Product Reviews
Dive into our collection of outdoor swimming gear reviews. From wetsuits to goggles, swimwear to accessories, the expert enthusiasts at outdoorswimmer.com put each product to the test. Explore our honest assessments and kit recommendations to enhance your outdoor swimming experience.
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Zone 3 Onesie
We love this onesie from Zone3. A nice alternative to waterproof robes already on the market, the Zone3 Onesie is…
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Swans Open Water Seven Polarised Goggles
The Open Water Seven from Swans features seven faces to the lens, an interesting feature that is designed to combat…
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Blueye ‘Eel’ and ‘Squid’ Sunglasses
As far as we can remember, this is our first review of sunglasses, possibly for the obvious reason that most…
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How to Read Water, by Tristan Gooley
Naturalist Tristan Gooley is perhaps best known for his book The Natural Navigator, an enticement to leave behind your phone…
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Immersion by Karen Throsby
A few years ago, a friend of mine returned from a successful swim across the English Channel bearing gifts –…
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AMEO Powerbreather
We have reviewed training snorkels before on our gear pages, but the Powerbreather is something different. Rather than the traditional…
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Arena R-Evo+ vs Finis Vapor
I’ve been a competitive masters swimmer (on and off) for the past 10 years and got into open water about…
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MAD at BEST (or finding out how good your wetsuit really is)
Measuring drag in swimming is, well, a drag. A swimmer’s speed through the water is determined by two things: force…
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Funkita Mosaic Magic two-piece
Funkita and Funky Trunks swimming costumes are popular with outdoor swimmers and a common sight at open water races and…
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Nonumb
It’s often useful to look at innovation in other sports that could be transferable to open water swimming. Surfers gave…
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Swans SR-2 Mirrored Goggle
Last issue we reviewed the Open Water Seven goggle from Swans, but for the past couple of months we have…
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Mako trunks
These Toucan trunks from Mako didn’t arrive at the H2Open office in time to be tested and reviewed in last…
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Zone 3 Advance wetsuit
It has been a while since we tested a Zone3 wetsuit, so we were interested to get our hands on…
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Vantage Point, by Patricia Filteau
Set in the near future, this is a mystery thriller novel dealing with advanced technology and intellectual property rights, so…
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The Bering Papers: An extreme winter swimmer’s story
Jack Bright is perennially drawn to extreme adventures in nature. As a winter swimmer and explorer the lure of swimming…
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Michael Phelps Race Kit, from Aqua Sphere
We finally got our hands on a pair of men’s XPRESSO jammers and the matching X-O Race Cap, the final…
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Wild Swimming in Ireland, by Maureen McCoy and Paul McCambridge
Fifty swims in Ireland chosen by open water swimmer McCoy, this book looks like an essential companion to any trip…
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Sport & Meditation, by Sri Chinmoy
A fascinating look at the power of meditation in sport and the untapped spiritual aspect of training and racing. £16.99…
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Are you tough enough? By Helen Summer
Well, this book is pretty much about what it says on the cover. We picked it up because it has…
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Finis Posture Trainer
Although it looks like a mediaeval torture device, the Finis Posture Trainer is designed to promote correct head and spine…
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Max’s Protein Bar
My usual experience with protein products is the taste ranges from chemically enhanced to just about palatable. It was therefore…
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Aqua Sphere XCEED goggles
Developed in conjunction with Michael Phelps and US Olympic coach Bob Bowman, these racing goggles are not designed for open…
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Zone3 Bouyancy Shorts
We love these premium neoprene shorts from Zone3. Designed to improve your body position in the water by getting swimmers…
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Swimzi XK jacket
The Swimzi XK jacket was designed in collaboration with a team of swimmers who attempted a relay crossing from the Farallon…
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BlueSeventy Thermal Helix wetsuit
On first appearance the Blueseventy Thermal Helix looks like any other wetsuit. However inside it has the added feature of…