Here was my process for becoming a member of Team Zoot 2019 (and also now 2020):

1. Love the brand. I mean, really, REALLY love the brand. My tri wardrobe, including race kit, was almost 75% Zoot when I applied in 2018. There was no way I was going to apply to promote a brand that I didn't stand by 1000%.

2. Explain yourself in your application. I very involved in outreach and leadership in tri and endurance communities in my area. I'm on the board for one of the largest cycling clubs in the country, I volunteer at local events, and proactively encourage some of the overlooked subsections of the tri community. They want to make sure you're not in it for just a discounted grab on premium gear. Don't be in it for a discounted grab on premium gear.

3. Be prepared to race big, or a lot, or both in 2020. You're a moving billboard for the brand, and they want to make sure their awesome stuff is seen when it matters.

4. Be prepared to be a team player. It matters quite a bit that you come across as supportive in person and online, will be willing to cheer on Zoot teammates or anyone wearing Zoot gear at races, and in the team zoot communities online. Be prepared to promote on social media using hashtags and photos of you in said gear. I am also opening my home to a Team Zoot Europe member who is cycling across America to raise money for children's cancer research when he gets here (which could be today, holy crap, I need to clean the guest room).

5. Cross your fingers and wait. There are thousands of people that apply and not everyone is selected. I wasn't selected in 2017, but was in 2018 and again this year for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

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Level II USAT Coach | Level 3 USAC Coach | NASM-CPT
Team Zoot | Tailwind Trailblazer
I can tell you why you're sick, I just can't write you an Rx

thanks for the response.

as far as brand goes I don't have a huge tri wardrobe now anyway. Did my first two tri's in a 2 piece tri suit and then my second two in a roka single piece. I have a lot of running gear already from my days as a runner but only a handful of cycling gear that I use for training

I definitely am planning on racing a ton this upcoming summer. Probably at least 1 70.3 and then a handful of Olympic or Sprint distances and maybe another 70.3 depending on the timing. This winter to spring is shaping up to be the most free time ill have for training in the past two years so I really want to take advantage of that.

I am also wanting to be on some sort of community for triathlons as so far my journey has just been me going at it solo but it would be cool to be able to meet new people at these races or for training every now and then.

Again, thanks for the insight

You should check out the Baucco Squad. Really well ran group of people that love the sport. They are removing the team fee this year so it’s free. Access to really good sponsors at a solid discount to help you get any gear you may need. On top of that they have coaching services as well if you are looking for that.

What do you receive from Zoot in exchange for doing all of the above?

Kiwami is great.
I joined because I love their stuff and I've tried almost every brand. I was going to get one of their kits but applied and go in. Cost was about same as kit. Pretty good discounts for yourself and to share with friends and family. There was also discounts for other partnering companies (wheels, wetsuits, nutrition, etc.).
Some fast guys in group. I got injured so didn't really get to represent the team well this year, but definitely planning on reapplying.

In my first real year of triathlon I applied for Team Zoot and got in. I didn't really fully subscribe to the team thing there but honestly it kind of felt like they were trying to be exclusive from the applications and announcements but when it came time for acceptances it seem like everyone was on. Which can be great it just wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I used some of the partner discounts as they were okay, but let me tell you that after being a part of AP Racing this past year, those partner/sponsor discounts are unreal compared to any of the other teams as far as I'm aware. I've utilized the very significant Vision/FSA discount a ton.

To be 100% transparent, as part of the elite team we received slightly higher levels of support but I promise you the level of support from being any part of the group will be greater than almost any other team. It really comes down to what you're primary goal is though. Some groups will emphasize team spirit/support (Full Send comes to mind). Some will be more gear based. And some do all of them well (AP Racing in my limited experience). With such a large group comes a diverse team ability and goals wise so the discussions on facebook are super useful for everyone. There will be a lot of overlap between what teams offer so I suggest you do some research if you're looking for a specific company partner and/or coaching options or something of that sort.

Not much new information in this video but I did make a "What's the Deal with?" episode about triathlon teams!

