Looking for the best triathlon transition bag to take on your next adventure?
Ideally, you would want to find something that can hold your gear for swimming, biking, running, and all the other things that keep you safe. Transition bags or triathlon bags are a type of non-essential gear that can make your triathlon much easier. At its core, transition bags are duffel bags specifically designed for triathlons.
A good transition bag could be a game-changer on race day. Besides, it’s great to be organized and have all your items in a centralized location. Even if you’re not racing, the best transition bag can help you keep everything organized (and dry) as you go about your training.
You could certainly choose your gym duffle for race day. But if you plan on making serious headways into the sport, invest in a transition bag. Besides having more space than your typical gym bag, transition bags are designed to fit specific gear that you would be using during race day, such as your electronics, wet suit, and wallet.
Things to Look for in a Triathlon Transition Bag
Make sure to evaluate your triathlon bag for the following features:
- It should have multiple compartments to accommodate all types of gear for the activities you will be taking part in. One compartment may be for your bike shoes, another for swimming, and perhaps a compartment for nutrition. This ensures that you can keep all your gear in a place that is safe and closed off. For instance, you don’t want your wet suit next to the electronic items that could get damaged if they get wet.
- The transition bag should come with a waterproof compartment that can prevent the water from a used wetsuit at bay while keeping the other compartment dry.
- A place for your bike helmet. These items can be especially heavy and awkwardly shaped and probably won’t fit into just about any bags that aren’t designed for them.
- The bag should be designed for high visibility so that you can easily find your items without spending too long digging around.
- The best tri bags also have a backpack option that is easy on the shoulder. This way, if your shoulders ever get fatigued (which they probably will), you could easily carry the bag as a backpack to provide instant relief to your shoulders.
The 5 Best Triathlon Transition Bags
1. Blueseventy Transition Bag
Blue Seventy made it to our top five list because it’s a quality product that combines functionality and durability. Although it resembles the appearance of a duffel bag, it has many useful features, including a wetsuit compartment at the bottom so it can drip dry without affecting other items.
A waterproof barrier efficiently keeps the wetsuit partitioned off, and you can continue racing without concerning yourself with your now-dripping wetsuit.
You would also appreciate the helmet carrier and a large number of pockets inside the pack. One of the pockets is nicely padded so that it can carry your sunglasses without destroying them in the process.
The aesthetically pleasing and highly functional transition bag comes with orange accents that stand out. Even if it’s full of gear, you will find that the bag is very comfortable due to the padding and shoulder straps.
Pros
- Comes with shoulder straps
- Has a separate 12-liter waterproof compartment for wet gear
- Comes with cushioned shoulder straps
Cons
- Slightly expensive
- Could have used more mesh pockets
2. ORCA Transition Backpack
The Orca Transition Backpack provides plenty of space thanks to the overabundance of compartments. The compartments can be used to isolate dry and wet equipment so you won’t have to worry about your stuff going bad. It also comes with a special pound for electronics to make sure they stay 100% safe. There is a special compartment for a helmet too.
We appreciate the high visibility of the interior due to the neon green color that makes it easy to find your equipment. Other clever design features include a vertical zipper for easy access to all your items and plenty of pockets to keep everything organized.
Pros
- 50-liter volume
- Flat base that keeps the bag upright
- Pocket for helmet
Cons
- Not cheap
3. Speedo Tri Clops (50L)
The Speedo Tri Clops comes at a whopping 50 liters and is massive. It is ideal for folks who want a capable triathlon bag that can hold their gear. It is worth mentioning that the bag is made by Speedo, a manufacturer known for its high-quality swimming gear. Other than the large 50-liter capacity, we like how the compartments have been nearly organized to carry all the little things from your keys to your body sprays.
The best part is the mesh bottom that can be expanded should you need to pack more stuff. Although the bottom is not waterproof, it should keep your wet gear isolated from your dry gear. A separate compartment provides you space for dirty items. However, it’s not that big, so plan ahead to make sure you can store your dirty gear securely.
Pros
- Large 50-liter capacity
- Good all-purpose bag
Cons
- Could have used a few more expendable pockets and compartments
4. 2XU Transition Bag
The 2XU transition bag comes with a generous central compartment that can store all your race day gear and apparel. It features padded shoulder straps to help you carry it around with ease. There is a waterproof compartment to carry all your wet stuff, along with reflective lettering and stitching for increased visibility to help you find your stuff when you need it.
Like most triathlon bags, the 2XU has many mesh pockets for additional storage should you need them. In total, the 2XY bag is ideal for most triathlon racers.
Pros
- Comfortable with a huge center compartment
- Waterproof compartment to isolate wet stuff from dry stuff
- Interior designed for high visibility
Cons
- Limited options for style
- Pricey
5. TYR Convoy Transition Backpack
The TYR Convoy Transition Bag is one of the biggest triathlon bags on our list. It is massive at nearly 2 and a half feet tall and slightly bulkier. The interior of the bag is framed with metal poles for support and comes with a wet compartment isolated from the rest of the bag. Furthermore, there are two other compartments that can load your running and cycling gear.
There are exterior mesh pockets to help store your water bottles and other small items for easy access. In short, the TYR Elite Convoy has a volume of about 70 liters, which dwarfs the competition.
Pros
- Impressive durability
- 70 liters of capacity
Cons
- Heavy and bulky
- Pricey
Our Final Thoughts
If you’re not concerned with budget and want something that has everything you need, consider the TYR Convoy Transition Backpack. It has massive dimensions and is slightly bulkier, but we believe that it is the best triathlon transition bag for 2021. We really liked the clever design with exterior mesh pockets to store your wallet, phone keys, and water bottles organized and accessible.
With that said, the size of the bag could be its biggest downside. If you’re not planning to carry a ton of stuff with you, we recommend the Blueseventy Transition Bag instead. It’s smaller and gets the job done.
Did you agree with our list? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
