Swim Caps

Swim caps are also known as bathing caps. They are made from a thin layer of silicone, lycra, or latex that stretches over your head and forms a nice tight and waterproof grip. Swim caps are an important piece of a swimming uniform for several reasons. One of the most common reason for wearing a swim cap is to keep your hair dry. A swim cap prevents water from reaching your head and scalp. This can be good if you are just taking a quick swim in the morning before you leave for the day and you do not want to be stuck with a wet head for the next hour.

Another advantage of a swim cap keeping your hair dry is that harsh chemicals from the water, such as chlorine, are not able to damage your hair. Extensive exposure to chlorine can lead to extreme damage of the hair and scalp which can lead to lightening of color and peeling of the scalp, neither of which are attractive nor fun.

The main reason and the most important reason to date which people wear swim caps is to cut drag during swimming. Long distance swimmers often choose to wear swim caps because they keep their hair intact to their scalp. This is an important factor when involved in a racing even because loose hair can cause a decrease in swim time because it creates a sort of pull from the water. Some people go as far as shaving their entire body just to cut potential increases in swim time. Let’s face it though, not many people involved in swimming want to shave their head entirely. Swim caps have also been known to keep the head warm during long swim events so you do not lose an extreme amount of body heat through your head.

Swim caps have been around for several decades. During the early 1900s, swim caps were made from a thin rubberized fabric that stretched over the head. Sometime during the 1920s, swim caps were being made from latex. A lot of women wore swim caps to swim during the 1940s to protect their hair styles from damage. The wearing a swim caps fell out during the 1970s rule change regarding women wearing swim caps, but the popularity was reinstated during the 1980s when swimmers preferred their usage during races.