Inside My Gear Bag With Tommy Zaferes
Zaferes let us in on the gear that helps him perform as he chases ITU points around the world.
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American pro Tommy Zaferes, a former Olympic trials swimmer, is usually one of the first men out of the water at any race he enters. Since he came to triathlon in 2010, he’s raced almost exclusively on the ITU draft-legal scene—mainly at the Pan American Cup and World Cup level—and he’s one of the top U.S. contenders for a spot on the 2016 Olympic team. He’s coached by Joel Filliol, who also has top athletes such as Sarah Groff, Helle Frederiksen and Richard Murray on his roster. In January, Zaferes married fellow USAT pro Katie Hursey. Zaferes let us in on the gear that helps him perform as he chases ITU points around the world.
1 Brooks Essential Vest IV ($75) and Pulse Lite Glove II ($25, Brooksrunning.com) “My favorite running apparel—they are perfect for keeping my core and hands warm in the event [it’s so cold] I can see my breath.”
2 ROKA SIM Pro Shorts ($119, Rokasports.com) “They are perfect for preparing for a wetsuit swim, or just making practice easier if I’m not feeling like a boss.”
3 Strokemakers Red Paddles ($14, Swimoutlet.com) “Always on deck with me.”
4 SPY Screw happy lens performance sunglasses ($160, Spyoptic.com) “Since I care about looking as cool as can possibly be (as well as protecting my eyes), these sunglasses are my go-to.”
5 SPY Flair Earbud ($50, Spyoptic.com) “Perfect for airplanes and airports, and they’re fantastic for keeping music in my ears while my form is struggle-festing down the trails.”
6 Endurance Shield Sunscreen ($24, Enduranceshield.com) “I’m not a fan of sunscreen, but this is the athlete’s dream for skin protection. Very light, very effective and smells like the Garden of Eden.”
7 Garmin Forerunner 920XT (From $450, Garmin.com) “Since it’s just one device, it makes it very easy for a simpleton like me to upload every workout and keep my coach current with all my spectacular workout data.”
8 PowerBar products (PowerGel, $1.35; Performance Energy Blasts, $2.19; Harvest Energy Bars, $1.79, Powerbar.com) “I like to squeeze one or two PowerBar gels into my water bottle. That way, by the time I’m done drinking one bottle, I’ve also consumed some extra oompf. The chews are perfect for travel, post-workout calories and bribing toddlers. For bike training, I always take Harvest Energy Bars. I’ll take one for every hour I’m out riding.”
9 Park Tool I-Beam mini fold up hex wrench/screwdriver/star driver set ($17, Parktool.com)
10 Lezyne Carbon Road Drive Hand Pump ($100, Lezyne.com)
11 Brooks Ghost 7 run shoes ($120, Brooksrunning.com) “I’ve been running in Brooks Ghost since I started triathlon in 2010, and I even went to Belgium to a run lab to get my run tested and when the data all came back the best shoe for me was the Ghost (that’s why no one sees me coming)!”
12 ROKA F1 mirror goggles ($25, Rokasports.com)
13 Specialized S-Works Trivent cycling shoes ($400, Specialized.com)