How to choose a swimming cap
Durable silicone swimming caps, long hair swimming caps or thermal swimming caps: read our guide to choosing the right head cover for pool or outdoor swimming
Why wear a swim cap?
Primarily worn to reduce drag, swim caps also protect hair from the effects of chlorine or salt water, keep hair out of your face while you’re swimming and stop stray hairs from entering the pool. In open water, they also help regulate head temperature and make you more visible; supervised open water venues and events will often require you to wear one for this reason.
One common misconception is that swim caps are designed to keep your hair dry. While some caps do this relatively well, it’s not actually their purpose. However, while they don’t keep your hair dry, they do prevent it from becoming saturated by chlorinated water, which has more chance to damage your hair. Swim caps also protect your ears: by letting less water in, they reduce the risk of otitis externa (Swimmer’s Ear) and can help keep ear plugs in place.
While most swim caps you see around the pool are the tight-fitting silicone or latex kind, there are actually a whole range of materials and styles to choose from.
Silicone swim caps
Lasting longer than latex styles, silicone swim caps are strong and durable, provide a snug fit and tight seal, protecting your hair from chlorine damage and provide the most streamlined shape. They also help goggles to stick in place and provide some degree of warmth. Moulded silicone swim caps are designed to be smooth and wrinkle-free, and are the most hydrodynamic design for competitive swimmers.
Long hair swim caps
For those blessed with voluminous hair, being unable to wear standard silicone caps can potentially present another barrier to entering a sport that can bring so much joy. With their range of five sizes, Soul Cap has been blazing the way in inclusive swim caps – their mission to bring inclusivity and accessibility to swimming, to build confidence in the water and to break down social barriers. The bigger brands are now following suit with Zoggs and Zone3 bringing out their own long hair swim caps in 2025. Bunbathers also make stylish caps designed for wear with a pony tail.
Polyester and Lyrca swim caps
While classic silicone and latex caps are the most streamlined, some swimmers find them restrictive and a pain to pull on. Soft fabric caps made from polyester or Lycra are stretchy, comfortable and easy to put on. They are, however, completely porous so they offer less protection from the effects of chlorine and salt water. Decathlon has a wide and inexpensive range.
Thermal swimming caps
If you’re swimming outdoors in winter, you will need more thermal protection. Neoprene and sustainable alternative Yulex work by trapping a thin layer of water between the material and your skin, which then heats up to your body temperature. Neoprene and Yulex swim caps are remarkably comfortable – especially those with a soft thermal lining – and often have an adjustable chin strap. Often coming in black, you can wear a bright silicone or fabric cap on top to be seen.
Woolly hats for winter swimming
Many heads up breaststroke swimmers wear woolly hats in the winter. As our heads are a major source of heat loss, wearing a bobble hat keeps you safer and allows you to swim for longer. Brands such as Bei-Mir and Swimbler make swimmer specific styles, which might offer triple layer warmth, be snug fitting so they don’t slip while you swim or be brightly coloured to keep you safe and seen.
Bubble caps
Made from thick latex, bubble caps have a retro feel. They’re more comfortable than silicone caps and provide a good fit even with longer hair. The bubbles are filled with air, which adds an insulating element, making them a good choice for open water. They often cover ears, too, providing extra warmth and helping ear plugs stay in place.
Vintage style swimming caps
For those wanting something a little more chic, there are flower petal decorated styles that hark back to the 1960s, silk wraps and swim turbans, which blend functionality, style and comfort for recreational swimmers. Look for brands such as Fine Saratoga and Silk & Lawn. There are some great options in the Outdoor Swimmer Shop.
The best thermal swimming caps for outdoor swimmers
ORCA Thermal Neoprene Cap
£35
We love the soft thermal lining and slightly thicker (3mm) neoprene in this thermal swim cap. It comes in three sizes (many brands only offer two) and has an adjustable chin strap so it fits like a glove, with generous coverage of the forehead, ears and back of the neck. Orca also make a hi-vis Neoprene Swim Cap (£27) in 2.5mm neoprene when you don’t want to wear another bright cap on top.
FINE SARATOGA
Neoprene Swimming Cap
£19.99
We wore this for a winter swim gala and it made a great difference to the horrible brain-freeze you can encounter in cool water. It is easy to slip on and off and doesn’t catch your hair like latex or silicone hats. We liked the minimal white design and the practicality of this hat. It was also a favourite with our young swimmer who hates rubbery hats!
FINISTERRE Nieuwland 2mm Yulex® Cap
£50
Although it’s hard to describe a thermal swimming cap as ‘stylish’, we were pleasantly surprised by how good this cap looked. While the material is thinner (2mm) and doesn’t have the smoothness of the Zoggs cap (which would be better if speed is your goal), the Finisterre swimming cap felt just as comfortable in cold water as it covers more of the forehead and helped prevent ice cream headache. It’s got a good amount of stretch, too, which makes it easy to tuck longer hair into, and the hook and loop under-chin strap allowed us to adjust the fit.
