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Best swimming accessories: goggles, snorkels and more for the pool or beach

During lockdown, it seems one of the things we missed most was the calming feeling of floating around in water - it has been known for its soothing qualities for a long time after all.

Luckily now though, pools and lidos have been given the green light to reopen, while open water swimming spots such as lakes and rivers have been embraced by those making the most of their staycations.

Open water swimming has already been gaining in popularity: official figures from Sport England showed that 4.1 million people swam in lakes, lochs, rivers and seas between November 2017 and 2018. Whilst essentially all you need is a swimming costume, there are a range of accessories that can make your time in the water more comfortable and add an edge to any training you’re undertaking.

From goggles, snorkels and wetsuits to pull buoys and kickboards, here’s our pick of the best swimming accessories to take along on your next trip to the pool or beach.

Garmin Swim 2

Not only can you keep track of how far you’ve swum and how fast, this nifty waterproof watch by Garmin, can also track your heart rate (with no need for a separate monitor) and notify you with pacing alerts of when you need to speed up or slow down based on your training goals. You can choose between open water swim or pool swim modes, as well as easily logging drills such as kicking or sculling. We loved its ease of use, long battery life and whole host of out of water features too - not to mention it doesn’t look too bad on the wrist either.

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£219.99 | Garmin

Zone 3 Attack Swim Goggles

Finding a good pair of goggles is often harder than it should be, given how many are on the market. Zone 3’s Attack goggles deliver, and are especially good in bright conditions and in the pool. The polarized lenses have an anti-fog coating and offer 100 per cent UVA and UVB protection. Thankfully, the silicone seal around the eyes and nose feels secure without feeling tight and they don’t leave the dreaded goggle marks once you take them off.

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£18 | Wiggle

Dryrobe Advance Short Sleeve

Go down to any popular open water swimming spot or outdoor lido, and you’ll be likely to see at least one Dryrobe slung over a keen swimmer. A great purchase for aiding with the tricky task of getting changed where there’s minimal coverage or privacy, it also keeps you toasty warm post swim. One to pop on your list, especially as the colder months approach.

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£75-£120 | Dryrobe

Nike Swim Training Aids Ear Plugs

Don’t you just hate that feeling of water in your ears? Well, if you really struggle with it, or perhaps you like to eliminate noise to stay focused whilst training, then a pair of ear plugs could be a good buy. These BPA-free ear plugs have a double flange which provides a tight seal and a flared end - with the famous Nike swoosh on them - to help maintain their placement. They’re also made of soft rubber that moulds to your ear and come with a handy carry case to protect them.

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£6 | Wiggle

Aspire Wetsuit

Well-known and highly regarded by both amateur swimmers and professionals, Zone 3 are a popular choice when it comes to investing in a great quality wetsuit. The Aspire is one of their bestselling and highest rated models, and with good reason. Testing it out, we found it was comfortable, well sized and supremely flexible and buoyant. It comes in both a men and women’s version, with adjustments to suit the difference in physiology. It’s also lightweight for transportation and can be easily popped into its accompanying mesh bag, which we really appreciated.

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£330 | Wiggle

Nike Swim Roll Top Backpack

With all the accessories and kit you need in and out of the water, it’s nice to have somewhere to stash it all. We were fans of organising our gear using this roll top backpack from Nike Swim: it has a 25-litre max capacity, a fleece-lined exterior pocket to store goggles without them getting scratched and two good sized separate compartments to keep wet and dry kit apart. A full-length side-zip, as well as the roll top opening, allows for easy access and its mesh side panels allow for air to get into the bag to aid ventilation and the risk of a wet, smelly backpack. It also has a water-resistant coating to the outer bottom panel.

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£34.80 | Allens of Kingsbury

A key piece of kit when it comes to open water swimming is a safety buoy, which aids visibility when you’re out there training or switching off from your hectic day. Orca’s safety bag comes in a vivid orange colour, has an adjustable waist strap and also has a waterproof compartment which you can use as a drybag for your valuables. It also has soft mesh backpack style shoulder straps meaning it can double up as a neat running backpack.

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£44.99 | Watersports Warehouse

Speedo Long Hair Cap

Struggle to find a cap that you can tuck all your hair into easily and that won’t slip off mid swim? Speedo’s range of swim caps are a popular choice, and this long hair version does what it says on the tin. Made of latex-free silicone, it’s smooth, easy to slip on and off and it actually stayed put through a range of different strokes and movements. If you have short hair then try the Speedo Plain Moulded Silicone Swimming Cap.

