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Very little equipment is necessary to enjoy the great sport of swimming. Indeed,
for less than the cost of a cheap date, you can round up all that’s needed:
swimsuit, goggles, cap, towel and water bottle. The towel and water bottle
are no-brainers and I recommend a latex cap. Here’s advice on the suit and goggles.
Swimsuit
Your suit is the most important item. Three types exist—competitive suits
(what I recommend), fashion suits (seen in Sports Illustrated), and monstrosities
(what my grandmother wears at the beach).
The term competitive doesn’t mean the suit is only for competition. It describes
models offering minimal drag. For lap swimming, this is important. Purchase a
suit that is comfortable, and fits snugly. When trying on a suit, realize
that it will stretch one full size within a couple uses and get one a bit small
rather than too big.
Virtually all workout suits are made of Lycra. Major brands use a 128-grade
Lycra fabric that is more chlorine- and mold-resistant than cheaper suits—well
worth the extra expense. If you swim daily, get at least two suits. Putting
on a cold, wet suit, especially first thing in the morning, is no fun.
Quality women’s suits usually run $50 to $80, and men’s suits will be about
$25 to $35. In most swim shops you’ll find a rack of quality suits with
discontinued prints for about half the price of models with current prints.
Women’s Suits
Men can usually wear any men’s suit that’s their size. For women the size
is merely a starting point. The backs and straps on women’s suites come in
a variety of configurations. Because swimming involves so much range of motion
of the arms and shoulders, the way any particular back style fits is important.
When trying on suits in the store, be sure to stretch into full streamline
position and move your arms around to see if the suit hampers your motion.
Try different styles and manufacturers to find what works best for you. Women
have the option of a one-piece or two-piece (bikini) suit.
It’s crucial not to get too big a suit. A suit that’s not snug enough will catch
large amounts of water and act as a drag chute. In general, if the shoulder
straps stretch higher than your ears the suit is too big.
Men’s Suits
Once you decide which size fits, consider any suit from the major manufacturers.
If you can’t bring yourself to wear one of those skimpy little racing suits,
several manufacturers offer a line of fuller-cut suits with five-inch side
panels instead of standard three-inch side panels. If this won’t suffice and
you’ve got to have a pair of beach baggies, do yourself a favor and sew the
pockets shut. That way, they won’t balloon up like little drag chutes as you
plod down the lane.
Goggles
Once you’ve got a good swimsuit, get goggles. The right pair will greatly enhance
lap swimming. Here are tips for choosing:
- Shape: There are two basic shapes: sort-of-round and more-oval. One or the other
will fit your face. Stick with the shape that works.
- Gaskets: This is the soft material around the eyecup that fills the voids in the
goggle-to-face union. Types include: foam, silicone, polyvinyl, or none. For
simplicity, the most streamlined profile, ease of care, and longevity, none
tops the list. If your face isn’t molded to the same contour as the goggles,
however, you’ll be happier with a gasket. Solid silicone or polyvinyl seals
nicely if the goggle fits your face and offers excellent resistance to microbial
growth. Foam gaskets, though more leak-proof, are prone to grow mold.
- Antifog: Though some goggles claim antifogging ability, I have yet to encounter
any better antifog system than good ole spit. A thin coating of saliva on the
inside of the eyecup keeps it from fogging for a long time.
- Goggles and contact lenses: You’re less likely to lose a lens while swimming
than you are while taking them out and putting them in. Once you’re accustomed
to wearing goggles, you will be much happier if you keep your contacts in
when swimming.
- Prescription goggles: Check with your optometrist about prescription goggles or
prescription inserts for your goggles. There are also some corrective-lens
goggles available through swim shops or catalogs. You may not find your exact
prescription but they should help you read the pace clock across the pool.
Finally, when you find goggles you like, buy several pairs.
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