How to Wear a Swim Cap and Goggles

If you’ve ever wondered how to wear a swim cap and goggle, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn the best way to position a swim cap over your swim goggles.

Wet the inside of the swim cap before putting it on to prevent chlorine from penetrating it. You’ll also learn how to stretch the swim cap before you wear it.

Positioning a swim cap over the goggle straps

In open water, the goggle straps should always be tucked under the swim cap. This is because the straps can easily become dislodged and pulled out of place by the aggressive force of waves and limb movements. Positioning the goggle straps underneath the swim cap keeps them from shifting out of position or coming off involuntarily. Positioning the swim cap over the goggle straps is a common strategy among top-level swimmers.

Many swimmers make the mistake of placing the goggle straps directly on their head, even during freestyle and butterfly strokes. In this manner, water will push the cap up onto the swimmer’s head, creating a more aerodynamic profile. The result is a faster, smoother swim. In addition to avoiding this common mistake, positioning the goggle straps over the swim cap will ensure that swimmers can see clearly and reduce drag.

Wetting the inside of a swim cap

Putting on a cap can be a challenge if you’re not used to it. While wet water can keep the cap from sticking to your head, it can also make your hair slippery. While this may be an inconvenience at first, it will save you from pulling your hair out later. The following are some tips to ensure that your goggles and swim cap stay put:

Wetting the inside of a swim cap is not always necessary, but it can help make them easier to put on. However, it’s worth a try regardless. If you are not accustomed to putting on a cap, you should try it out before swimming. Make sure you have enough time and patience to wet the inside of the cap and goggles before you go in the water.

Avoiding chlorine from entering a swim cap

In order to avoid chlorine from entering a swim cap and goggle, you must first wet them. Goggles and swim caps should be placed on the head, but not overlapped. It is easier to fit your goggles over a swim cap than to fit them under it. When fitting the swim cap, use a strap that slips easily onto the head. Also, long hair should be tied back or braided.

Before entering a swimming pool, always shower. Most pools require swimmers to shower, and they may want to soak their hair in conditioner before entering. This helps prevent chlorine from penetrating hair, which is often the first place it touches. Putting a conditioner in your hair prior to entering a swim cap will also repel water and help prevent chlorine from getting into the hair. After swimming, you may want to apply some of the conditioner on your hair to keep it from absorbing water.

Stretching a swim cap before putting it on

Before putting on a swim cap or goggles, you should stretch them out. A high-quality swim cap is highly stretchable and will not tear. To stretch the cap out, place your hands inside of it, aligning the seam along the knuckles. Stretch it outwards until the cap is wide enough to cover your child’s head. You can also ask your child to hold a loose bundle of hair.

After getting your goggles and swim cap wet, you should stretch them a bit. The reason for this is that they will stick to your hair better when they are wet. Olympic swimmers usually press down on their caps to ensure a good seal. Otherwise, a bad dive may make your goggles or cap slip off. If they slip, you may have trouble keeping them on.