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£7.50 | Wiggle

SoftFibre Printed Towel

No-one likes lugging a heavy, wet towel back from the pool or the beach and even a thinner version takes up vital space that could be used for other bits and pieces, such as tasty snacks. There are a range of compact travel towels out there but what we really loved about Lifeventure’s SoftFibre printed towel was it's size. It’s actually big enough to dry your body yet still lightweight and quick drying. The elasticated strap doubles up as a loop so you can hang it on a hook and use as a binding to keep it neat once folded. We love the cheery ice-cream print, which is currently on sale.

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£14.99 | Lifeventure *On sale from £19.99

Speedo Glide Mask and Snorkel Set

Whilst we can’t guarantee you’ll find exciting creatures under the sea, especially if you’re embracing a staycation, you’ll definitely see crystal clearly with this mask and snorkel set from Speedo. It’s secure, saving you from the stress of a leaky mask and comfortable enough to wear for a good explore underwater. It also has adjustable side clips and the snorkel has a caged purge valve for easy clearing.

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£22 | John Lewis

Nabaiji Silifins Short Swim Fins 500 3-Colour

Swim fins can be great for working the lower body, and this pair from Decathlon are a steal at only £12.99. The silicone foot pocket makes them comfortable to slip on and the short, flexible fins provide medium propulsion so you can up your cardio workout. They come in either black, pink or a blue/green combo.

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£12.99 | Decathlon

Huub Big Buoy 4 Pull Buoy

Pull Buoy’s are a great training aid to help support legs so you can focus on arm technique and increasing upper body strength. Huub are a well-loved triathlon brand - their gear is worn by none other than the Brownlee brothers - and this pull buoy gets rave reviews. It has 34 Newtons of buoyancy, meaning it can mimic the flotation you’d experience from a wetsuit whilst in a pool.

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£22.99 | Amazon

AfterShockz Xtrainerz Waterproof Sports Headphones

These waterproof bone-conducting headphones have won rave reviews and plaudits. They have a lot going for them: they have great underwater sound quality without blocking out all surrounding noise, you don’t need to fiddle with trying to keep buds in your ears and there’s no additional MP3 player or wires to stash away. Simply transfer audio files (it has 4GB of storage and can hold up to 1,200 songs) from your computer via its charging case. It’s waterproof up to two hours and a depth of two metres, in both the pool and in the sea.

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£139.95 | Currys

Arena Nose Clip Pro

Whilst some swear by using a nose clip, others aren’t great fans of them. This nose clip by Arena is well-loved for being comfortable and secure, with its memory plastic frame and soft pads. It also sits well on the nose, so doesn’t distract whilst swimming and comes with a case to keep it safe when not in use.

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£4.80 | Wiggle

A pair of slides makes good sense for both the pool and the beach. Easy to slip on, they protect your feet over uncomfortable (or unclean) surfaces, as well as look stylish to wear to and from the water. We liked the simple but cool design of Speedo’s slides and found them to be comfortable with their one-piece construction. They also have footbed drainage holes, so you don’t hold on to any excess water and they dry easily. We loved the navy version but they also come in black, purple and hot pink.

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£19 | Speedo

MARU Fitness Kickboard

A kickboard is not only a good addition to your swimming kit for focusing on lower body strength, it can also be a great tool for building confidence in novice swimmers. MARU’s kickboard is a bestseller on Amazon and fans love it for its suitability for both beginners and those who are more experienced. Plus, its vibrant colour means you should have a hard time losing it.

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£9.79 | Amazon

Superstars Swimming Nappy

If you’ve got a little one that loves the water, swimming nappies can be a necessary but unexciting part of life. Baba + Boo’s cute reusable swimming nappy, printed with colourful stars, is not only more joyful than a regular disposable, it’s also better for the planet and your wallet - one of their nappies works out around the same price as three packs of disposables. The elasticated waist makes them easy to get on and off wriggly babes and the bamboo and organic cotton inner is super soft.

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£8.95 | Baba + Boo

Verdict:

Whether you’re a seasoned swimming pro or just getting into the sport, the Garmin Swim 2 is a great training aid, easy to use and pretty stylish. It’s well worth the investment. We also think snapping up a good pair of goggles, such as the Zone 3 Attack, is a wise choice, while our little tester loved using his Baba + Boo reusable swimming nappy.

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