Get dressed for open water: These accessories you should use

With the right accessories, you can extend the sea swimming season by several months - especially if you practice open water swimming in Denmark. Nevertheless, it is a form of exercise that is both healthy for the body and provides a whole lot of well-being, as it activates most muscle groups and stimulates all the senses. But what kind of accessories do you need?

Yes, of course it is mandatory to wear a wetsuit, which is intended for swimming in open water. But its function is intended for more than just keeping the body warm. It also makes you faster in the water and provides good buoyancy, so that you are stable on the surface of the water. The combination of the two things helps to ensure you the best momentum and that you don't waste unnecessary effort. Wetsuits are a whole story in themselves though, so if this blog isn't going to turn into a novel, we'll skip that part. You can read much more about wetsuits for open water swimming here and get our best recommendations here.

Instead, we will look here at some of the other equipment and accessories that are either necessary or make it more fun and easier to swim in open water. So let's dive into it.

What should you always have with you as an open water swimmer?

There are a few things that for personal safety are necessary to have with you to avoid accidents. It is primarily about visibility, as a swimmer in open water is generally difficult to spot from boats, kayaks, paddleboards and much else. Therefore, only very little is needed to provide the necessary visibility, and in the end, it is your guarantee of not getting hurt on the open water.

Sea bag

A sea bag in neon or screaming colors is definitely the best way to be seen. In essence, it functions as a swimming buoy that you wear around your waist and which thereby floats on the surface of the water and follows the swimmer. Since it is mostly the only thing that is above the water surface, it is also the accessory that gives the best visibility.

However, that is not the only function of a sea bag. Because unlike swimming buoys, many of them have storage compartments and waterproof pockets, so it is possible to have e.g. energy bar, drinking bottle, personal belongings and much more with out. It gives you the opportunity to just hydrate and get some energy in your body before you continue.

Some of them are even large enough that you can use them as an "air cushion" that you can hold on to when you just need a rest. A multi-functional accessory if you like, which is why there are also many different sea bags, each with their own advantages. If you are in doubt as to how best to prepare a sea bag, you can find a good guide straight away here.

Bathing cap in scream colour

However, a sea bag is not the only option to make yourself visible in the water. Since the head is the only part of the body that is consistently above the surface of the water, it is possible to draw even more attention to yourself with a swim cap that can be seen from afar. Therefore is swimming caps for open water swimming also a category in itself, as certain colors are easier to spot for others.

But again - just like the beach bag - it is not the only function of a swimming cap, as it also keeps the hair in place and thus makes you more hydrodynamic in the water.

LED light for sea bag and swimming buoys

A final - but highly effective - way to create even more visibility is by having an LED light intended for sea bags and swimming buoys, and thus is waterproof. It is particularly an advantage in foggy weather or at twilight either in the morning or late afternoon/evening. Here, it will be strong enough that you will still be able to see it from a good distance.

Accessories that can extend the season considerably

As a rule of thumb, open water swimmers are advised to use a wetsuit when the water temperature is below 22°C, but even at water temperatures below 25°C, some heat is released to the surroundings. In Denmark, the water temperature is not above 22°C for very many months of the year, which makes it necessary for open water swimmers to use other accessories to keep warm.

Because even if a wetsuit covers most of the body, it doesn't take much before the hands, feet and head start to freeze - sometimes even to the point where it can be dangerous to swim in the water. Because the hands and feet cramp up first, it becomes difficult to maintain momentum in the water.

Therefore, there are of course 3 types of accessories for open water swimming, which may be quite obvious, but are nevertheless extremely effective:

Neoprene hood

Neoprenhandsker

Neoprene football

A neoprene hood naturally prevents you from being able to swim with a swimming cap, but they have reflectors instead. It does not provide quite the same visibility, which makes the importance of a sea bag even greater. On the other hand, you can be sure that it keeps your head and forehead warm. There are different types of neoprene caps, some of them have a smooth surface, while others have one rough/more fabric-like surface. The smooth surface provides much better hydrodynamics, while the rough surface is also suitable for other types of water sports.

Neoprene gloves are the absolute best way to avoid freezing hands and fingers, but where they do not hinder freedom of movement. Therefore, they are also designed to swim with. Most come with reflectors and a grip layer in the palms, so it's easier to climb up and down swimming stairs covered in ice or snow. In addition, they are also very suitable for other water sports.

The last accessory worth mentioning is, of course the neoprene socks. Like the neoprene gloves, they are the best way to protect the feet effectively against the cold. Some might think that flippers and bathing shoes can do just as well, but they just don't cover up the ankles. Therefore, the neoprene socks also protect a larger area of the feet and lower legs, and in addition it should also be mentioned that some neoprene socks fit together with flippers and bathing shoes. It may not be the most ideal, but it can be done.

If you still think they need all three parts, then it is best to buy a neoprene set.

Control the equipment?

We have now reviewed the most general things you need for swimming in open water - except wetsuit and swimming goggles. Since the two things are a whole category by themselves, we would recommend that you read more about it here, if you need a review of that too. More knowledge about open water equipment can't hurt.

In addition, you may at some point experience abrasions and soreness from the wetsuit, but that problem can be quickly remedied with a friction cream.

From there, there is a lot of other equipment and accessories that you might not think about, but which you definitely need. Therefore, it is always good to follow a comprehensive checklist, so you are sure to have everything you need for a good trip out in the open water. If it all becomes a bit confusing in relation to price and necessity, then you can get a much better insight into what is required of them in relation to level here.

Should you be completely new or a complete beginner, we would recommend reading about our best advice for preparing for open water swimming, as this form of swimming differs significantly from the more traditional one. It is both well spent and can give you better safety in the water.