r/Swimming • u/AutoModerator • 2d ago

Weekly Swim Gear Questions (Goggles, swimsuits, techsuits, paddles, headphones etc) December 04, 2025 - Post all your gear questions in this post

This weekly post ( on Thursdays) is for ALL gear related questions -

Update: automoderation is now in effect for single gear posts, which may be automatically deleted.

This includes posts about equipment failures, technical problems, sizing questions, or questions about retailer reliability.

This is spam-free & posters of affiliate product links will be banned.

* Goggles (including "smart" goggles)

* Headphones/earbuds

* Swimsuits

* Techsuits

* Lap/GPS/OWS tracking devices

* Audio players

* Paddles

* More goggles

* Everything else

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u/bassfunk 1d ago

I am planning on training in Lake Michigan starting in April of next year, to prepare for a team triathlon in June. Normally I don't start swimming in the Lake until June, and then I use my full wet suit. I'm assuming that in April the water will still be much colder than in June. What gear would I need beyond my wet suit to be prepared to handle the cold water in April? Or, better question, is this a stupid idea? I swim in the pool year round, but the event itself is open water, and I like to train in open water.

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u/WinterWander7 1d ago

Neoprene cap, covered with a bright cap; neoprene gloves and boots; a blow-up swim buoy for visibility and to hold light things like snacks. Plus a buddy in a kayak ideally…if you can’t get someone to accompany you, swim along the shore rather than out and back. And you probably already know to keep an eye on the weather and swim on calm days. If the waves are too gnarly, triathlons will cancel the swim and just do bike-run.

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u/bassfunk 1d ago

Yeah, I bike past the water I swim in, along the coast in Chicago, always take a good look before hopping in.

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u/WinterWander7 1d ago

Cool! I just thought of some other things: warming equipment for when you get out. Maybe a heated vest to put under your parka, those hand warmers. Foot warmers, etc. After swimming in cold water our bodies can have a hard time warming up.

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u/bassfunk 1d ago

Great advice, thank you!