It seems that out of nowhere everyone’s going wild swimming! It could be inspiration from the ‘ice man’ himself, Wim Hof, or everyone starting to embrace our ‘wild’ sides after lockdown. Either way, wild swimming has become extremely popular. If you’ve not yet given it a go but have considered taking the plunge there are a few things, you’ll need to brave the waves!

Our home in the New Forest is spoilt with spots to dive into, with plenty of lakes and rivers, or a short drive to the ocean. We’ve put together the ultimate guide for our must-have products for your wild swimming trip…

Tow float 

A tow float is a cold-water swimming safety essential; it will keep you safe whilst swimming, provides visibility as well as acts a place to store any essential items. We recommend the Puffin Eco Recycled Drybag Tow Floats; they have a different range of floats that are made using bio-degradable recycled plastics, are designed by swim safety experts, are bright orange to help with visibility and are lightweight yet extremely durable and UV resistant. You can buy one here.

Goggles

Of course, goggles are a must when swimming and we always go with a pair of Zoggs goggles. They are known for being long-lasting and comfortable, we have a range of adult swimming goggles at Curated perfect for any type of swim including open water swimming. Pick up a pair in Curated!

Waterproof essentials – gloves, socks, and hats!

The best way to conserve heat when swimming in colder conditions is to try and keep your body as warm as possible. Wearing gloves, socks and a hat will help you to maximise your time swimming if wearing a wetsuit isn’t your thing! Orca sells a range of open water core gloves, thermal swim hats and swim socks that are all perfect for keeping you warm whilst swimming in colder temperatures. Explore their range here.

Dry changing robe and a towel

A dry changing robe is a must-have for wild swimming, it allows you to get changed wherever you are in comfort and with privacy. It also allows you to keep warm whilst doing so! We love dry changing robes from Passenger, they have a range of robes for men and women all made with 100% recycled single-use plastic bottles and they plant a tree for every order. Take a look here…

When it comes to the perfect towel, one of our much-loved Curated brands Dock and Bay are well-known for creating a colourful range of quick-drying towels perfect for wrapping up after a swim! Not only are they super absorbent they are extremely compact so won’t take up much room in your bag. Committed to sustainability all their towels are made from 100% recycled materials. Shop the range in Curated or buy yours here.

Wetsuit

A wetsuit is essential for most people, it will help to keep you slightly warmer in the colder temperatures of the sea or open water you choose to swim in. Orca sell a huge range of men’s and women’s wetsuits, they have your typical wetsuit as well as 2-piece wetsuit long sleeve tops and bottoms. Orca are experts when it comes to open water swimming and also sell a great range of swimming costumes and shorts to go under your wetsuit or to wear instead of a wetsuit – the choice is yours.

Water bottle/ Flask

A good water bottle is essential for after your swim! Having a warm cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate is the perfect way to warm yourself up after a cold swim. We recommend our Ocean bottles made in collaboration with Belu – not only do they keep your hot drinks hot for longer or your cold drink ice cold all day, but all net profit also goes to WaterAid. The bottles are made from BPA-free and recycled plastic, silicone rubber & recycled stainless steel. Ocean bottles are part of the solution to the ocean crisis, for every 1 bottle sold they fund the collection of 11.4kg of plastics. You can pick this up in our Herb House Spa Shop Curated!

If you fancy giving cold water swimming a go, we love a few local spots including Tanners Lane, Lepe Beach and Keyhaven!