Warning: paid $40 for a locker at my local pool and nearly fainted

Honestly I just walked into the YMCA in downtown Portland for a swim test and saw they now charge $40 a month just for a locker rental. Not a full membership, just a lockbox to stash your gear. I nearly turned around right there until a lifeguard told me most people just bring a dry bag and keep it on the pool deck. That saved me a ton but also made me realize how sneaky these fees are when you're new to tri training. Has anyone else gotten blindsided by hidden costs like parking or pool access fees at their gym?

2 comments

2 Comments

wilson.claire8d ago

Jumped straight into tri training thinking I was being smart by buying a used wetsuit from Craigslist and it turned out the thing had a hole in the crotch that I didn't notice until my first open water swim. Felt like I was flashing the whole lake while trying not to drown. But yeah, those hidden fees are brutal. I remember paying $12 just to leave my car at a reservoir for a practice and the lot was basically a mud pit. The dry bag trick is a lifesaver though, I started stuffing mine with a towel and some snacks and leave it at the edge of the pool like a total sneaky rookie.

quinnbailey8d ago

Dude that is SO frustrating. I got hit with a similar thing last summer when I signed up for open water swim practice at a lake near me and they charged $15 per session just to park. Not even a spot near the water, just a gravel lot a quarter mile away. It's like they know you're already committed and just tack on these extra fees hoping you won't bail. The dry bag hack is gold though, I keep one clipped to my bike now for exactly this reason. Sneaky fees like that almost made me quit tri training before I even started.