
Hot drinks for outdoor swimmers
Cold water swimming calls for hot drinks for warming up after, but what should you pop in your flask this winter?

HAPPI Hot Chocolate Spoons
£10
They say: Cosy up with our plant-based hot chocolate stirrers. Enjoy these chunky spoons in Plain M!lk or Salted Caramel. Swirl into a mug of hot milk for a creamy, rich hot choc. Each pack contains 2 hot chocolate spoons = 2 servings. Plant based, vegan friendly, fully sustainable and ethically sourced. Caramel and milk chocolate flavour options.
We say: We found these yummy choc spoons when searching vegan options that are simple yet delicious. They were so ideal for the kit bag. We filled a flask with hot milk and then when we got out of the water, we dropped a spoon in our mug with the hot milk while drying off and dressing. By the time we were dressed the hot choc was ready! The salted caramel was a favourite, sweet but not overpowering. We used oat milk and it tasted as good as any dairy alternative.

HARTH Winter Solstice Hot Chocolate
£6.95
They say: Harth is an ethical hot chocolate company based in the heart of Somerset. They design their products with the outdoors in mind. This rich and delicious Swiss-style drinking chocolate is made with organic, fair-trade and un-alkalised cocoa powder with a perfect blend of winter spices. Naturally vegan and comes in plastic and chlorine free packaging that is 100% recyclable.
We say: “Brown paper packages, tied up with string” – this chocolate was the best packaged! It was also delicious. A delicate blend of wintery spices that sweeten the flavour of the chocolate rather than overpower it. Added to both dairy and non-dairy milks it was silky, rich and never bitter. Made fresh or a couple of hours ahead of swimming, it was good every time. The classic version was just as good.

KOKOA Collection Sample Box
£20
They say: We curate chocolate from all over the world to give our customers a variety of tastes to choose from. We specialise in single origin hot chocolate, which means that the beans are sourced from one specific region – resulting in diverse, delicious flavours with a unique connection to each area.
We say: We were sent a sample box where you can try each of the chocolates on offer and it was a joy to taste the difference in each. Our favourites were the Venezuela, a smooth 58% cocoa, the dark and delicious Madagascar (82%) and the white (33%) Ivory Coast. The latter was great mixed into a coffee, otherwise it was super sweet. Madagascar was rich but could be softened with a little sugar. What’s great is the endless options and mixes. We dropped the tablets into a flask of hot milk before leaving home so it was ready when we got out.

PACT Coffee Advent Calendar
£34.95
They say: Enjoy delicious, hand-selected speciality coffee, roasted just days before it’s delivered to your door. The advent calendar offers 25 different and delicious speciality coffees to enjoy throughout December. You’ll enjoy a new coffee every day, discover the story behind each of them, and savour an extraordinary range of flavours.
We say: There’s a reason this sells out every year. It is an ideal gift for a coffee-lover in your life or for yourself. If you are swimming daily outdoors this is a brilliant partner. We loved the origin story on the back of each coffee which also gave information about tasting notes; it made us appreciate the delicate difference between beans. Any favourites can be reordered online, or a similar product is recommended. Every single day was delicious, different and talking point with fellow swimmers. Pact also offer a subscription service.

NIBBED Organic Pure Cacao
£13.24
They say: It isn’t just taste that compels founder, Lisa Kleiner, but also health and nutrition. This pure, organic, small-batch cacao comes in grated or whole-bar. Just scoop and melt into a hot cacao drink for a gentle, energising lift without the jitters. Unlike cocoa powder, our grated cacao undergoes minimal processing, preserving the precious cacao butter. This means a richer, thicker texture and intensified chocolate flavour.
We say: This was a firm favourite. We loved the ease of the grated chocolate, and it melted perfectly as it hit the warm milk. We tried it both with dairy and non-dairy milk and it tasted perfect every time. A rich flavour, not sweet but not at all bitter. Very smooth and felt luxury which isn’t normal when your teeth are chattering riverside. We sweetened it a little with maple syrup as recommended, but if you don’t have a sweet tooth, it is perfect as it is. We also loved putting it in our black coffee for a bit of a treat.

NO NORMAL COFFEE
£14
They say: The great outdoors is not just a place but a pivotal part of our existence. It’s where we recalibrate our senses, challenge ourselves, embrace mindfulness, and find clarity amidst nature’s unadulterated beauty. Our mission? To enhance those precious, serene moments… No Normal Coffee is coffee paste that can be dissolved in hot or cold water. One tube delivers up to 20 cups of coffee and can also be used as a spread.
We say: This innovative product is perfectly designed for outdoor swimming. The tube is robust enough to throw into a kit bag with a flask of hot water and the simple design means you can have a cup of coffee with not much else needed other than perhaps a spoon! We like our coffee black so this simple paste with a little added sugar was fantastic to warm up with. It’s easy to use and tastes good too. Like other instant coffee you can add a little more if you like it stronger, but with the recommended amount it gave a good rich flavour and decent strength. It also tastes surprisingly good on toast!

SPICE KITCHEN Hot Chocolate Collection
£18
They say: Hot chocolate from family-run spice company founded by mother and son duo Shashi and Sanjay Aggarwal. A traditional hot chocolate, a fiery gingerbread hot chocolate and a sweet and spicy chai spiced hot chocolate. We all know that there aren’t many things in this world more sublime than good quality chocolate. And now you can experience our three divine flavours in a gorgeous trio collection, which are gluten and dairy-free.
We say: This hot chocolate came highly recommended, and now we understand why. Want something that’s not just warming, but HOT after a cold dip – there is nothing like the fiery gingerbread chocolate! Seriously delicious and strong in flavour, this chocolate will be loved by those who like ginger spice. Mixed with hot milk ahead of our swim, this was smooth, silky and comforting. The sweet and spicy chai is a gentler spice option for those who prefer things a sweeter and softer.

WILLIE’S CACAO Luxury Hot Chocolate
£7.50
They say: Totally pure and bursting with flavour, it is made with one of the world’s great Single Estate cacaos that I found in Medellin, Colombia. This is what gives it its incredible richness and depth of flavour. It is 100% natural, containing only two ingredients, cacao and raw cane sugar. I make it from the bean with the same uncompromising commitment to quality as with our chocolate. The beans get a light roast, and then we conche for up to 21 days until the flavour is perfect.
We say: Delicious and simple. You want a classic hot chocolate with decent taste and made mindfully, from good sources – this is the one for you. It tasted great with hot water, hot milk and dairy alternatives. We pre-made it and loaded the flask, it seemed to get better as it brewed while we swam. Light, not too sweet and not at all bitter, it was an all-round winner. This was popular with the kids as well as the big-kids and the reassuringly short ingredient list meant it was enjoyed with peace of mind too.
All products were chosen independently by our editorial team. This review contains affiliate links and we may receive a commission for purchases made. Click here to subscribe to the magazine. Read more Outdoor Swimmer gear reviews.

