Swim caps ideally keep your hair dry and away from your face while you swim. Chlorine discolors light-colored hair and dries all types, so keeping pool water off your hair is a good idea. Latex caps stretch very well and usually come in one size, due to their elasticity. They tear easily and wrinkle at the top when smaller swimmers use them. Latex allergies cause skin reactions in sensitive swimmers. Silicone caps are smooth and slightly thicker than latex caps. Both types keep water off your head, as long as they stay securely on it.
Step 1
Go to your local aquatics facility and look at the caps other swimmers wear. Ask your swimming friends what caps they prefer and why. Write down the names of specific brands that they recommend so you will not forget them.
Step 2
Ask at the front desk of your local aquatics facility whether it has a swimming equipment or pro shop on the premises. Visit the shop and ask for the brand of swimming cap you wrote down. Ask the salesperson for her opinion about which swim caps function best to keep your hair dry. Often the shop staffers are swimmers themselves.
Step 3
Find the swim cap you want from the different options displayed. You can also check your local sporting goods store. Try on a cap to see if the fit is comfortable for you. Most caps are one-size-fits-all. Put the cap on from the front to back, holding the cap in place with your fingers. Smooth the cap over your head, removing any air pockets.
Step 4
Buy a cap in the color of your choice. Swim your regular workout and decide whether the swim cap works well for your needs. Search on the Internet for mail-order swim supply websites that provide discounts for multiple purchases. Buy five or more caps in different colors to match your moods and your suits. Swim caps are not expensive, and a torn cap ruins workout plans, so keeping an extra in your bag avoids running to the store at the last minute.
Tips and Warnings
- If you want to increase the chances of keeping your hair dry when wearing a cap, don't dive in the water; instead, wade in or gently lower yourself in from poolside. Keep your fingernails trimmed and smooth to avoid ripping swim caps. Yellow or pink neon-colored caps keep you safer in open water. Boaters and jet skiers see bright swim caps better than a dull gray or dark blue cap.
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