The Expo Low-Down

by Stephanie Warren

The expo is a must-hit for every triathlete in Kona. There’s no better event in the world at which to learn about all of triathlon's newest time-, sweat-, and energy-saving products and talk to the people who make them. Here’s just a small sample of what the expo has to offer:

Zoot Sports’ Physiologist Chris Bohannon

Chris previewed Zoot’s three hottest new products for us. They are:

The Ultraspeed shoe. Zoot used a medical pressure device to measure the varying pressures on the different parts of a shoe during exercise. Zoot was able to use this data to create a shoe that replicates the feel of a regular running shoe—but without laces. Imagine the ease of a slip-on shoe, but with the security of a laced one. This is the future of exercise shoes.

The CompressRx Calf Sleeve. Zoot used medical studies to make a connection between the physiology of those recovering from injury and the physiology of a triathlete’s muscles under duress. They discovered that since compression of injured tissue works well for medical patients, it should also work for triathletes, to aid in muscular recovery from workouts.

The Icefil Cool Sleeve. This incredible arm sleeve is made of a fabric with zylotol, a crystal that vibrates when wet, creating an endothermic (or cooling) reaction. When activated by water or sweat, the sleeve lowers its temperature by 5.4°. That’s 5.4° that would come in very handy on the lava fields on Saturday.

Contact Chris at chris@zootsports.com or visit their website here.

Endless Pools’ Michael Sparacio

Endless pools are a great solution for triathletes that want a convenient way to practice their strokes at home. Endless pools operate at two different speeds, and, since you remain stationary, allow a perfect platform for coaching. Michael affirms, “If you hold at top speed for 2.4 miles, you’ll be the first one out of the Ironman swim by 5 minutes.”

Endless Pools is offering two models, the original and the Fastlane. The original is the most effective and efficient, and the Fastlane is a more inexpensive option which has one great advantage: the unit itself can be purchased and installed directly into an existing pool, turning a backyard oasis into a high-tech training machine.

Contact Michael at msparacio@endlesspools.com or visit their website here.

Rocket Science Sports’ CEO Martin Sochaki

Rocket Science Sports is introducing a new “rocket racer” called 20BPM. It’s made of a special material that is double-sided, white on the outside and black on the inside. The white outside shell is made of a special reflective material that sends the sun’s rays away from the body. The inner black lining prevents whatever sun that gets through from hitting the skin.

The suit also features a unique cycling pad. With a specific gravity of 0.25, it floats and won’t weigh you down, but it also stays dry so that you can swim in it without that uncomfortable diaper sensation.

Martin is Rocket Science Sports’ CEO. He’s also its engineer, and a former aerospace engineer. Visit Rocket Science Sports’ website here.

All photos credit Alexis MacMillan