Heading to the pool? Are you sure you have chosen the right equipment? For example, swimming cap– a very important attribute of any swimmer. In this article we will tell you why it is needed and how to use it.
8755 0Why do we need a swimming cap?
You cannot neglect a cap when swimming in the pool (and not only). First of all, because its main purpose is to prevent hair from getting into the filtering equipment of the pool. In some pools, however, visitors are allowed to swim without a cap, explaining this by the perfection of modern treatment systems. But the cap takes care not only of the pool, but also of you.
Here are some useful features of a swimming cap:
- reduced water resistance due to its streamlined shape;
- protection against water flowing into the ears;
- reducing exposure to chlorine on hair;
- heat preservation.
The choice of swimming caps today is huge - they are made of latex, silicone, fabric or combined materials. All of them stretch well and fit tightly on your head, but if it is important for you that the cap does not let water through, choose silicone or a combination of materials. Latex - affordable and uncomfortable. They are difficult to put on and difficult to take off, they tear easily, and what’s most unpleasant is that they damage the hair and cause allergies in some people. For those with long hair, it is better to use special caps for large volumes of hair, so that there is enough material to protect your ears.
There are no sizes for the hats - they are divided into adult and children's.
How to wear?
To put on a swimming cap, remove all jewelry from your ears and hands - they can tear the cap. If you have long hair, you need to put it in a bun and tie it with an elastic band. After showering, you can wet your head to make putting it on easier.
Now insert your palms into the cap, stretch its walls a little to the sides and pull, starting from the forehead to the back of the head. Straighten the cap on your head, remove any falling curls.
The ears can be covered with a cloth or left open. In the first case, you will protect yourself from water leakage, but you will be less able to hear others around you, and this may create discomfort. If the ears are not closed, water will flow into them - how often and how much depends on the individual anatomical characteristics of the swimmer. For some this is a daily problem, for others it is a rarity. After a few trainings, you will understand for yourself what is better for you - leaving your ears open or pulling a cap over them.
Care
Caring for your swimming cap is very easy. After swimming, just rinse it with running water and put it in a bag or waterproof bag. When you get home, immediately take out the cap along with your other swimwear and leave it to dry.
Attention: Protect the cap from direct sunlight, and also do not dry it on heating devices - silicone and rubber materials are guaranteed to melt!
A swimming cap is truly essential, especially if you plan to go swimming regularly. When choosing hats, many questions arise: which hat to choose, which one is better, what is their difference, why is it even needed. We will try to answer all questions so that you know exactly what you need and approach the purchase with knowledge.
Why do you need swimming caps?
Some people wonder why you need swim caps at all, especially if you have short hair. In addition, often even under a hat, the hair becomes damp. But a hat is a necessary accessory for both men and women, and, of course, for children.
1 Water in swimming pools is most often disinfected with chlorine. This water is very harmful for any hair type. It has been noted that with frequent contact of hair with pool water, hair may begin to fall out and become duller and brittle. Fine children's hairs are especially susceptible to the harmful effects of water with bleach.
2 Caps still keep hair relatively dry. Usually only a little hair gets wet towards the edges of the cap. Drying wet hair is not difficult.
3 If you do not use a cap, hair will definitely get into the pool water. This disrupts the operation of fine filters in swimming pools.
4 Thanks to the hat you don't freeze. Through wet hair, heat leaves the body much faster.
5 When swimming against the clock, the cap reduces water resistance and you can move faster. That's why all athletes wear caps at competitions.
6 You are not bothered by hair that falls on your forehead and eyes. In addition, if you use swimming goggles, they can get tangled in your hair that is not covered by a cap.
7 A hat is fashionable and stylish. Thanks to this accessory, it becomes clear to everyone that you are a real athlete. There are even special collections of hats that are produced together with sports swimsuits - they are made with the same patterns and in the same color scheme.
Where to buy a pool cap
Pool caps can be purchased at any sports store. There you can also buy other paraphernalia for this sport: a sports swimsuit, glasses, etc. A consultant in the store will help you understand the types of hats and their prices.
What types of swimming caps are there?
There are several types of pool caps. The cheapest of all - latex. Perhaps the price is their only advantage. They don't stretch well, they're difficult to put on your head, they're difficult to remove because hair sticks to them well, and they can cause allergies. In addition, they are very short-lived and tear quite easily. A latex cap is difficult to care for. After drying, it must be treated with talcum powder.