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Benjamin Deal - Professional - Instagram - TriRig - Lodi Cyclery
Deals on Wheels - Results, schedule, videos, sponsors

I was in a similar situation end of last year - have been in a solo mission for 2 years and making good improvements after each race but was worried that I'd reach a plateau next season as I was spending a lot of time figuring things out on my own. That's when I started looking for teams to join. I think everything comes down to what you are trying to get out of a team: knowledge to improve your performance, discounts, feedback, community etc, which is what Ben mentioned as well.

Full disclosure I'm also part of AP Racing and since I joined the team I stopped looking for other options as I get everything I was looking for and much more. And one other thing that is pretty amazing is the AP Racing training camps - great place to meet the people that run the show, current and future teammates and understand team's philosophy.

I can 100% confirm what Ben said about AP racing! I joined two years ago and I love it! A full years custom training plan is only $399 and you get great team discounts on lots of tri gear. The amount you save in discounts will probably pay for the year's custom plan;) If you have any questions about the workouts you get pretty instantaneous response. The support you get from other team members is great as well and if you want to train with other like minded peeps, they offer team training camps a few times during the year! I will be going to my first on next March and am looking forward to it:) If you want to know more you can PM me!

Another AP Racer here and I can also confirm what others have said. I have been in this sport since 2012, joined a racing team that was with a big brand. Looking back, I don't even know what the point of the racing team I was a part of. We really didn't have access to coaches, training plans but did have great discounts.

With AP Racing, you get the best of all worlds. The access to the team is outstanding, the training plans are top notch and the discounts are some of the best in the industry. Sounds like a typical ad but I have PR'd every race I participated in this year. My bike strength is beyond where I ever thought it would be. There are a handful of guys locally who would out bike me and now I'm keeping up with the top three guys in races.

You can build the best training plan but you get out of it what you put into it. I put forth the effort and AP Racing helped me finally go sub 5 in a 70.3 this year.

If cost is an issue, there are plans for everyone that make it very affordable.

Each racing team is different and may not be for everyone but you'll never know if you don't give it a shot. I'll definitely be back for 2020.

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I don’t post enough so my opinions must be considered spam.

Last year I joined a few tri teams. My experience has been mixed. While I do not want to post negative items, I will focus on the positive. As with many others, AP Racing was a great experience. Two years ago, I went with the one time training plan fee. I used this for multiple races and had 3 PR's. The discounts more than paid for the actual cost of the team. Plus you get a training plan that you can follow. This year I moved to the one on one training plan and have not been disappointed. Weekly interaction with my coach. Custom plan based on race AND changes in my availability (had to travel a lot so training plan was constantly changed. Sponsor discounts are some of the best in the business. Oh and did I mention...AP Racing stands for Andy Potts....yeah that guy. So if you want the benefit of having an Olympian, top Male IM finisher and an all around nice guy in your corner, you can't go wrong with AP Racing.

I highly recommend joining AP Racing! (Andy Potts Racing) I have attended two of his camps in Chula Vista and Colorado Springs. I can’t tell you how amazing the camps were from the bike rides, views, swimming in the Olympic training pool, coaching from Andy and his staff, gear, discounts for gear, but most importantly the friendships I have made! I had such a great experience at camp that I signed up for his team! It’s been amazing going to so many different races and seeing so many AP Kits on course and in transition. Truly a team and coaching staff who goes above and beyond!

Seems like AP racing is very popular here. I don't know if I can commit to a super defined training plan right now as I am a grad student until May so my schedule is very sporadic and its hard to have a lot of consistency in training so self coaching is probably the best for me right now. (don't want to pay a lot for a plan that I won't have the time to follow at the end of the day). Maybe something in the next year or two to look into

Wattie Ink Hit Squad. Been a very awesome and supportive group of people. (We also have a No Dickheads Policy...like the All Blacks)

I wouldn't necessarily join for the discounts, some of them depending on the team are really good. Our deal with Argon and Pioneer was pretty sweet overall. Especially the clothing company teams, it's about believing in the brand. If you don't believe in the brand, don't apply to be on their team. Just my opinion.

