OUTDOOR SWIMMING
SOCIETY SWIM HAT £8 from
outdoorswimmingsociety.com A silicon swimming hat, like these ones from the OSS, is part of the open water swimmer’s standard gear in any season. Many swimmers wear two hats in cold weather for extra warmth.
MENTAL STRENGTH It doesn’t mat er what gear you put on – if you go winter swimming, it is going to be cold. But that’s what makes it fun, right? If you fear you might chicken out, then try emulating the resolve of Lewis Pugh, who swam 1 km in water of -1.7 degrees at the North Pole. Watch his inspirational TED talk (
ted.com/speakers/lewis_pugh.html) or look out for our next issue where he’ll be giving advice on beating the cold.
NORTH FACE NUPTSE DOWN VEST
Available for men and women in a variety of colours. £110 from
uk.thenorthface.com and reputable online outdoor-equipment outfi t ers A classic piece of kit, this goose-down gilet is a great layer for easy warmth aſt er a swim. Don it under a jacket or over a hoody for a truly toasty torso. Goose-down is ultra-compressible too, which makes it easy to carry around.
GUL FLEXOR GLOVES
Available in 2, 3 and 4mm varieties. Buy from £27.50 from
mailsports.co.uk, or see other online retailers Your extremities are the first place to feel the cold. To keep numb fingers at bay, get some gloves like these Gul
numbers, which are glued and blindstitched to help minimise flush. Ultra- grip palms will help when clambering up the riverbank.
TIKI SURF THERMO BELT £24.95 from
tikisurf.co.uk
Heated belts under a wetsuit are popular among surfers and Tiki Surf, who make this heated kidney belt (it holds two rechargeable heat pads) say it’s equally suitable for swimming. We don’t currently know any swimmers that use them, but we’re not too proud to try anything that keeps us warmer. Why not be a pioneer?
BILLABONG NEOPRENE VEST A range of Billabong men’s and women’s vests are available (from £19.96) from
wetsuitoutlet.co.uk This provides another layer of light, soſt warmth. The short sleeves are stretchy and don’t interfere with arm movement. “It’s a good added extra for non-wetsuit Christmas dips,” says Sefryn Penrose. “It limits that chest-seizing moment and gives you an extra couple of minutes in the water.”
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