The most popular type of hats are silicone. They cost a little more than latex ones, but they have a number of advantages. They do not cause allergies, stretch well, are easy to remove, and easy to care for. After visiting the pool, just rinse the cap in cool water and dry it, avoiding direct sunlight and away from the battery. Such hats can be suture or seamless. It is believed that seamless hats are better because they do not tear. But even caps with seams are very difficult to tear. The choice of colors, models, designs, inscriptions - all this undoubtedly attracts and allows you to choose what you want. For children there are special silicone hats with children's prints and bright colors.
There are also fabric caps. They cost more than others and allow water to pass through. Their advantage is that they are easy to put on and take off. But they get completely wet. Therefore, the essence of such a hat is not entirely clear.
Combined hats for swimming - this is the most expensive option. These caps are covered with silicone on the outside and fabric on the inside. This option is the most convenient and practical, and if you are satisfied with the price of such an accessory, then choose it. The hat wears excellently, is easy to care for, easy to put on and take off, and hardly gets wet.
What are the sizes of swimming pool caps?
The sizes of the hats are basically standard. As a rule, they are divided into adults and children only. Children's ones, of course, have a smaller volume and better fit the child's head. But hats from different manufacturers may have slight differences in volume. Therefore, it is better to choose a hat for yourself or together with your child - if the hat is bought for him. In this case, you can immediately try on and compare to find out which hat is most comfortable.
How to put on a hat correctly
Many beginners wonder how to put on a swimming cap in order to experience the minimum amount of discomfort. For many children, putting on and taking off a hat is also a whole problem, and few kids enjoy this process.
If you have long hair, it is recommended to first put it in a bun or braid your hair so that your neck remains open. To secure your hair, use only regular hair ties, without any decorations or rhinestones. Do not pin your hair up with hairpins or barrettes; it is also better to remove sharp and long earrings. It is advisable to remove jewelry from your hands before putting on the hat. For example, rings can tear a cap.
Some people wonder how to position the seam in relation to the head on the cap correctly: from ear to ear, or from forehead to the back of the head. Most often, the hat is placed with a seam from the forehead to the back of the head, that is, along the head. But there is no fundamental difference; this does not affect the swimming process. Therefore, you can dress her the way you like.
So, to put on the cap, you should put both hands inside so that the back of your hand touches the cap. The fingers themselves should not be spread out; round them so that they form a curve. Now gently pull the cap on, starting from the top of your head. Hair and bangs that have escaped from under the cap can be easily tucked under the cap. Taking off a hat is easier than putting it on. It is enough to bend its edges a little and carefully remove it.
Here's what kind of hat they came up with specifically for those with long hair:
And here is a funny video about how you can easily put on a swimming cap:
When newcomers come to the pool for the first time, they learn that a mandatory accessory during training is a swimming cap. If you don’t have it, you’ll have to go home or buy the required item on the spot (fortunately, they are usually sold at every pool). It is useless to argue and be indignant - these are the rules. And even if you have a short crew cut on your head, you still have to wear a hat. The question arises, are these rules really worthwhile, or are they pure bureaucracy? Let's find out.
Cap - swimmer's protective equipment
Swimming with uncovered hair exposes it to chlorine, which according to standards is contained in pool water at least 0.5 mg/l. Hair dries out, becomes dull and brittle, and even begins to fall out. If they are colored, sometimes they may even have a greenish tint. And children's delicate hairs suffer especially. By covering our head with a bathing cap, we avoid all this.
Now about health. In the cold season, leaving the pool with wet hair is both unpleasant and harmful. It may well blow on the way to the shower, and a cold is guaranteed. Water accidentally getting into the ear causes a lot of discomfort, and in some cases can lead to ear diseases. And (especially silicone ones) tightly cover the ears and leave hair dry. And swimming in them is much warmer - this is important in winter and autumn.
Regarding safety and comfort, we can say the following: long hair in water can cause an unpleasant “surprise”. They sometimes wrap themselves around glasses, close their eyes and climb into their mouths. Then you have to untangle the strands for a long time, and even cut some of them.
The cap is a way to achieve records
The smooth shape that latex and silicone products give to the head can significantly reduce frictional resistance. Therefore, the speed of movement is much higher than when swimming with open hair. Swimmers never start training without a cap. Naturally, no one participates in competitions without this attribute.
Cap - protection of pool equipment
Fine filters, which are installed in each pool, are designed to remove small particles of contaminants. When hair gets caught in them (which is inevitable when people swim bareheaded), they quickly become clogged. The result is that the filters work less efficiently. Extending their trouble-free service is not difficult - all you need is.
Latex, silicone or fabric?
Today, stores mostly sell swimming headgear made from latex (aka rubber) or silicone. There are also fabric hats that contain lycra, polyester or polyamide. They are quite comfortable, but have a huge disadvantage - they let water through. Therefore, they are usually bought only for aqua aerobics.
