Swim Cap

I never trained with one for my first tri. The first time I put one on was for the first tri I did. It worked out ok for me, no real problems. It is a little different feeling at first but you get used to it fast. Just remember google straps can be underneath the swim cap or outside of the swim cap so find something comfortable when you get the swim cap for your race.

Okay I guess I'll go get a swim cap to "try"

I was really hoping that my Tri swim would be my first time swimming in a swim cap and something other than board shorts, and was hoping that I would become so much more aerodynamic that i would cut my average swim time in 1/2.

Also I believe my swim cap is going to be blue, will that have any bearing on my swim speed? (sarcasm)

Blue caps usually knock off 5 seconds per 100. Last race I had a red cap, knocked off 7 seconds- red caps are the fastest unless you get a cap with flames. (Haven't seen that yet)

Oh No Not BLUE!!  Anything but BLUE!!!

Just kidding of course I'll be in the same race also wearing a blue cap but mine will be light blue cause I'm a girl

You can pick up a swim cap at Academy for about $3.  I don't think it's a huge deal but you might want to try it on top of or over the ears for the reason listed above.

I wear a swim cap every time I swim cause I've got bunches of hair so I am used to it.

I did try the goggles under the cap but that didn't work for me because it pushed the goggles into my head and hurt.  The swim is going to be tough enough without pain. 

You also might want to consider swimming in your tri shorts before the race as well.  Are you going to the clinic on Saturday?  If so that would be a good opporutnity to try everything out.

I tried to swim with my goggles under my swim cap and also has issues with it sliding and being uncomfortable so I train with it on the outside.  For races, I wear one cap and then put my goggles on and then put on my designated cap.  It is one extra thing to take off but my goggles stay in place better and I rip it off while running anyway so it has not been an issue yet.

I will be listing my red cap for sale in the classifieds for only $100.......that's a steal to take off 7 seconds per 100!!

The first time I ever wore one was in my first race. The second time I wore one was in my second race. The next time will be my next race. I still have not figured out if the crease goes down the middle or on the sides?

An YES yellow is WAY faster than blue.

crease goes down the middle..

I have short hair so I don't train with one but I was wondering when I Was doing an ows last week that all 3 other guys had them. AT first I thought it was for safety/spotting since they were orange but then the last guy showed up with a black one. Was I partially right maybe with the orange ones? (was about to post and ask but figured might as well jump in sorry to go off topic a little)

I don't mind them but they are annoying with the water like mentioned above in your ears at times. I swam competitively all my youth and when I had long hair I wore one in HS when I had short hair the last few years I only wore it for important meets and counties.

Shaved and tapered for counties with a cap on I usually would knock 10-15 seconds from my season average on the 500m. For this reason I prefer not to train with one since wearing one to compete only helps mentally it seems.

edit: I train in board shorts as well for the same reason, on race day I will be slicker and mentally I'll know with even the same effort I will be faster.

To this day I can still smell that rubber in my head anytime I see a swim cap...

Edited by mrtopher1980 2009-07-30 9:30 AM

Well I'm hoping the silver caps are faster than blue. First time wearing will be Aug 9th.

I started swimming with a swim cap about 2 weeks ago (picked mine up at Champs for $2.50).

The differences I noticed were:
1) there was less drag! (but I have waist-long curly hair that I was just pulling in a ponytail before) - not enough to take off time, but I could feel a difference!
2) water stays in my ears more (weird, but whatever)
and
3) I have my upper-cartilage pierced on one side, and the swim cap bugs that if I don't have my goggles in the right position (maybe I should try them under - I've just been doign over so far)- so it's minor but that's the only thing I really had to figure out how to adjust.


ETA: and I'll be wearing light blue in my tri in a few weeks too!  GO BLUE CAPS!!!! :-p

Edited by rbtrumpet 2009-07-30 9:33 AM

was a college swimmer and i never wore caps except in races, when a cap hit my head it meant go time,

alot of different ways to put a cap on, but most people i've known have always gotten it wet first, seems to go on easier

dont really see any reason to go buy one so you can swim 1 time with it,  once ur out in the frenzy at the start of a race last thing on your mind will be the cap on your head