triathlon’s unofficial Interbike, but there’s more behind the missing gear than just an event cancellation.
The new Asics Dynablast might be light on flashy features, but we take a quick peek at why this is a notable offering in today's shoe market.
Shimano's latest update to their high-end road cycling shoe, the S-Phyre RC-902, has an updated heel cup and upper design, along with some tri-related features.
The third episode of our new gear podcast takes us underwater for a look at some very clever swim tech and an inside peek at the mind of OnCourse goggles' inventor, Peter Monahan.
As racing slowly sputters back to a start this fall, pro triathletes are forming last-minute, ad hoc fields at small races like the Bear Lake Brawl—the first prize purse on U.S. soil since the beginning of the pandemic.
Can Apple's new budget-friendly watch work for triathletes? Senior editor Chris Foster shares his initial impressions.
The gap between Garmin’s all-in smartwatch and the rest of its line is getting thinner and thinner with this long-awaited update to the 700 series.
A new model from Argon is lighter, lower, and disc-ier than what they’ve had in the past—this was a surprisingly successful upgrade that accomplished more than advertised.
We unbox the Garmin Forerunner 745 — the latest music-storing watch that's a lightweight, mapless version of the deluxe Forerunner 945, for $100 less.
Hyperice gives a techy upgrade to their already notoriously quiet and feature-filled percussive device.
For a very very long time, Quintana Roo has been all about the tri, but the original tri wetsuit brand has branched outside of their tri bike line to include a slick new road steed, the SRfive.
We take a look at a new Bluetooth upgrade to Hyperice’s percussive device line.
Elite's new Sterzo Smart Block allows indoor riders to steer their front end and get virtual feedback in Zwift. We check it out.
We look at a pair of sports headphones that are supposed to help increase safety with some very cool new tech.
We pit two nearly pocket-sized percussive massagers against each other too see who vibes best.
JBL + Under Armour's Flash X headphones last forever and are effectively waterproof—they also have two big features meant to keep you safe.
A new player in the compact percussive devices game is cheaper, smaller, and quieter than anything else out there. But is it better?
Addaday's new BioZoom Jr. is one of the smallest, quietest, and least-expensive percussive devices on the market. We unbox the BioZoom Jr. and take a look at how it stacks up.
Tri bikes aren’t for everybody, so we look at a wide range of road bike options that work well for tri training or racing.
Specialized’s Roubaix Comp is the comfort-at-all-costs bike that could make a good long-course road/tri bike for the right person with a few adjustments.
Though Ventum has made a name for itself as an unconventional tri bike brand, their new, seemingly traditional road bike rides like they’ve been in the drop-bar game for years.
Value reigns supreme—as always—with Canyon’s high-end race-ready carbon beast. The Speedmax CF SLX 8.0 SL might be a mouthful, but it’ll get you to T2 ready to run.
With one of the first major-branded multisport events taking place a couple of weeks ago at Ötillö’s Swimrun Engadin, we talk to Ötillö’s founder Michael Lemmel to get a glimpse into our pandemic triathlon future.
A new two-piece tri suit from Italian cycling clothing brand, Giordana, has plenty of interesting features, making it a unique choice for triathletes.
Though not as inexpensive as its predecessor, the P2, Cervelo’s new P-Series borrows some very slick trickle down tech to give tons of tri-value.
Giordana's new FR-C Pro Tri Doppio Suit ticks all of the boxes for what you'd want in a new suit and adds a few features we never even thought about.
Our 2020 tri bike review buyer's guide rates and compares eight new(ish) tri bikes with a big list of criteria to help you decide which one is right for your style, comfort-level, wallet, and racing distance.
This budget direct-to-consumer complete bike is a great jumping off point for beginners and intermediate triathletes. We break down why it might also not be the sweet spot you think.
The Ventum Z will get triathletes onto a race-ready non-double-diamond bike for far less than $4K—proving itself to be the budget long-course heir apparent for unconventional thinkers.
TriRig’s Omni is the epitome of the unconventional and all-out-aero non-double-diamond setup. It’s not the bike for everyone, but it’s perfect for some.
Almost like one of those exotic cars you rarely see out on the road, Ceepo’s bikes are elusive and unique.
Not all long runs start and end the same—we look at the best running clothes and accessories for unpredictable summer adventures at any altitude.
Few changes? Few problems. This well-loved pair of lightweight trainers/long-course racers from Hoka gets a tiny update in the Rincon 2 that fans will mildly love but won’t impress haters.
We put in the miles and dig deep to see if Polar’s new Grit X is a good choice for triathletes.
The days of max cushioning socks for triathletes are gone, may the best ultralight sock win!
What the heck are tubeless tires anyway? We break down tubeless for triathletes A to Z and give a few of our tire and accessory picks.
Hoka's new Rincon 2 mirrors last year's version—with the exception of a slightly updated upper—but that might be a good thing.