Latex caps They are cheap, but they don’t last too long. They are easy to tear, not very convenient to put on, they stick unpleasantly to the hair and require sprinkling with talc during storage. In addition, natural latex often causes allergies.
Silicone caps cost a little more. But they are comfortable and very elastic - when pulled, they can stretch twice as much, and they fit your head just perfectly. This cap is easy to put on and take off, and allergies are never observed when using it. And there is no need to keep reserves of talc - after swimming, you just need to rinse the product with water and dry it.
Combined hats They have a lining made of fabric with lycra on the inside, and polyurethane or silicone on the outside. They are expensive and are used mainly for training by professional athletes.
A very necessary and useful thing for those who love swimming and just visiting the pool is a swimming cap.
Why do you need a swimming cap:
- protects hair from getting wet;
- protects against the harmful effects of chlorinated water;
- hair doesn't get in the way;
- helps the body retain heat;
- prevents water from entering the ears;
- prevents water from clogging with lost hair;
- provides the body with better gliding in water;
There are caps: latex, silicone, textile and combined
Manufacturers also produce professional caps for competitions and special caps for swimmers with long hair. The swimming cap has several sizes: adult, medium and child. The average size can be suitable for both a child whose head size is slightly increased for his age, and for an adult whose head volume is less than the usual size characteristics.
Dressing is difficult, as a rule, latex caps. They are thin, do not have sufficient strength, and tear easily. In addition, they are difficult to put on and take off even with short hair. Latex sticks even to a short haircut, and when removed, it pulls out hairs, thereby creating discomfort. Silicone hats are much easier to put on, the main thing is to do it not with one hand, but with both hands, holding the edges of the hat.
How to choose a swimming cap
Silicone swimming cap:
Well, it stretches and fits tightly to the head. It protects hair well from getting wet, does not cause allergies, and has good streamlining. Hair does not stick to the cap. Has a long service life. Good fit for all head sizes.
Polyester cap or “rag” cap:
You can do water aerobics in such a hat; it breathes and allows evaporation from the head to pass through during exercise. You cannot do water aerobics in silicone, rubber or latex caps!!! The hair in such a cap gets wet; it only serves to keep the hair out of the way when swimming and doing water aerobics.
3D Swimming Cap:
Well suited for competitions and just for training. It has a spherical shape, 3D. Made from dense silicone.
Nylon Lycra Cap (Fabric Cap):
It fits well on the head without squeezing it. Easy to put on and suitable for everyday training. Like a polyester cap, it is good to do water aerobics in it, thanks to the fact that the head seems to “breathe” during exercise and the body does not overheat.
Latex swimming cap:
A latex hat has a disadvantage: it is difficult to put on and breaks quickly, but at the same time it has a low cost.
There are also elegant hats for women who want to look beautiful in the pool:
Children's hat with strap:
Thanks to the rubber strap, the cap fits well on the head, holds the hair, and does not fly off while swimming. The cap is made of rubber and protects the hair and scalp from chlorinated water.
How to put on a swimming cap
Dressing instructions:
- Gather your hair and tie it in a bun. Try to keep all unruly strands smooth and in place.
- To make putting it on easier and more comfortable, sprinkle some baby powder into the hat. It will reduce the sticking of the cap to the hair.
- If your hair is electrified, moisten it lightly with water.
- Place both palms into the sides of the cap and stretch it.
- Bend your head slightly and move it inside the cap into the space between your palms.
- Pull the cap over your head, simultaneously lowering your palms down and pulling it over your ears.
- Spread the cap in all directions: pull it over your forehead, tucking strands of hair inside, to the back of your head and to your temples.
- You should also remove the cap by putting both hands under it and stretching it slightly.
After exercising in the pool, when you come home, be sure to rinse the cap with water and dry it. And then, if the hat is rubber or latex, sprinkle baby powder inside so that it does not stick together while it sits unused.
Silicone is considered the most comfortable material for a swimming cap. Such hats are elastic, have good strength, long service life, are easy to take off and put on, but they are also the most expensive. When wet, they do not stick together and do not require complex care.
Who can and benefits from visiting the pool, you ask? Almost everyone.
The fact is that swimming allows you to reduce weight, improve your health, relieve stress, which is very important in our time, improve your mood and take a break from everyday problems.
During swimming, blood circulation improves, the skin rejuvenates, flexibility and mobility of all joints increases, and the spine relaxes.
If you decide to take up swimming, then first of all you need to carefully read the rules of visiting the institution you have chosen.
If you regularly visit the pool, naturally you need to acquire several necessary accessories, namely: a towel, and a swimming cap for swimming in the pool.
