Every triathlete needs a good bag. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a true “transition” bag, but it does have to be a bag that can hold all of our equipment – wet or dry. It also should protect our gear when it is thrown in the trunk of our car, shoved in a gym locker, or tossed on the pool deck. A modern transition bag also goes a step further with built-in organization to ensure all of your equipment is neatly stowed for race day, as well as help you take post-race inventory to be sure everything also makes it home again.

Ogio’s Endurance 9.0 Athletic Bag qualifies as truly a good transition bag (if not a great one). However we weren’t sold on this bag to start. We tend to prefer backpacks vs duffel-style bags. We find them to be easier to carry over long distances, especially when said distance is covered via bike. But the 9.0 had a surprise for us. While it looks like a duffel bag, it’s actually a full-fledged backpack with an adjustable sternum strap.  In fact, we’d venture to say that it’s one of the most comfortable bags we have ever worn while biking to transition.

The 9.0 measures in at 13″ H x 27″ W x 12.5″ D and has a capacity of 3,600 cubic inches. In real-world capacity, that translated to two of our editors sharing the bag when they ventured out for a bike-run brick. There was more than enough room to carry four pairs of shoes, two helmets, and other assorted paraphernalia.

At the top of the bag is the Tech Vault. This is Ogio’s crush-resistant, lockable armored pocket. It’s perfect for stashing your sunglasses, goggles, or even cycling computer.

Along the sides of the bag you’ll find the nutrition and organization pockets. Not only was there plenty of room for the intended nutrition. But there was also plenty of storage for all the extra items we bring to the race site. For example, we used one side to hold all of our backup equipment, including extra tubes, tires, CO2, and backup goggles.

A large ventilated shoe storage area resides at the bottom of the bag. We were able to fit two pairs of shoes (both size 13 men’s) in without much effort.

The back side of the bag is for wet/dry storage, which is also ventilated. Ogio highlights that you can throw a wetsuit in there, but we mostly used it for our nasty post-workout cloths. The ventilation worked well considering we left a few items in there for a few days, and while they didn’t smell of roses, they hadn’t reached biohazard levels.

The 9.0 also includes two pockets for water bottles, as well as outside storage for helmets (including aero helmets).

At $150 the Endurance 9.0 may not be the cheapest bag on the market, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of our favorite transition bags out there. It lets us carry everything we need (and more) in a very comfortable package. When it comes to a bag – what more could you ask for?