Thinking of buying yourself a swimming cap? There are plenty of different reasons to wear a cap, as well as different types of swim caps for different purposes. At ProSwimwear we offer a wide range to meet your individual needs, whether that's a fast racing cap for your next competition, or a fun and funky swimcap for your next training sesson. Here are some of the key things to consider before buying a swimming cap.
Why Wear A Swimming Cap?
Swimming caps have many benefits for the wearer. For those wanting to protect their hair, a swim cap is useful for keeping the head relatively dry and preventing damage from chlorine and the sun. It also stops hair from going in your face whilst swimming.
In terms of sports performance, caps can also reduce drag in the water often caused by long hair. It’s for this reason that almost all professionals can be found wearing them. When it comes to endurance events meanwhile, swim caps can still have their advantages. In addition to the aforementioned benefits, at outdoor endurance swims they can be great for keeping a swimmer’s head warm in the often chilly waters of a lake or ocean swim.
Some swimming centres around the world have made caps a compulsory piece of kit for those wanting to get in the pool. This is because hair has been known to clog up filters and make pool equipment unclean. Countries such as Hungary and Italy have made it a nationwide law for all swimmers using public pool to wear swim caps.
What Types Of Swimming Cap Are There?
There are swim caps available for all ages and tastes. Some brands may specialise more in adult caps, whilst others are geared more towards kids’ swim caps, offering all kinds of fun and colourful designs. In recent years we've seen a bluring of the lines, and bright colourful swimcap designs are no longer exlcusively the domain of kids, it seems that adults like to bring some colour to their swimming just as much as the youngsters.
Silicone And Latex
Swimming caps come in a selection of different materials. Latex and rubber are the two most common materials, having been used since the 1920s. They are still the choice of many professional swimmers today, largely because they give a tight fit and are the most effective at reducing drag/resistance in the water. They are good for protecting the hair against chlorine. That said, some people may have allergies to these materials, in particular latex.
Silicone swim caps are far more common today, they are more comfortable and a good alternative for those that are allergic to latex.
Lycra And Polyester
Lycra and polyester meanwhile are one of the more durable materials – more so than latex and silicone. As a fashion accessory, these caps are generally the ones to go to. They aren’t particularly waterproof however, making them ill-suited for those wanting to keep the chlorine out their hair, and they can slip more easily than silicone and latex. However, you'll sometimes find swimmers wearing a Latex or Polyester cap underneath their Latex/Silicone cap. This results in less hair-pulling and increased comfort for the swimmer.
Neoprene
The final most popular swimming cap material is neoprene. This is ideal for open water swimming and is the same material that your average wetsuit is made of, providing warmth against cold water. If you’re taking part in a triathalon or want to go swimming in the sea, a neoprene swim cap may be the best choice for you.
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