Summer time is touring time. And maybe swimming time. (Photo Credit: Pinterest)

You do not have to row in a swimming pool if you want to combine rowing with swimming: Many rivers and lakes around the world allow rowing and swimming. Sometimes the crews take their water breaks and go for a swim. I have seen it in Portugal and at a Fitness Rowing Marathon in Germany. Crew members jumped into the water. Right from their touring boat. What would you need to bring when going for a swim? Well a dry bag – off course.

WHAT’S IN A SWIMMER’S BAG?

To an outsider, one may think that a swimmer requires is just a swimsuit and a pair of goggles. This is far from the truth. Pool decks, for instance, are filled with bags and bags during swimming practice. After some shopping on websites as Addnature these bags are always bursting with equipment and swim accessories.

Most swim bags /dry bags are made of mesh. This material can handle soggy swimsuits and damp towels. They wash easy and are quick to dry. This is important to avoid your bag smelling or worst of, start molding. The bags are compartmentalize <>to keep your gear well organized. This makes it easier to transition to and from of the water. From a swimmer’s cellphone, water bottle, wallet, keys, swim equipment are just few items in a swimmer’s bag but the essentials are as below;

SWIM GOGGLES

Everyone should have their eyes always open when swimming. How else would you know where you are going? The chlorinated water maybe a bit too hard on the eyes so goggles are very important. Goggles should be fit and comfortable. The straps should not leave marks on the sides of the face. A swimmer’s goggles should always stay put despite the rigorous waters. The material is normally made of polarized lenses as not to get cloudy while in water.

SWIM SUIT

There are tons and tons of swimsuits out there. From one-piecers, bikinis, monokinis, jammers, wet suits and regular swimming costumes. There isn’t a particular type that is specifically recommended, to each their own. The important thing is that the swimsuit fits well and does not pose a hazard while swimming. For instance, one might go for a fashionable bikini with long straps that may get tangled with the pool rails. 

SWIM CAP

Swim caps are mostly worn by the ladies to protect their hair. However,  men have taken up the trend, especially those with long hair to get the hair off their faces. The material used to make swim caps is either silicon or latex. This makes sure the cap stays in place and does not slip from the head. Swim caps come in a variety of bright colors that helps swimmers see one another while in water.

MICROFIBER TOWEL

A swimming towel should not be the same one we use for bathing. Most bathing towels are large, bulky and made of cotton. Cotton towels are excellent for bathing but not functional for a swimmer. Microfiber towels are the most preferred. They are thinner than regular towels hence saving on space in the swimmer’s bag. Like the cotton towels, they have solid absorbency. They are quick to dry and the material is antibacterial.

NOSE CLIPS

Nose clips prevent water from going up the swimmer’s nose. This can happen when one is not exhaling properly during a back flip turn or when one is doing the backstroke. Water up your nose will make you want to sneeze and sniffle hence disrupting the swim. The nose clip is vital for beginners as it helps in breath control before one masters the technique. Underwater swimmers like using the nose clips as they can hold their breath longer while under water.

WET SHOES / POOL SHOES

The boat is such a slippery area, prone to falls and even fatal accidents. Proper footwear should be used around the Equipment. There is a huge variety of pool shoes in the market. The general feature of the shoe is that they should be light, comfortable and flexible. Flexibility will allow the shoe to fold hence easily fit into the bag. Soles of pool shoes should have grip to reduce the risks of slides. Most have PVC insole massage, some with even studs. This material is also resistant to the effects of chlorine.

This article is a guest/paid post. The content does not always represent rowperfects’s view.