Did you wait until the last minute to buy something for your beloved triathlete, and now you have no ideas? Or are they just really difficult to buy for? Don’t sweat it. Here 8 gift gifts you can get last minute, and make you look like Kona Claus?

1. Energy Gels/Bars – Your triathlete is training all of the time, and they get hungry during workouts. Find out what they favorite brand and flavor is and get them a whole box.

Availability: Easy  Price: $1-$2 each

2. Socks – I know this sounds like a lame gift, because you hated to get socks as a kid. I’m going to tell you that putting on some fresh high quality socks to train in is heaven. If it gets cold in your area consider get them some performance wool socks to their feet warm and dry.

Availability: Easy  Price: $5- $20 a pair

3. Gift Certificate to a local bike shop – Find out what bike shop they frequent. It’s probably a sponsor on their jersey, and get a gift certificate. Triathletes always need tires, tubes, repairs, or fancy weight saving parts. If they don’t need something right now, they can use the gift later. Also the local shop picks up a little extra business. Win-Win.

Availability: Easy   Price: Depends on your generosity. 

4. Gloves – Keeping your hands warm when running or riding in cold weather, is a constant battle. It never fails on the morning of a 15 mile run the temp. will be 30F, and I can only find one glove. The other glove ran away with a sock, and now I have one cold hand. You can get nice cycling gloves from a bike store, or just a bunch of cheap gloves from the dollar store for running. In the cold you can never have too many pairs.

Availability: Easy   Price $1 – $40

5. Race/Storage Belt – Is you triathlete tried of pinning numbers to their expensive kit? Or does their current race belt turned white from the salt stains? Consider getting them a new race belt to reduce transition times. Some belt even come with a pocket for storage to you they and pack a few of the gels you bought from them.

I personally like Spibelts, Lightweight, Water resistant and have lots of storage.

Availability: Online quickly  Price: $20 – $30

(No Photo the massage photos get weird)

6. Massage Gift Certificate – Ah a luxurious massage! Triathletes are are sore most of the time. There nothing like a massage to loosen things up. Massages also help with recovery, and injury prevention. Look for a studio that does sport massages, as they will know what type of treatment an athlete will require. Your triathlete won’t normally treat themselves to a massage, so it’s a great and welcome surprise. .

Availability: Easy  Price: $40 – $??

7. Goggles – Goggles wear out quickly. The seals leak, the lens get scratched, or the straps break. Find out what kind of goggles they use and get them a couple of back ups. Just ask what they like, because athletes are very particular about goggles. No two faces are the same, and when you find a comfortable goggle you stick with it.

Availability: Easy – Sporting goods store   Price $20 – $60

8. New GPS Watch – If you triathlete likes electronic toys, consider getting them a GPS Watch. For a triathlete it needs to be a multisport GPS watch that is water resistant. A GPS watch tracks distance, speed, time, and many other data points. There are lots of options depending on your price range.

Here are a couple of options:

Garmin 910xt

Tom Tom Multisport (Picture above)

Availability: Online or Sports Store   Price: $100 – $300

Happy Shopping, and Happy Holidays!