New Balance gets squish-plus-support right in their new FuelCell Prism lightweight trainer.
It’s a brave new world, and as pools reopen and open water becomes a little less like a polar challenge, there are a few key pieces of gear you’ll need to help you get back in the water.
We go above and beyond the standard product review to really see how well Quintana Roo’s newly updated bike holds up.
BlueSeventy's new Helix backpack is a massive black hole for triathletes who might love their stuff but who don't love organizing every little thing.
We take a look at some of the best running shirts for the summer when the heat and humidity start to rise.
New Balance's latest offering, the FuelCell Prism, is a bouncy ball of cushy foam with some decent stability chops and some fun tri-friendly details.
Virtual racing is one of the best options for triathletes this year looking to compete against others or themselves. We give tips and break down the gear you need to succeed (virtually).
A spike in cases across Texas causes Ironman to pull the plug on this Sunday’s scheduled event at the last minute.
With safeguards in place, roughly 1,000 participants are registered to race on June 28—despite a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in both Texas and locally in Lubbock.
Garmin has added a few software and hardware updates to its already jam-packed, smartphone wannabe, the Edge 1030 Plus.
We look at the Roll Recovery R3 foot roller, an off-kilter foot roller that does more than just hush your pups.
More carbon for less cash in this battle between three budget aftermarket hoops. Where should you slap down your well-earned cash? We’ll tell you.
With a big boom in tri-suit tech, many of this year's race kits have more features than a luxury car.
We review the Castelli PR Speed Suit as part of our 2020 race kit roundup.
We review the Runderwear Men’s Triathlon Suit as part of our 2020 race kit roundup.
We review the Zone 3 Aeroforce-X as part of our 2020 race kit roundup.
The new-to-us foot Roll Recovery R3 foot roller is the Swiss Army preventative therapy tool triathletes should be reaching for.
Deluxe neoprene gets a minor makeover with Roka’s top-of-the-line Maverick X2.
Our two testers each pitted three wetsuits against each other for an epic showdown of rubber. Read on to see who floated to the top.
The Archer D1x Trail wireless shifting system is made for MTB, but adventurous triathletes could use it to upgrade their existing rear shifter for less.
With tons of aftermarket wheels available, we rode, tested, and reviewed nine of this year’s hottest carbon hoops.
We review the Enve Foundation 65 Disc Wheel as part of our 2020 wheel roundup.
We review the HED Vanquish GP6 Disc Wheel as part of our 2020 wheel roundup.
We review the Specialized Roval Rapide CLX Disc as part of our 2020 wheel roundup.
We review the DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT 62 Disc Wheel as part of our 2020 wheel roundup.
We review the Hunt 54 UD Carbon Spoke Disc Wheel as part of our 2020 wheel roundup.
We review the Ron Aeron X Disc Wheel as part of our 2020 wheel roundup.
The new Aeron X disc from Polish wheel brand Ron is a great setup: lightweight, disc-brake ready, tubeless-compatible, and best of all cheap.
Nuun has gone all in with a start-to-finish line of nutrition that is basically made for the long/intense workouts that triathletes love. But is it any good?
As we put in more running miles in 2020, it might be time to splurge on some new bottoms. Our experts check out spring 2020’s best men’s and women’s running shorts.
This fine-tuning session is the last effort ahead of this weekend's Challenge.
Nuun's new Podium Series introduces a full line of nutritional products that's targeted to triathletes working out harder and longer that regular gym goers.
We check out the Theragun Mini—a tiny, quieter version of the Theragun that could finally get more triathletes into percussive massage.
As we start to head outside to ride, there are more cycling safety devices than ever to help keep you safe.
Ever tried a fartlek? There's no time like the present.
Therabody's new Theragun Mini is smaller, cheaper, and lighter than most other percussive massagers we've seen. We take a look at the sleek new toy.
An unconventional design could be just the thing triathletes need. We look at Hunt’s ultra-affordable (but lightweight) carbon-spoked wheels.
As restrictions begin to lift and temperatures (finally) begin to rise, people will surely hit the roads and bike paths en masse. Avoid the crowds and point your toes off road with the best trail shoes to take you there in spring 2020.
Get ready to ramp up the intensity with this week's Challenge run workout from coach Ryan Bolton.
Hunt's new 54 UD carbon-spoked wheelset is cheap, light, aero, and will definitely turn heads in transition. Check out the new category killer from the UK.
Hoka’s newest release is a light-ish midweight trainer with soft-but-springy foam. Though it’s got the Cifton name, there’s not much here Clifton fans will recognize.
We review the Nike Windshield Elite as part of our hottest sunglasses of 2020 roundup.
As temperatures begin to climb (and restrictions begin to lift), it’s time to get back outside.
As gyms slowly reopen, you may still not feel comfortable hitting the weight room—do one better and set up that dream gym in your home.