ORCA Neoprene Headband
£14
Super stretchy and comfortable, this neoprene headband covers the ears really well – protecting them from cold water and helping to hold ear plugs in place. If, like our tester, you can feel dizzy when swimming front crawl in cold water but don’t like wearing ear plugs, this neoprene headband provides an excellent solution – whether it’s because the tight-fitting headband keeps most of the water out of your ears or because it warms the water, we’re not sure, but it definitely had a positive effect on reducing dizziness in open water. We wore a bright mesh swim hat on top for visibility.
ZOGGS Neoprene Cap 3
£39
We really appreciated the smooth ‘Glide skin’ layer on this cap, which made us feel streamlined and efficient in the water. The 3mm neoprene thickness felt just right in the 12-15ºC water we tested it in, while the lining added an extra layer of warmth and felt soft and comfortable. The cap stays put with a seamless loop of neoprene under the chin, which on the one hand provides a good close fit with minimal water ingress, but those who feel a little claustrophobic in neoprene caps might prefer an adjustable hook and loop under-chin strap. We liked the vibrant colour stripe for visibility.
HUUB Neoprene Skull Cap
£17.99
This cap is made from super soft and stretchy 3mm neoprene, which feels comfortable and keeps your head warm with a fit that doesn’t feel claustrophobic. While the silver branding on the top delivers some degree of visibility, you can always pop a bright silicone cap on top for racing or for extra peace of mind in the water. The cap is available in three sizes, but consider sizing up; the medium rode up a little without a silicone cap to keep it in place. A super neoprene cap for the price!
ZONE3 Orange Neoprene Swim Cap
£29
This bright orange swim cap is reassuringly visible. As well as keeping my head warm, the 4mm high-friction material didn’t budge and kept my goggles in place, while the fastening under the chin was the comfiest of the caps tested and offered a good amount of adjustability in terms of fit. As with all the caps tested, it can be tricky getting the right fit for long or thick hair. Measure your head while wearing a silicone cap to find the right size.
The best long hair swimming caps
SOUL CAP Large Swim Cap For Long Hair
£18
Soul Cap swim caps come in five generous sizes and even the ‘medium’ fitted our tester’s afro hair once it was tied up. In fact, our tester loved the fit of this cap, which was easy to get on and fitted well over her ears. While the fit didn’t feel as streamlined as the Zone3 cap, she felt elegant in it, loved the subtle branding and the little nods she got from other swimmers who recognised the brand.
ZONE3 Silicone Long Hair Swim Cap
£6
This new long hair cap from Zone3 really delivered. Made with thick silicone, it was easy to get on. It had less give than the Zoggs or Soul Cap styles, meaning a snug fit that didn’t move an inch during pool training – great for competitive swimming. Braille-like bobbles around the edges also helped keep the cap in place. The shape allows for a bun, so if you wear your hair up when swimming the style will work for you. Swimmers with dreads or a full afro might like to try the ‘Extra Long Hair’ style.
ZOGGS Long Hair Latex Cap
£15
This one-size latex cap would suit swimmers with very long hair, dreads or long braids. However if, like our tester, you tend to tie your hair up when swimming then the opening of the cap might be too big and slip when swimming. The bright pink is highly visible. Made from latex, it offers less thermal protection and durability than silicone styles.
The best bubble, retro and vintage swimming caps
FINE SARATOGA Vintage Style Flower Swim Hat
£29.99
While you might like the style of this flower petal swim cap, it is good to know that it is also really warm. It won’t win you any races, as it isn’t sleek and will cause drag. But for heads-up swim style or some more gentle swimming, it is ideal. We had lots of compliments wearing it, it made us smile and kept our head warm and hair largely dry – a great combination.
Best woolly hats for outdoor swimmers
BEI-MIR Neon Spiral Hat
£28.99
These Neon Spiral Hats, which come in a range of neon colours, are designed to be snug fitting so they don’t slip while you swim and they are brightly coloured to keep you safe and seen in the water. Who doesn’t love a hat that matches your tow float? The soft fleece lining around the rim of the hat felt so cosy on our skin and kept the hat put while swimming.
SWIMBLER Waterproof Bobble Hat
£32
This lovely warm pom pom hat is made with three layers: an acrylic knitted outer, a soft warm fleece lining and a second layer of eco stormactive membrane, so it’s incredible warm. It’s weatherproof – the acrylic outer and waterproof membrane keep off the wind and rain – while the fleece lining feels soft and warm. An enormous 15cm detachable (and interchangeable) pom pom adds extra fun.
Find all the gear you need for open water swimming, from adventure bags and swimming togs to tow floats and changing robes, at the Outdoor Swimming Shop. Read more gear reviews. If you buy a product through a link on this page we may receive a commission.
Words: Jo Tinsley, Ella Foote, Susi Owusu
Jo Tinsley
Jo is the Gear Editor for Outdoor Swimmer and also writes news and features for the website. A keen open water swimmer and long-distance walker, she loves seeking out lakes and lidos close to her home in the Mendip Hills, Somerset. She is the author of The Slow Traveller, editor and founder of independent magazine, Ernest, and has previously tested outdoor clothing and kit for BBC Countryfile Magazine, BBC Focus and Ernest Journal.
