What to Wear Wild Swimming

If you've decided to dip your feet into the world of wild swimming, chances are your initial thoughts are going to be around how cold it'll be. With that in mind, deciding on what to wear early and being able to bring the right gear will make a world of difference.

In this guide we'll cover everything you need to bring wild swimming, including what to wear, nice-to-haves and essential pieces to help warm yourself up after your dip.

If you're wondering what to wear wild swimming, it'll largely depend on the temperature. For most of the year a wetsuit will be best, but if you're fortunate enough to be going in warm weather, you can get away with a swimsuit or swim shorts.

Wetsuits are definitely best to invest in if you're making wild swimming a hobby. Since they're designed for cold water use, you'll be able to spend a little bit longer in the water. We stock both long and short sleeve wetsuits in our collection, along with wetsuits for kids.

You may prefer a swimsuit over the usual bikini set in order to have less direct contact with the water on your skin, but this is negligible and will be less of an issue once you're acclimatised. The important thing is that your swimwear is nice and secure. Swim shots are also fine, though you could also consider pairing them with a rash vest if you want more protection.

You should also consider getting a pair of water shoes, as they'll help keep your feet safe from sharp rocks, along with lowering the risk of slipping getting in and out of the water. They're definitely one of the more underrated things to bring.

It's not just a question of what to wear when you're actually wild swimming – it's equally important knowing what you're going to wear to warm up once you're out of the water.

Whilst you might see people wearing their changing robes out and about on the school run, they're actually a really good quality of life upgrade for wild swimmers, surfers – really any water-based outdoor hobbyist.

They're typically lined with cosy borg fleece to provide warmth and comfort, as well as having plenty of room inside to allow for discreet changing without the need for a private room. They're especially handy if you've been swimming in a wetsuit, as they're notoriously awkward to take off.

A more lightweight alternative to a changing robe, towelling robes are great for hotter days where you don’t need to rush as much to warm up after your swim.

As soon as you're out of the water your top priority is drying off and warming up. Once you're out of your swimwear, start your layering system with a nice warm fleece, followed by a suitable jacket for the weather.

You don't need to bring a whole lot with you, but there are some essentials to include in your backpack. You should of course pack your towel, along with a mini first aid kit just in case you need to treat any accidental scratches or minor injuries. It's also a good idea to bring an extra pair of socks, a pair of goggles, a swimming cap and most important of all - a flask of hot tea to warm you up from the inside out.

Enjoy your swim! We hope you found our guide on what to wear wild / open water swimming useful. If this is all new to you, we've also written a beginner's guide to wild swimming full of tips and advice, in collaboration with both avid wild swimmer @feather39 and Project Cold.