Does anyone have an opinion on which is better, Sporti silicone caps or Speedo silicone caps? The Sporti ones are cheaper, but do they last as long?
I've been using the Speedo caps. They seem to last forever, but they do get stretched out and then start to creep up my head when I'm swimming (especially coming off the wall), which is really annoying.
I'm also contemplating getting a youth cap instead of an adult cap, and wondering if other women with small-ish heads have tried this.
Together we can fight cap creep!
Oh, and happy Thanksgiving!
:turkey:
If you're looking for longevity, consistency of fit and smoothness of fit, try one of the dome caps like www.swimoutlet.com/.../12666.htm. They're AWESOME for racing. I don't train with a cap usually, so not sure if they'd be comfortable for training, but they are leaps and bounds above any silicone cap. Plus, they don't ever seem to bend, break, deform or die. I'm still wearing one from 2008 in meets. Best cap investment ever.
Former Member
I got my daughter a red Kiefer Jr hat, then shortly afterwards an almost identical Sporti Jr one - because the Sporti one was pink!! (and cheap)
The Sporti one is a thinner material than the Kiefer (which I would expect to be of similar quality to Speedo), and slightly smaller. It worked great for a couple of months, but suddenly got to a point where it kept slipping off her head, I don't know if maybe her hair was getting longer and dragging it off, or it lost elasticity? Either way, its sitting in my laundry room unused right now, and the Kiefer one has been going strong for the past 7 or so months.
I have bought myself a Sporti Silicone one but not used it yet - it does feel a bit thinner than my current one (old team, so don't know the supplier), I guess time will tell, but for a $1.99 price tag, thought I'd not got much to lose!
As for sizing, the Jr Kiefer cap my daughter has is much smaller than her standard-size team cap. I won't buy her another Jr sized one as she's busy growing her thick wavy hair.
Former Member
I have worn silicone caps (Speedo or TYR) for years. When we tested caps for the magazine, I tried a couple of the Sporti silicone caps. They are definitely thinner. I think they are also slightly smaller than the Speedo or TYR. So if you have a small head, you might like them better.
The cap that surprised us all was the Sporti silicone ear cap. The caps we tested look a little different than this picture; they are more rounded around the ears. The caps are cut so that they completely cover the ears, sort of like a water polo cap. When we first looked at the ear caps we all thought they looked kind of dorky. But when they're on the head, they're nice. The men especially liked them because they are slightly larger than most caps. They also have a slightly thicker band around the edge of the cap, which helps hold them on.
The ear cap was too big for me by itself. But when we tested wetsuits in cold water, I wore an ear cap on top of a neoprene cap and it worked great.
Former Member
Somewhat related question: Which silicone caps are more elastic than others? I've never used Speedo, are they very stretchy?
I love the Sporti silicone caps for summer. I get hot swimming outdoors in pools, the thin silicone seems cooler than the thick Nike and Speedo brands.
My Sporti caps are a year old and seem to be doing great. I always rinse them in cold water and dry them w/towel before stowing them in the bag. I'm about ready to try a Sporti suit, very cheap prices!!
Thanks for the comments, everyone -- very helpful! On a semi-related note, any suggestions for what to do with old stretched out silicone caps that are still in one piece?
Former Member
Somewhat related question: Which silicone caps are more elastic than others? I've never used Speedo, are they very stretchy?
The Sporti caps are a lot more stretchy than either the Speedo or TYR caps that I've worn. I assume it's because they're slightly thinner.
I wear caps based on the air and water temperature. In hot weather I wear a lycra (cloth) cap. As it gets a little cooler, I switch to a latex cap because they're a little warmer. Next is the Sporti silicone cap. As it gets cooler I start wearing the Speedo or TYR silicone caps, because they're even warmer. And then when it gets cold I wear the neoprene cap.
