July/August 2026 ‘Digital Swimmer’
Outdoor Swimmer Extra: Get the best of Outdoor Swimmer magazine online.
It has been fascinating pulling this issue together and we have a bumper magazine with 100 pages of brilliant content. Exploring how the digital world is seeping into our swimming has been eye-opening. Learning how the use of technology can aid, improve or enhance swimming has made me think very differently and opened my mind to the idea that not all technological advances are negative or scary!
I grew up in that sweet spot where a computer was a luxury or used at school or a local library and I didn’t have a mobile phone or email address until I was at university. I played records and tapes and then CDs but didn’t really embrace MP3 players until much later. I have always done this dance of resistance, but when I do give into what tech can offer, I wonder what took me so long.
The first MP3 player I owned was a Speedo Aquabeat and I loved it, swimming with music transformed lane swimming for me. But with the fast pace that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is growing, I am back in a place of resistance. I dabble with it, see how it can save time with research and admin tasks, but then I read about large datacentres proposed for our Devon countryside and I recoil. Every generation must do this push and pull as our society and daily life changes as everything develops, evolves and often improves – where would we be without electricity!?
When working out what kind of cover we wanted this month, I first had the idea to let AI make it for me. AI generated images of outdoor swimming are surprisingly real, and there are a couple littered in the magazine, can you spot them? But then the wonderful Hannah Maia shared her cartoon: a swimmer, eyes down with her smartwatch, swimming straight into the jaws of a crocodile without a clue. I was straight back in the corner of creativity. So, while you may think the cover is an odd choice, a swimmer so reliant on a device they miss the giant crocodile in front seemed somewhat symbolic.
There is some brilliant and cool content in this month’s issue, the Tidelight that changes with the actual tide of your favourite beach, waterproof headphones that allow you to stream anything from your smartphone and Adele Benson’s take on content creators creating community are just some highlights!
Enjoy the issue, our next one won’t be with you until September!!
Ella Foote, Editor
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- Blue Health: The healing power of water
For our latest Virtual Event, we met Blue Health coach and author Lizzi Larlabestier, who shared with us how blue spaces can calm stress, awaken clarity and enrich body and mind - The magic of an island swim
Ben Lane visits Porto Santo for the Madeira Island Ultra Swim and discovers an event that blends world-class racing, welcoming community spirit and the stunning beauty of the Atlantic into an unforgettable experience - Connected by technology, restored by water
Technology can help us swim smarter and live healthier lives, but sometimes the greatest benefit comes from switching it off and simply enjoying the water. - Break to record maker
Simone Blaser is an award winning swimmer, the founder of Swimwild Escape and the first person to swim the 54km Upper Ord River in Western Australia. Here she shares her story and what she has planned for 2027 - Line of departure: immersion and connection
British Army Veteran, London Firefighter & Founder of Line of Departure, Matt Underwood shares his story and how he created a community for connection - Rayofi SwimComm review: Stream music while you swim
Ella Foote tests the Rayofi Swimcomm and Swimcomm Pro waterproof earphones that connect to a radio transmitter and streams music or coaching while swimming - Six moves to ease screen-time stiffness
A short selection of exercises targeting common areas of tightness associated with prolonged screen time. This sequence is designed to help mobilise the upper back, neck, shoulders and hip flexors. Words by Liz Lowe - Using AI to create fitness training programmes
Fitness coach Vivienne Rickman explores the possibilities and limitations of using AI to plan and support fitness goals - Technology, fairness and the spirit of para swimming
Swim coach Sophie Etheridge reports from the British National Junior Para Swimming Championships in Coventry - Long-sleeve swimwear for sun protection
Protect your skin from the sun in these long-sleeve swimsuits and swimming tops - Skincare for swimmers
Protect your skin from the harsh effects of chlorine, salt water and windburn with these innovative products - Best shoes to wear after swimming
Lightweight and slip-resistant sliders, cosy outdoor slippers and an innovative thermoregulating wool boot: we review the best shoes to wear after swimming - The best sunscreen for swimmers
What’s the best sunscreen for outdoor swimmers? The unique combination of water reflection, continuous immersion and abrasive wetsuit friction requires a specialised approach when it comes to sunscreen for swimmers. Here are five essential things to look for… - Outdoor swimming kit we love this summer
A reversible tow float and backpack, a pour-over coffee set for post-swim brews and lightweight post-swim shoes: read on for our round up of the best pieces of outdoor swimming kit we’ve tried, tested and loved this summer - Murcia: Spain’s hidden swim paradise
Ben Lane was invited to Murcia, Spain, to try a selection of newly created swim routes across the region – and found a tiny slice of heaven. Truly, those moments swimming in these waters and immersing ourselves in the local culture will live with us for a very long time - Six of the best wild swimming spots in the South West
Sian Lewis shares some of her favourite swims from her new book, Swimming Wild in South West England - Seeing is believing
Jharna Kumawat’s swimming was transformed after she saw a video of herself swimming, here she shares how swimming went from how it felt to what could be improved - Swimming in the Maldives: sharks, manta rays and coral reefs
Sharks, manta rays, warm water and finding Nemos in the Maldives – Simon Griffiths joins SwimQuest for an unforgettable swimming holiday - Sea swims and hot tubs on Cornwall’s Lizard
Silver Sands Holiday Park’s brand-new Signature Cove Lodges arrived this year, timberclad, hot-tubbed and just a woodland stroll from Kennack Sands. Ella Foote checks in on the wild tip of The Lizard to see how well luxury pairs with sea-swimming - Switch off swimming
This month’s invitation isn’t to stop sharing altogether – many of us do it for good reasons – but to notice the difference between a swim you truly experienced and one you mostly photographed or documented - Swim smarter with FORM
How FORM Smart Swim Goggles are changing navigation and pacing in open water - Can technology make you a better open water swimmer?
How can we marry up the wildness of open water swimming with technology? - A man with a wild vision
What if every swim you took helped protect the landscape you were swimming in? - The rise of swimming content creators
Ultra-marathon open water swimmer, writer and content creator Adele Benson explores both the advantages and disadvantages of swimming through a digital age - The best swimming bikinis
Dive-proof, wave-proof and cut to allow freedom of movement in the water, our experts put nine swimming bikinis to the test. - Introducing the WOWSA Awards
We’re proud to announce that Outdoor Swimmer is partnering with the World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA) to bring the WOWSA Awards to our pages and platform - The tech smart swimmer
How technology is transforming your time in the pool, by swimming coach Nicola Butler - A coast for all
English Channel swimmer Sophie Etheridge reports on the biggest step forward for beach access and blue spaces for adaptative swimmers - Returning to Windermere: my Great North Swim experience
A personal return to the Great North Swim at Lake Windermere, reflecting on open water swimming, inclusivity, and the journey from nervous beginner to confident outdoor swimmer. - Ebb and glow: the tide lamp
While swimmers strap on watches and trackers, one Cornish inventor is building tech that does the opposite, a lamp that mirrors the real-time tide of your favourite coastline and asks you to simply notice rather than measure - Wired for water
We swim outdoors to escape the digital world, yet technology has quietly transformed almost every aspect of the experience. From safer swims and smarter training to stronger communities and cleaner water, Rowan Clarke discovers why we’re all digital swimmers – whether we realise it or not. - Simon Griffiths: my take on tech
Your relationship with technology, what you use or ignore, will almost certainly be different to mine. And that’s OK, says Simon Griffiths - Swim to support your joint health
Did you know swimming is one of the most joint-friendly ways to stay active?