Training Camps are also a big thing. A lot of the teams have a low cost or even no cost training camp. You just gotta get there.

ETA: Team events. Every place Wattie Ink goes on tour there is a team event of some kind that is gratis. Some of the races there are multiple team meals. But there is at least a team breakfast or team dinner that is fully catered by The Athlete's Table whom is a Chef and avid triathlete. We also do community service projects in conjunction with that tour.

Mechanic Support at the races that are on the Wattie Ink tour.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

Click on the screen names for posts #8 thru #12. Note the date each of these athletes "contributing" to our community on Slowtwitch started their ST account. Note also the number of posts each has contributed.

I'm not knocking either AP or AP racing, or even the concept of "Teams" within the sport of triathlon. I'm a fan of AP and suspect the team is better than most, though the term "better" is relative and highly subjective. Just know exactly what you are looking for, what itch you are trying to scratch, and then match that up with what each option is actually capable of providing.

It would be interesting to see a poll of recommended online teams. Ideally limited to users registered by, say, yesterday (or classifieds eligible).

Better idea... Meet real local people and make a team?group purchases get discounts too

AP Racing athlete for 2+ years and love it! Im also a board member of a local team in MN and still help contribute to planning events, group rides etc. Its nice to have athletes at the local level to train with. On the national level, I think it makes sense to be a part of a group of athletes when training. I attend several camps per year and race around the country. There is always fellow AP racers on every IM or 70.3 course and cheering. Cant put a price on that. Discounts on gear and nutrition are huge bonuses as well. Advice, encouragement and support are the main reasons I love being a part of a team.

Here are a few pros and Cons for Team Zoot (Imagine this applies for a lot of the other Teams besides the Elite teams). Based on what you said it sounds like Zoot would be a good fit.

Pros: Big Discounts (20% up to 50%) zoot, garmin, gatorade, base, canyon etc. These are worth it especially if you plan on upgrading equipment
Race discounts
Some good people to train with, meet up with at races, and always fun to grow your circle. Good amount of support at races all over.
Cool and good quality kit and gear for cheap and a bunch of free stuff as well. If you are going to buy at least one trisuit per year might as well get it cheap...
Training trip/camp with team in your area.

Cons: For me the team was way too big, feels like everyone gets in. Must be over 1,000 people. I was looking for something more in the elite category with some faster people to train and race with.
Training trip/camp was really just 2 days with not a ton of coaching or real hard work or structure.

There is a collaboration between San Diego based companies Pearwear Active and Breakaway Training that looks to have a really solid ambassador program. $200 yearly fee includes a jersey, triathlon suit, and a KASK Utopia helmet. Plus there are some heavy discounts on Scott Bikes and ENVE Wheels, something like up to 40% off the new addict and plasma. I know they are open to athletes outside of SoCal as well, so it might be worth applying. The BT coaching has sent a few athletes to Kona and 70.3 Worlds over the last few years as well, but that's extra through Breakaway Training so you can do without it and just focus on the discounts and increasing that triathlon wardrobe. More info here:

https://pearwearactive.com/...e-ambassador-program

Well, as big as Team Zoot is I have managed to be snubbed 2 years in a row :(

ENVE Racing just finished up its first year and the 2020 application opens up on Tuesday, 10/22/19. There is no fee to join this year and they are really stepping up the benefits this year with more team races, events, discounts, etc. I meet some really great people and hope to be selected again this year. Like similar teams, you are expected to promote the brand. More info can and the application can be found here:
https://enveracing.com/join-team.cfm

If anyone wants to join, I'd appreciate a PM so I can give you my name for the referral.

BT $80/mo

Yeah, but you don't need to sign up for the training to be eligible for the ambassador program.

What are you trying to gain from joining a club? If you are looking to get faster (especially with a runners background you allude to) you may be best off with a subscription to trainerroad and joining a masters swim class. If you are looking for 1 on 1 coaching I'd look locally if you can before looking into a team. If you're looking for training partners I would also look locally at local tri clubs. If you are looking for equipment discounts then I would buy second hand.