Some Works, Some Doesn’t: Speedy New Gear for Triathletes

Running shoes that do not need socks; "Performance-enhancing" shorts designed for both running and biking; A waterproof clock that counts laps and lap times; and a long-sleeve wetsuit equipped with special (and possibly illegal-in some races) water-grabbing panels. Which of these wondrous advances in race technology do you need least? Roy M. Wallack, writing in the Los Angeles Times, puts the clock, which he declares nearly impossible to use properly by swimmers who do kick turns, at the top of the least wanted list. Wallack seems most impressed by the high velocity swimsuit. His advice: "Buy one before its banned."