2018 Holiday Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers

Just because these toys aren’t swim-, bike- or run-specific, it doesn’t mean the triathlete in your life isn’t coveting one of these this holiday season. Whether it’s an awesome GPS watch, a pair of cool-looking and high-performing sunglasses or even just a special training and racing treat, you can’t go wrong with these choices this holiday season.

ClifBar Hot Chocolate and Spiced Pumpkin Pie – $1.69, BAR

Renowned for its tasty, nutritious and easily digested bars, ClifBar has long been a mainstay for triathletes during training and racing. With 70 per cent organic ingredients and 23 vitamins and minerals, you’re getting lots of healthy energy inside each tasty bar that’s made with organic rolled oats and is a great source of protein and fibre. For those who love pumpkin pie, the seasonal Spiced Pumpkin Pie Bar is a must, while the Hot Chocolate bar tastes like a fresh-baked brownie you can take along with you for your next workout.

Continental Competition Tubular – $175

While the industry is steadily turning to clincher and tubeless wheels these days, there are still more than a few diehards who aren’t willing to give up their tubular tires quite yet. While gluing tubulars to a rim can be both time consuming and messy, there’s still a lot to be said for the ride you’ll enjoy on a high-end tubular tire. Continental Competition tubulars have long been the choice of the world’s top pro triathletes and cyclists because of their excellent reputation for offering comfort, performance, puncture protection and low rolling resistance. The Vectran puncture protection insert will give you a bit more ease of mind as you head out of T1, while the BlackChili Compound rubber used in the tire provides excellent grip and will get you through a surprising number of miles.

Picky Bars Cookie Doughpness – $40, CASE OF 10

You know that a company started by a pair of elite athletes (Ironman champion Jesse Thomas and elite runner Lauren Fleshman) is going to offer up performance-oriented products, but that’s hardly the only reason you’ll enjoy the new Cookie Doughpness bar from the company. Featuring all-natural ingredients like dates, rice protein and sea salt, the 4:1 carb-to-protein ratio in this great-tasting bar helps you replenish muscle glycogen during training, racing and recovery.

Zwift Academy

Zwift has taken the indoor training world by storm over the last few years. Now, there’s more to do than just ride with (and race, if you’re so inclined) athletes from around world. Zwift is offering an eight-week training camp that puts cyclists (and triathletes) of all levels together for social rides and training sessions put together by pro coaches.

Subaru Outback 3.6R – FROM $37,795

Subaru has been the largest sponsor of the sport in Canada for over 20 years, so it comes as no surprise that you see lots of Subaru vehicles at races across the country. The title sponsor of all the Ironman events in Canada is renowned for being, well, just like an Ironman athlete – tough, high-performing and always pushing the limits. The Outback 3.6R offers a nutty amount of power in a roomy and plush station wagon that can also take on the toughest of terrain and is a dream to drive in winter, thanks to the all-wheel drive and high clearance. You’ll have no problem getting all your gear into the back, either making this a tri- athlete’s dream car. Of course, you’re not getting this sucker into a stocking, but the keys will fit just fine.

Suunto 9 – $650

While Garmin rules the roost when it comes to market share in GPS watches, you’re likely to see a lot of Suunto watches on the wrists of triathletes these days, too. The latest multisport GPS watch from the Swedish company is the 9, which offers up to 120 hours of continuous exercise tracking. Like the Spartan series, the 9 is extremely durable and offers all the data you could want or need in just about any sport or activity you can think of. This is a watch that will help you excel in your workouts, while also serving as a helpful companion on other extreme adventures, too.

Oakley Jawbreaker Splatterfade collection – $268

If the already-cool Jawbreaker frame from Oakley doesn’t make you stand out enough, the Splatterfade version might just do the trick. The hand-crafted splashes of colour offer a unique look to these high- performance glasses that come with all the high-performance features we’re used to seeing in Oakley glasses in a frame that makes it really easy to switch out lenses. The Prizm lenses are specially designed for triathlon training and racing, enhancing visibility and maximizing contrast so you’ll see even the subtlest contours of the road or trail.

Smith Reverb Sunglasses – $200

These medium-fit sunglasses from Smith are feature-packed to ensure you’ll get the most out of your biking and running, all while looking good, too. The TR90 frame material is extremely light, while the hydrophilic temple and two-position nose pads ensure you get a secure, comfortable fit, no matter how much you sweat along the way. The Chromapop lenses (you even get an extra Contrast Rose Flash lens for darker days) use a 7×4 toric lens curvature that provides excellent contrast and colour differentiation, and have a hydrophobic coating, too. TR90 frame material

Bollé Shifter – $300

Inspired by Bollé’s Chronoshield, the Shifter offers lots of style packed with lots of high-tech features to provide the ultimate training experience. The curved temples and vented lens ensure you get lots of comfortable coverage while you’re biking or running. The Phantom lens uses NXT, a material that provides excellent visual acuity and uses a photochromic filter to adapts to light, so you’ll see clearly in a variety of lighting conditions