Indonesian Digital News Archive

One of my favorite pieces of gear that I saw at Outdoor Retailer a few weeks back was an innovative set of eyewear from a company called Switch. They've come up with the ingenious idea of developing a pair of sunglasses with interchangeable lenses that can provide excellent performance in a variety of light conditions, something that adventure racers and other endurance athletes are sure to appreciate.

The designers at Switch have developed what they call the "magnetic interchange" lens system. In doing so they've incorporated strong, high-energy magnets into both the frames and lenses themselves, allowing those lenses to quickly be changed out with a different set. This allows a single pair of glasses to be used across an entire day, starting with the pink glow of morning light, continuing through the harsh brightness of the day and finishing up with the flaming skies of dusk. Swapping out the lenses is a breeze, snapping into place with a satisfying click and staying firmly locked into the frames no matter what activity is on the agenda.

I tested the Switch Avalanche frames and found them to be durable, good looking and well suited for running and cycling in particular. They are designed to stay firmly in place yet still provide plenty of ventilation when working up a sweat. I found them to be lightweight and comfortable, while providing plenty of coverage over the eyes.



Like all of Switch's offerings, the Avalanche frames come equipped with two sets of lenses – one pair of standard polarized and one pair tinted Amber that are designed for low-light conditions. The standard kit can be expanded with other lenses from the Switch line-up as well and there are plenty of alternatives available on the company's website.

The concept behind these sunglasses is so simple and elegant I couldn't help but wonder why someone hadn't thought of it before. Those who expect good performance out of their eyewear will love the versatility and flexibility that Switch lenses and frames provide. Triathletes, adventure racers and ultra-runners will particularly appreciate the fact that they can compete while carrying just a single pair of glasses for all light conditions.

Prices for frames and lenses vary depending on style. The Avalanche frames I test run $169 with two pairs of lenses. Additional lenses start at $40.

Athletes looking for a unique new event to compete in next year may be interested to hear that NASA will play host to a triathlon on the grounds of Kennedy Space Center. The event, appropriately named the Rocketman Triathlon, will take place on May 5, 2013, with the biking leg running through the Cape and past some very important historical sites for the American space program.

The Rocketman Tri will feature three lengths, giving everyone who would like to compete an opportunity to enter. Those lengths include the following:

• Classic +
Swim 1/2 mile, Bike 34 miles (approx.), Run 4 miles 

• International +
Swim .93 miles, Bike 34 miles (approx.), Run 6.2 miles

• Half Iron
Swim 1.2 miles, Bike 56 miles, Run 13.1 miles

Registration is set to open on September 1st, which gives you eight months to train for the race.

On a personal note, I visited Kennedy Space Center a number of years back and found it to be quite an interesting place. In addition to all of the space related exhibits and sites to explore, the area also happens to be the site of Canaveral National Seashore and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. As a result, KSC isn't just fascinating for all the history there, but for it's close proximity to some spectacular natural beauty as well. It seems like it should be a fun place to hold a triathlon.

A lot of runners and cyclists toy with the idea of trying a triathlon but are often daunted not only be the training regimen but also the expense in putting together all the gear that they need. After all, buying a bike, wetsuit, running shoes and all of the other equipment can get a little costly. But tech website Gizmodo (of all places!) had launched a new feature called The Outfit in which they'll show us how to put together complete packages of gear without killing our wallets. Their first installment takes a look at the tri package.

Gizmodo recommends some very good, yet affordable, gear in their article. For example, they suggest the Pearl Izumi Tri Suit as your "base layer" for the race. The suit costs just $100, which is indeed reasonable for a high quality athletic garment like this one. If you go cut-rate with your clothes, you can live to regret it as no one wants to be uncomfortable in the middle of a race. They also go on to suggest a wetsuit, googles, bike helmet water bottles and more.

The area that they recommend saving the most cash on is the bike, but in order to do that Gizmodo suggests going the Craig's List route. They budgeted $400, which is the only way this list comes in under $1000 total. I'm not sure how much luck you'll have finding a quality bike on CL and this is one area where your mileage will certainly vary.

All in all though, this is a solid piece on how to get into triathlons without killing your budget. If you're just starting off in the sport, this gear will do you just fine.