2010 - IMLP, canvas drawstring bag of reasonable quality. I paid $75-100 for a solidly constructed black Ironman backpack after finishing. I use that as my carry on bag while flying (has a nice laptop section in it) and my weekend trip bag. Love it. Probably the best backpack I've ever purchased. I cut the silly roll-out wetsuit mesh drawstring bag out of it as this bag was never going to see a wet wetsuit.
2012 - IMWI. Transition bag style back pack. Ok quality. Thinner canvas than the one I bought in LP. I'm sure it's fine. It doesn't get very much use b/c I paid for the sturdier bag at IMLP and had already purchased a speedo swim bag.
2013 - IMMT. Same bag style as WI, but super cheap feeling. Canvas is rather thin and the stitching was pulling apart once anything was put into it. Gave it away to a friend who was starting out with triathlon.
2014 - Challenge AC. Laptop bag. Canvas quality is between the Wisconsin back pack and the black back pack I bought in LP. Gets regular occasional use and the zipper has separated on a couple of occasions - after only 8 months.
2014 - Steelman swim. Sturdy-seeming transition bag that went straight to good will.
2014 - IM Boulder. New backpack style. Canvas is similar to or possibly thicker than the Wisconsin bag. I've been using this as my daily gym bag and one decorative zipper pull string was lost immediately, then another, now a metal zipper pull keeps coming off (could surely fix that with some pliers). Otherwise it seems in ok shape after 7 months of regular use.
I remember almost none of the other swag that may or may not have come inside the bags, aside from the bike tool from Boulder and a shoe clip from CAC.
Honestly, I don't understand why races bother with this stuff. I just assume they reduce the price by $25-50 and keep the stuff to themselves. I don't generally appreciate the burden the gift imparts. Someone expressed what looked like disappointment that people leave these things at the hotel, but I don't want to bring it home --> I already have a billion bags from every other darn thing I've signed up for. Same with t-shirts. I love my finishers shirts for big events but just don't need another disposable shirt from every 5 k etc. I also don't need gigantic finishers medals, either. I think they'd all be classier if they were very much smaller; only winners should get something larger. Sorry to turn that into a ranting hijack!
To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.
2012 - IMWI. Transition bag style back pack. Ok quality. Thinner canvas than the one I bought in LP. I'm sure it's fine. It doesn't get very much use b/c I paid for the sturdier bag at IMLP and had already purchased a speedo swim bag.
2013 - IMMT. Same bag style as WI, but super cheap feeling. Canvas is rather thin and the stitching was pulling apart once anything was put into it. Gave it away to a friend who was starting out with triathlon.
2014 - Challenge AC. Laptop bag. Canvas quality is between the Wisconsin back pack and the black back pack I bought in LP. Gets regular occasional use and the zipper has separated on a couple of occasions - after only 8 months.
2014 - Steelman swim. Sturdy-seeming transition bag that went straight to good will.
2014 - IM Boulder. New backpack style. Canvas is similar to or possibly thicker than the Wisconsin bag. I've been using this as my daily gym bag and one decorative zipper pull string was lost immediately, then another, now a metal zipper pull keeps coming off (could surely fix that with some pliers). Otherwise it seems in ok shape after 7 months of regular use.
I remember almost none of the other swag that may or may not have come inside the bags, aside from the bike tool from Boulder and a shoe clip from CAC.
Honestly, I don't understand why races bother with this stuff. I just assume they reduce the price by $25-50 and keep the stuff to themselves. I don't generally appreciate the burden the gift imparts. Someone expressed what looked like disappointment that people leave these things at the hotel, but I don't want to bring it home --> I already have a billion bags from every other darn thing I've signed up for. Same with t-shirts. I love my finishers shirts for big events but just don't need another disposable shirt from every 5 k etc. I also don't need gigantic finishers medals, either. I think they'd all be classier if they were very much smaller; only winners should get something larger. Sorry to turn that into a ranting hijack!
To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.