Behind the scenes: How we perfected post-swim layering

What’s the ideal clothing for outdoor swimmers post wild swim? Ask our Gear Editor, Jo – not only has she tried and tested a vast range of outdoor swimming kit, she has also designed our new clothing range.

Dressing post-swim

What’s more important – what you wear during your cold water swim, or what you wear afterwards? If you’re a cold water swimmer, you’ll know the answer. Warming up well after being in cold water is crucial to your recovery and comfort. And the secret to warming up is having warm, soft, comfy layers that you can easily pull on after your swim.

That’s what Gear Editor Jo had in mind when putting together our new clothing range. In the unique position of not only being a cold water swimmer, but also testing plenty of outdoor swimming gear, what were her priorities?

“Testing outdoor gear really makes you hone in on what works and what really doesn’t. Designing layers for cold water swimmers, warmth and comfort were obviously a priority,” says Jo. “Most importantly, the materials needed to be natural and feel good on – there’s nothing worse than pulling a scratchy layer onto cold, salty skin.”

Super soft layers

This meant focusing on the fabrics used to make the clothing, balancing softness, breathability and warmth.

“So, the long sleeve tee is made with 100% organic combed cotton, with soft ribbed cuffs and collar,” explains Jo. “The sweatshirts are made with heavyweight super-soft brushed back fleece, and the oversized hoodie is genuinely the softest layer you can imagine. The bobble hats are also seriously cosy – they’re heavyweight cable knit with a thermal band for extra warmth.”

Fit, function and feeling fine!

Fit is also important. Your post-swim layers should be loose enough to pull on over cold, damp skin, but fitted enough to layer. This is because layering offers superior warmth through trapping air and managing moisture.

“It was really important to get the fit just right,” says Jo. “I wanted a balance of style and functionality, meaning a slouchy drop-shoulder fit for the sweatshirt, while also making sure it was long enough to keep your core and bum warm, and a boxy oversized fit for the ‘slow swimmer’ t-shirt that’s cropped but still sits on the waist and is made with the softest 100% organic cotton.”

Understanding that a pop of colour can lift our mood, especially in darker winter months, Jo chose a soft palette with pops of bright colour.

“I wanted to keep things classic and simple, especially for the slogan tees, which is why I went with the understated ’slow swimmer’ and ‘outdoor swimmer’ designs,” she says.

“We know our readers love the ‘swim wild & free’ illustration by Nancy Farmer, so I came up with a range of long-sleeve tops, sweatshirts and t-shirts featuring this popular design.”

Writers and models

What better way to show off our new range than by modelling it ourselves? Jo was joined by Digital Editor Abi, Features Writer Rowan and Rowan’s reluctant husband, Adam, to model the new range. Distance and ice swimmer, Laura Nesbitt, took the photos.

“It was so exciting to get a first glimpse of the new merch,” says Rowan. “We had so much fun pretending to be models, prancing around in front of the camera at Clevedon Marine Lake, where Laura and I swim. Of course, we had to have a sauna and swim afterwards.”

In addition to testing the clothing ourselves, we also ensured that we chose a sustainable supplier. Sustainability is so important to us all, which is why our merchandise is designed to minimise environmental impact.

“Many of the products are made with 100% organic cotton, with minimal post-consumer recycled polyester for the fleece elements,” says Jo. “Many of the products are also certified organic, vegan, and enzyme-washed, which is more eco-friendly as it uses less water and energy, requires fewer chemicals, and produces less waste.”

Tell us what you think

We’d love to hear your thoughts on our new range. What do you like best? How cosy do they make you feel after a swim?

“It’s such a joy to be able to design the t-shirts and sweatshirts I would genuinely want to wear as an outdoor swimmer,” says Jo. “And I’m really pleased that the two designs I’m most excited about are already proving to be our bestsellers – the ‘slow swimmer’ sweatshirt in antique rose and the cosy ‘swim wild & free’ hoodie in sage with a gorgeous golden yellow design on the back, which is genuinely the snuggest layer to pull on after a cold dip.”

This is only the beginning! We’re already looking into new designs and colours for the New Year. Readers, we’d love to hear from you if there’s a phrase or design you think would go down well with your swimming groups – or perhaps a fit or feature you’d like to see in a future collection. Please get in touch! Email: info@outdoorswimmer.com