Triathlete Magazine’s Gear Bag

Triathlete editor Brad Culp and senior editor Jay Prasuhn review an assortment of the latest and greatest gear available for triathletes.

Oakley Radar Antifreeze $195
Making its debut at the Tour de France, the limited-run Radar Antifreeze features an iridescent green frame that looks, well, like antifreeze fluid. Its jade iridium lens yields truer color recognition during road-riding conditions, particularly in bright sunlight. Available in a standard path lens and in the new XL version, with a taller nosebridge and greater upper lens coverage, it’s ideal for time trialists and triathletes looking up the road in aerobars. Oakley.com

Zipp Cork Composite Brake Pads $75
What could Zipp possibly  to jazz up plain old–but still awesome for their heat dispersion capability–cork brake shoes? How about redesign the shape? Zipp improved stopping power in the dry by adding more material to the front of the pad, and in the wet by flaring the aft of the pad, so that water is plowed away from the braking surface. Zipp.com

Ritchey WCS 4-Axis Wet White Stem, $130
Mmm, white … is black too passé for your style? Ritchey offers its ultra-strong (forged 2014 alloy) WCS stem in a glossy white that adds style to a piece of four-bolt, 31.8mm diameter substance. Ritcheylogic.com

Giro Prolight $200
Giro debuted the superlight Prolight at the first mountain stage at the Tour de France in July. Busting the sub-200 gram barrier at 175g, the Prolight features a new Roc Loc SL fit system and keeps your noggin cool with 25 vents and deep internal channels. It will be available in four colors next spring. Giro.com

PowerBar Protein Bites $2.79/packet
Studies have shown that supplementing carb intake with protein can optimize lean muscle building during training. To that end, PowerBar has introduced Protein Bites that deliver 20 grams of PowerBar’s own protein blend, supplying a steady dose of amino acids in an on-the-go package that fits easily in your bike jersey pocket. Each re-sealable package has a personalized usage chart that helps determine your optimal protein intake for your weight and goals. Available in chocolate and oatmeal raisin. Powerbar.com

Pearl Izumi P.R.O. Black Star Jersey $120 and Bibshort $165
The result of secretive testing in Pearl Izumi’s Speed Shop and developed in conjunction with, and ridden at the Tour de France by,the Slipstream road squad, the limited-edition Black Star kit applies aero elements to a daily training kit with an anatomic fit, clean seams and a special Transfer Aero fabric, while maintaining day-long comfort with an anatomic 4D chamois. Pearlizumi.com

Eco Sport Steel Bottle $20
In an effort to keep it green, USAT-endorsed Eco Sport endeavors to spare the environment from plastic bottle waste within a sport that sees copious amounts of fluids ingestion, and thus bottle waste. The new EcoSteel is a lightweight, dishwasher-safe bottle that holds 27oz of hot or cold fluids. The company says it is the only FDA-approved stainless steel bottle on the market. The EcoSteel also uses non-toxic, lead-free paint in its painted version. It’s available with a twist top or sport top (both lead-free), and is contoured to fit in bottle cages. Ecosportsbottle.com

Injinji Ex-Celerator Compression Socks $38
We dare you to go on your worst run and come back with blisters; it’s impossible. We can attest to the sheer comfort and general awesomeness endurance runners have experienced with Injinji toe socks with their ability to knock out friction, and thus blisters. Now they come to market with their first compression sock, with four-level gradient compression from calf to ankle, making for a great training and travel for recovery. Injinji.com