Having learned the rules for being in any health pool, you will see that purchasing this cap for those involved is mandatory condition.
Do you really need a cap when visiting the pool?
It turns out this is a very useful and necessary thing:
Which hat is best for you?
I hope we have sorted out the fact that you need a swimming cap for swimming in the pool. Now let’s consider the question of which one to choose with all the variety of models.
When purchasing this accessory, you do not need to pay attention to the size, because there is none, there are only divisions into adults and children (they are smaller in volume).
Today, the choice of these products is huge and will satisfy the taste of even the most sophisticated fashionista, because the swimming pool also has its own fashion trends.
There you can see hats of one color and various colors, smooth and with three-dimensional figures and flowers, various designs and inscriptions.
There are women's collections of hats, which are produced together with swimsuits, with the same pattern and in the same color scheme.
Some companies can make you a custom swim cap with your own design. So that in the pool you can feel not only comfortable, but also stylish.
Manufacturers of swimming accessories produce these products from various materials (latex, silicone, fabric, combined).
U latex caps have a huge number of disadvantages(thin, easily torn, difficult to put on and take off, stick even to short hair, cause many problems). At the same time, it is difficult to care for it; after you have visited the pool, it is a must treat with talc, otherwise it will stick together.It must be kept in mind that some people there may be allergic reactions for this material. They attract buyers mainly only because of their low cost; they are often sold in the pools themselves, if the visitor suddenly forgot to take his own.
Silicone swimming pool caps are more popular today and are perhaps the most sought after type.
They cost more than latex ones, but they have many advantages.
They are hypoallergenic and do not stick to hair, which is very important for ladies with long hair.
They are easy to put on and take off because the material is very elastic (this allows you to make models of various designs, with inscriptions, slogans, pictures). These hats come in suture and seamless types.
Fabric cap made of synthetic materials (lycra, polyester, etc.). She doesn't squeeze her head, but has a high coefficient of friction. This is an inexpensive option for swimming enthusiasts. It fits well and doesn't pull hair, but it also does not protect them from exposure to water and chlorine, because the fabric allows water to pass through. Such products are used mainly for water aerobics, as they serve rather to collect hair. They are not suitable for swimmers.
The disadvantages of fabric caps can be compensated for combined hats: silicone coating on top, fabric inside. This is of course the most expensive option, but it is the most practical and convenient. These hats wear well, are easy to care for, and practically do not get wet.
How to choose a pool cap for your child?
It is difficult to find children who do not like to splash in the water. In the conditions of our cities and constantly busy parents, going to the pool is much easier than going to the sea or even the nearest river.If you regularly swim in the pool with your children, then this is not only a pleasant activity for them, but also great way be healthy. Strong immunity, muscles, healthy lungs, endurance, strength, agility - this is what your child will gain during these classes.
Just take him to the pool several times a week. And most importantly, teach him all the safety measures when visiting him.
Every adult who has visited a swimming pool at least once knows what things to have with them.
If you go to the pool with a child, their list can be slightly improved.
Of course, a bathrobe will come in handy with the swimsuit so that your child does not freeze after swimming, goggles, fins for the pool, and, of course, a children's rubber cap.
With all this, the child will be able not only to swim, but also to dive.
How to choose a children's hat for swimming in the pool?
There are only two sizes of pool caps: for adults and for children. You don't need to know any specific numbers. A hat for children is no different from an adult one (a little smaller in volume), it can just have small funny ears, bright children’s prints, or be made in the shape of an animal’s face.
If you need to buy an accessory for your baby, just take a baby hat that he likes and fits in size, and go to the pool.
How to put on a pool cap easily and correctly
Having decided on the choice of a hat, you need to learn how to use it correctly.
Handle it with care to prevent tearing. After visiting the pool you need dry the cap, but not in the sun and away from the radiator.
To easily put on a hat and not experience any discomfort, you need to know a few simple rules:
- Remove jewelry (rings, bracelets) from your hands so as not to tear the cap;
- If you have long hair, gather it in a bun, secure it with an elastic band and distribute it over your head, leaving your neck open; here it is important not to use hairpins or sharp hairpins that can damage the cap;
- Stretch the cap by putting both hands inside;
- Bend over and apply the edge of the product to your forehead;
- Move your hands back, distributing the product over your head;
- Taking off a hat is much easier than putting it on; you just need to bend its edges and carefully remove it.
And finally, where can you buy a hat? They are sold in any sports store. The consultant will help you understand the types of hats and give you an idea of the price.
We would really like that after reading this article, you begin to regularly visit the pool, while receiving great pleasure, the joy of communicating with loved ones and friends, with interesting people, improve your health and simply relax.
