Swim accessories

Most UK swimming teachers prefer a foam swim vest to armbands for young learners. A vest holds a child in a forward, swimming-ready position and leaves their arms free to paddle. For most children aged two to six, the Zoggs Super Star Swimsure Jacket is the best all-round choice, because its fixed foam buoyancy, zip

A good cap keeps your hair out of your face, cuts drag and, outdoors, keeps your head warm. Pick the wrong one and you spend every length tugging it back into place. For most swimmers, the Speedo Plain Moulded Silicone Cap is the best swimming cap to buy, because its pre-shaped silicone sits smoothly without

Most swimmers already own the basics, so the gifts that get used are the ones that fix a daily annoyance: leaking goggles, a soggy kit bag, a towel that never dries, or a cold walk back from the lake. For most swimmers, The Magic5 Custom-Fit Swimming Goggles are the best all-round gift, because each pair

If you swim in a chlorinated pool more than once a week, a shampoo made for swimmers earns its place in your kit bag. Chlorine strips oils from your hair, leaves a smell that lingers after a normal wash, and pairs with hard-water minerals to give fair hair a greenish tint. For most regular pool

A good kickboard lets you train your legs on their own, so you can feel exactly what your kick is doing. For most swimmers, the Speedo Team Kickboard is the best all-round choice, because its simple tapered foam shape works for beginners, fitness swimmers and club training alike. Juniors and anyone needing extra float have

Most pool swimmers do best with a compact microfibre towel, and cold-water swimmers need something warmer on top. The gap between a good and a bad choice shows up fast: a soggy cotton towel that still smells damp by your next session, or a tiny travel towel that leaves you shivering on a windy lakeshore.

If you swim several times a week and keep getting that itchy, blocked, sore feeling afterwards, a well-sealing pair of earplugs is the cheapest fix you can make. Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa) happens when water sits in the outer ear canal, softens the skin and lets bacteria take hold. Keeping the canal dry is the

If water racing up your nose ruins every backstroke set, a nose clip fixes it in seconds. For most swimmers, the Speedo Competition Nose Clip is the pick worth starting with: it’s the clear best seller in the category on Amazon UK with 900+ bought in the past month, it costs around £13, and its

Water is roughly 800 times denser than air, so every stroke you take is already a form of resistance work. The problem is that once your body adapts, an ordinary length of front crawl stops overloading your muscles. Swim resistance training fixes that by adding drag or tension to the stroke, so your lats, shoulders,