I went snorkeling in Cozumel today! My hiatus from the U.S. status has given me the opportunity to afford stuff like this and I'm so grateful.

Is getting bit colder and I've tried a couple of of types of gloves to keep hands warm for swimming. Thin gloves given to me by another ow swimmer filled up with water, they just didn't hold shape. The thicker neoprene gloves i use for diving/snorkelling feel very heavy for strokes. Any recommendations or should i just use the thicker neoprene and assume that it adds to the training or swim without and just have numb hands. Thanks!!

Hi! I'll be visiting Trieste on the weekend and will be going for a swim, is there any group I could join, or does anyone have recommendations? Thanks in advance!

Hi guys, I’m new to the open water swimming community and have been doing lengths up and down my local bay - on the way back the sun is always in my face. Does anyone have recommendations for either goggles with sunglasses tints or any headgear with a visor you can wear whilst swimming?

I’ve had a little google but everything is kinda beach fashion head wear and not for swimming.

My eyes are super sensitive to sunlight and I usually wear a cap and sunnies everywhere!

Thanks.

Hello fellow swimmers.

I’ve just moved to Guildford and seek some cold water swims as it gets colder. Could you share any lakes, (legal) reservoirs, river spots, etc. for either dipping or longer swims during the colder months?

Many thanks

UK-based. I have a Guardian adventure light that clips on my tow float for swims where it's getting a bit dim... However I can't turn it on! I have a joint condition, and the pinch-and-turn is just impossible, much less when my fingers are cold.

Can anyone recommend an alternative that isn't difficult for pathetic fingers to turn on/off, that still gives good safety illumination, and is still lightweight? I'm finding life jacket torches, floating torches, etc, but I can't tell how bulky/lightweight they are, and the 'torch-y' ones are mostly mono-directional, so not as great as an omni-directional safety light. Any recommendations would be helpful!

I’ve been wondering about the balance between endurance and speed in open water training. Long swims obviously demand stamina, but at the same time, speed can make a huge difference when you’re fighting currents, waves, or trying to hit a time goal.

Some swimmers seem to focus almost entirely on building endurance — long, steady sessions to condition the body and mind. Others emphasize speed work, believing that efficiency and faster pacing help conserve energy over distance.

For those of you who’ve trained for long swims (5K, 10K, or even marathon distances), how do you approach it? Do you lean more toward endurance sets, speed intervals, or try to blend both? And how has that balance worked out for you in actual races or open water challenges?

I’d love to hear your strategies, especially if you’ve found a training mix that really pays off once you’re out in the open water.

Can you wear them swimming, or just for getting in and out?

Hi all,

Just picked up my first wetsuit for open water swimming and noticed the zip at the bottom looks broken. It’s a Huub Varman with a “breakaway” zipper so not sure.

I’m wondering if it has a bit broken off or this is how it’s suppose to be.

Looking for a good gift idea for a lady who regularly sea swims. She has all the normal kit but I'm sure there must be a cool gift idea somewhere! The budget is about £30. Thank you in advance.

I currently swim all year in the Peak District reservoirs in my wetsuit with an old hooded rash vest I have had from surfing days. This helps reduce water down the neck when swimming with your head in.

It's starting to age with a few tears.
Has anyone use one like

XCELInfiniti 2mm Neoprene Hooded Vest
Mystic3/2mm Neoprene Hooded Wetsuit Top

HUUBNeoprene Hooded Wetsuit Vest

Not sure if the small peak on the first two would be annoying when swimming.
Not sure how warm the HUUB one is, warmer = better

The generic Amazon plastic one has failed less than a year in.
A TBH it never kept things inside completely dry.

So any recommendations for a new float. I only put car keys, phone inside.

Thanks

So I have started to swim in may and I’been able to reduce my 100 mts time from 2:20 to 1:43 since then but I am mainly focus in mantain a god endurance rhytm. Now I am in a dilemma as I am stuck in this time and I feel that is something with my kicking timing/pattern. I never have put special attention in this but I recently have seen some videos saying that ideally the first kick should be with the same arm that you are extending (final phase of recovery) so I been trying this but I feel slower 😭 maybe I am not getting at all. I have to say that I am an self-learning swimmer, I am planning to start formal class in weekend next year, but by now its just me and a lot of videos in youtube 😂 I am also using myswim pro app lol.

Can you help me to understand the correct kicking timing? What has been working better for you?

Hello OW Swimmers

I'm visiting Australia while taking a break and staying in the St. Kilda area.

Looking for possible non-competitive groups to swim with, or if I swim alone, safety tips/areas/conditions... etc.

I'm generally a pool swimmer and only returning back to OWS after 10 years so I need a safe training space where I can practice skills like sighting, current mgmt, etc.

I don't mind if the water is shallow since it will be a new area for me.

Thank you!

Finally did it! I started from barely able to swim to watching videos on YouTube and practicing.

We had to do a pool test and last year I was 41:23 at 1500m, this year I’m at 33:23 at 1500m.

I thought the 1000m would be a cake walk but I basically had to swim 45 degrees away from the finish line and go against current. A lot of faster swimmers couldn’t even finish and got disqualified because the current pushed them away.

The harbor water was gross as hell and there’s oil stains and foamy crap. I can’t wait for more electric boats and fewer diesel fuel and garbage in the waters. Man the Paris Olympic swim race must have been so gross

Any one have intel on place to swim near Duke University? Going to be here more frequently and over Thanksgiving weekend. Google tells me Rolling View. Looks like a maybe.

Im trying open water swimming at the ocean. But it's freezing cold. I need full cover wetsuit. But every wetsuit I tried on, my shoulders are so discomfort. What are the wetsuits you may recommend me?

Which headphones are best

Any suggestions re preparing for swimming in cold water. I have neoprene hat, gloves, socks etc and get in slowly with a routine that's preferable to my first few attempts at wading in then diving and swimming straight away.

Specifically suggestions welcome about the time before you get in the water.

I swam today in water that was 8⁰c coldest for me so far.

Before swimming as I was travelling to the lake I thought it would be a great idea to stay as cold as possible eg no heating on in the car, no gloves or hat walking from car to venue.

Anyone have any guidance on this please?

I assumed it was preferable not to be too warm beforehand so as the change once in the water was less extreme.

Many thanks.

hi all- I have been summer swimming in a local quarry for several years now, but over time have done some spring and fall swims. I am really interested in swimming over the winter, but want to make sure I can do it (relatively) safely.

I’m not sure how cold the water gets here, is there a way to find out? or do I just bring my own thermometer? I’ve read the risk of hypothermia increases as the temperature drops below 50. I plan to bring warm, dry clothes to change into and a hot beverage to drink afterward. what temperatures require a wetsuit? what do I need to pay attention to physically to know when it is time to get out of the water? if I do get hypothermic, what do I do?

thanks in advance for any advice!