The Weirdest Things Triathletes Carry in Their Transition Bags

This article originally appeared on Triathlete

When we posted on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram channels last week that we were giving away transition bags from Orca and Huub in exchange for you telling us the weirdest thing you had in your triathlon bag, we knew there were going to be some…interesting responses. But things got really freaky, really fast – and honestly, we’re here for it. Triathletes do weird things, after all, and weird things, require weird equipment.

So what are your fellow triathletes carrying in their backpacks? Well, let’s take a look at your responses on social media.

RELATED: The Best Triathlon Bags of 2022

Nutrition

“A long forgotten banana. Has since been removed but wow, what an experience to find that. 🍌”

“A jar of pickles!”

Maple syrup.

“Probably all my used Gu packets for the simple hope that one day… I may recycle them properly. 🙃”

“10 EUR for ice cream. 😂”

“Lactose pills”

“1 stale and hardened chew that I keep in there because you just never know when you’ll be desperate.”

“Mustard packets”

“Mushed Aussie Bites. Still edible 😉”

“Toothpicks, Swedish fish, Skittles.”

“Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets.”

Skincare

“Face serum. 😀”

“An old lip balm.”

Fashion sense

“Bunny slippers!”

“Wet socks 🤢”

“Blackout sleep mask. Always prepared to catch some extra 💤...”

“A smaller transition bag!”

Smart Solutions

“Zip ties and duct tape... just in case.”

“The second bag inside for shopping at the expo. 😍”

“Dog treats. For when the puppers come spectate!”

“Toilet paper 🙌”

“Baby shampoo to prevent goggles from fogging up 😅”

“Mine has to be my sharpie, as when it’s next to my Vaseline and goggles, it looks like I’m going to a very strange party. 😂”

“Duct tape. You never know when you'll need it.”

“Dog poop bags.”

“Shower cap.”

“Chalk, so I can draw some kind of symbol by my bike. If the race has grass transition areas, uh, well…”

In case of emergency

“A headlamp, jellybeans, eyeliner.”

“Needle and thread.”

“Clothespins!”

“Dryer sheets!”

“Bronchodilator 💨(just in case) cuz It Ain’t Easy Being Wheezy 🤷🏻‍♂️”

“Rubber bands”

“Baby wipes! I don’t have a baby though 😶‍🌫️”

“Prayer beads. Got them as a present. Forgot they were in the bag. Definitely effective against flats.”

"’Extra’ goggles that I don't like but can't throw away because what if??”

“Cable ties.”

Safety first?

“Vaseline! As a big guy, chafing used to always be a major problem. But a friend turned me on to Vaseline and it has cured all my woes! 🤣🤙”

“Definitely canola oil in case I decide to do some cooking on the fly, or I could use it in my races 🤷‍♂️”

“I just went and checked, I got latex glove 😃”

“Condom, because you never know… 🤣🤣🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️”

“Chiclets and condoms. Don’t ask!”

Honestly, we don’t even know where to file these…

“An unchecked lottery ticket.”

“Business card. 😂😂😂”

“Sunglasses without lenses.”

“Pittsburgh pickle pin for good luck!”

“A golf ball.”

“A rubber duck.”

“The lock I use at the YMCA pool – forgot to take it out – not much use in the transition area!”

Congratulations to Erica C. of Southern Pines, NC (whose bag contains a “McDonald's kid toy”) and Kyle M. of Kansas City, MO (“Jar of peanut butter”) – their names were selected in our random drawing for this giveaway. Enjoy your new triathlon bags, and don’t forget to keep it weird. For our next giveaway, we’ve got a new Roka wetsuit for one lucky Team Triathlete member – join Team Triathlete today to find out how you could win!

RELATED: Six Times Triathlon Weirdly Got Mainstream Attention

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