2019-06-01_220_Triathlon

KIT ZONE

June 2019 / / 57

HUUB

CORE ELEMENTS
£139.99 WillHuub’snewbikejacketbea cyclinghit?

T

ri brandshavemaderepeated
attemptsovertheyearsto
crackthecyclingmarket
(largelytolittleavail),butHuub’s
newFellowshipofSpeedcampaign
(drivenbyacclaimedaerodynamicist
DanBigham)is themosttargeted
yet.SowilltheCoreElementsJacket
haveenoughformandfunctionto
winoverthetwo-wheeledcrowd?
Evenif wecan’tpredictthat,for
triathletesthere’splentyofappeal
fortrainingandevenasa jacketfor
duathlonandearly-/late-season
triathlonraces.
WetestedtheCoreElementsona
150kmAprilrideinMallorca,
completewithwind,rain,blazing
sunshine,anda smatteringof
thunderandlightningtoboot.While
wethankfullycan’tvouchforits
protectioninthwartingthelatter,
thewater-resistantfabricheldits
ownina sustaineddelugewithonly
minimal eventual ingress, and

provedsurprisinglybreathabledue

totheleanerunderarmpanels.

Therelaxedlengthandfitofthe

sleeveswon’twinanyaeropoints,

butHuub’s’sArmsNeutraltech

(derivedfromtheirwetsuits)stays

unrestrictiveandcomfy.Thetrioof

rearpocketsis roomyandeasyto

access,whilethesiliconehemkept

thefabricinplacethroughout.The

zipperdoesa neatpull-aparttrick,

butwewould’velikedflatlock

internalseamsfortheoutlay.

Wetestedthejacketwiththe

matching,functionalCoreCycling

BibShorts(£99.99),butforusit was

theElementsjacketthatstoodout

andit’salreadygarneringplentyof

useduetoitsversatilityand style.

MBhuubdesign.co.uk

85

%

VERDICTVERSATILITY,STYLE

ANDWEATHERTHWARTING

COMBINE TO IMPRESSIVE EFFECT

NIKE

FA D E ST I N G

£29.99 Nikeswimjammers

T

hesesensibly-pricedjammers

fromNikearerecommendedasa

long-lastingoptionfortraining,and

afternumerousteststheystilllook

asnew.Thefabricis thickandthey

lacka bitofgive.Wehadtohoist

themuptogetthemtositonour

hipsproperly,butthedrawstringis

wellmade,whichmakesit easierto

find the rightfit.JSnike.com/gb

HIDDIT

NEUTRAL

£19.45 Isotonicsportsdrink

E

achservingheredelivers

around37gofcarbsina 2:1mix

ofglucosetofructose,whichis

longprovenbyprofessorAsker

Jeukendruptobetheperfectratioto

extendendurance.Theproblemis,

certainlywhenit comestothe

neutralflavour,youmightstruggle

toconsumethatmuchastheso-

called‘neutral’tasteisn’t

particularlypleasant.That’spossibly

downtothebighitofsodium(430g),

whichis greatforheavysweatersbut

notpleasingonthepalate.Orit could

derivefromHidditmakingitsdrinks

lessacidic.Thisreducesthepotential

ofstomachupsetsandis kinderto

yourteethbut,again,canaffect

taste.Still,it’swortha try,butwe’d

suggestchoosingoneofthethree

flavouralternatives:orange, lime

and agrum.JWhiddit.com

73

%

VERDICTLACKINGSOME

STRETCH,BUTAWELCOMEPRICE

THAT’LL SUFFICE FOR TRAINING

72

%

VERDICTDIGESTSWELLAND

GOODFORHEAVYSWEATERS,

BUT INDIFFERENT TASTE