How to pack for swim travel
Your swim travel essentials – and how to carry them – as recommended by the Outdoor Swimmer team
Whether you’re taking part in an event abroad or touring new lakes and coves, packing for a swim travel trip requires some forethought.
Make a list
We’ve found these items to be essential when packing for our swimming trips:
- Always pack at least two swimsuits, preferably three. One can dry while you wear another, and a third is always useful. If you’re taking hold luggage, put one in your hand-luggage.
- Take a spare pair of goggles: your old, reliable go-to pair plus a back up. Consider bringing one with clear lenses and one with tinted or polarised lenses, for different light conditions.
- A descent-sized cotton hammam style towel will dry quickly, doubles as a blanket and won’t shed microplastics like a microfibre towel.
- Either a multi-use shoe, something that can be worn in water, on land or to a cafe. Or a lightweight, roll-up water shoe to keep your feet protected at stony exit points.
- A warm layer. Materials like merino wool and bamboo have a great warmth to weight ratio, and are breathable, too.
- Environmentally-friendly sunscreen – a must when swimming, even on cloudy days. Mineral based sunscreens and zinc sticks contain less harmful ingredients than chemical sunscreens and are not linked to coral bleaching.
Kit for events
If you’re taking part in an event, check if there is any compulsory kit, such as tow floats or bright swim hats.
Think safety
Design your own mini first aid kit based on where you’ll be swimming. Consider items such as pain relief, plasters, antiseptic wipes, bite creams, friction creams, tick tweezers and hand sanitiser. Pack a couple of bright swim caps for visibility, a whistle and perhaps a small tow float.
Choose a bag carefully
Think about how you’ll be spending your days in and out of the water and choose a bag accordingly. Consider a wet-dry bag, which has waterproof sections for stashing your wet kit. Alternatively, bring a couple a dry bags to keep everything separate. Having a way to fix a damp costume to the outside of your bag is also useful.
Hand luggage only
It’s perfectly possible to go away for a weekend with hand-luggage only, even with a wetsuit, but you have to leave most of your other clothes behind! Bear in mind, though, there might be items that are hard to take through security such as sunscreen, anti-chafing cream and energy gels. If you’re taking a hold bag, pack your swimmers in your hand luggage in case it goes astray.
Swim travel products we love
Clever packing hacks, versatile layers and a post-swim pick me up
Passenger Compass Modular Clip On
£9.95
Always rooting about in a bag for your goggles? Pop them in this handy clip-on pocket bag and you’ll be ready for the water in no time. Alternatively, it’s great for phone, spare change and car keys.
Wilds Yulex Body Warmer
£59.99
Add an additional layer of warmth to your core without having to pack a wetsuit with this bright and bold body warmer. The 3mm Yulex also provides extra buoyancy. It’s easy to pack, easy to wriggle in and out of, and it’s such a fun print!
Keen Leiki Waterproof Hiking Shoe
£125
An ideal balance between lightweight and robust, the Leiki hiking shoe is waterproof yet breathable and great for riverside or coastal swim hikes. The womenspecific follows the contours of your feet and feels instantly snug and comfortable, while the cushioned foam sole feels suitably bouncy.
Passenger Drop Recycled Wash Kit
£29.95
We love the bright aqua colour of this drop-down wash kit. With three compartments and a hanger, it’s ideal for a weekend away or a longer trip, and could just as easily carry swimming accessories or first aid basics as toiletries.
Matador’s Flatpak Toiletry Bottle 3-Pack
£39.95
A simple, yet brilliant idea. These are ideal for camping or travelling light. Fill them with anything you need and then write the label to remind you what’s inside. You can clip and hang them when in use and they slide easily into any bag.
Peak Drip Coffee Bags, Box of 10
£19.90
If you are fussy about your coffee, then you will love these coffee bags for on the go. Not only are they super practical and brilliantly designed, they make a flavorful proper coffee. The single-serve drip is perfectly proportioned and the packets are ideal for slipping into swim bags with a flask of hot water.
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. Lead photo: Unsplash
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.
