How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

RE: How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

orca1946 — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 12:51:33 GMT

I was not aware of a "long cap" Is this something I missed?

RE: How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

rodent — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 11:07:11 GMT

Get your hair and cap fully wet before putting it on, and make sure to press all the air pockets out. Helps me at least! Yes, pull it down all the way and wear your google strap over your cap.

RE: How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

ForceDJ — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 10:30:39 GMT

However, a reason you might be losing your cap in a long freestyle race is technique - make sure you are not bobbing your head up and down as you swim or breathe. Many swimmers (myself included) will slightly tilt their head up when breathing (instead of just rotating to the side) so that, with every breath you take, you're putting upward force from the water onto the edge of the cap as you turn your head back (and down) from your breath. Over a distance race, this repetition and water force pushes your cap off your head. I don't necessarily agree with that. In open water swims, especially triathlon swims, you're constantly lifting your head forward to navigate and such, and I don't think it's a big problem for triathletes (it's not for me anyway). Dan

RE: How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

JenBrehob — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 08:25:21 GMT

I agree, latex, no conditioner under it. That idea of looking for the grooves in the part that goes around your face appearing smaller than the rest of the cap is an excellent one. Happy swimming!

RE: How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

Swimspire — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 06:16:56 GMT

I agree with pwb. One of the issues here could be technique-related, if you are keeping your head position too high when taking a breath or during flipturns.

RE: How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

orca1946 — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 04:57:48 GMT

WHOOOO is that the new drag cap I have been hearing about???

RE: How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

ForceDJ — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 04:42:51 GMT

Try a cap with a chinstrap. d2hzvbmlcnkm7b.cloudfront.net/.../petal-cap-swim-strapped-multi2.jpg or s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/.../dc5da0f7c315b01ec6fbc6f7c4a5a7ee.jpg Dan

RE: How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

Patrick W. Brundage — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 01:07:36 GMT

Agree on the conditioner - that's a no-no the day before or day of for any cap. I find the 'harder / thicker' silicon caps like the Speedo Aqua V (www.swimoutlet.com/ProductDetails.asp are the best for staying on your head. However, a reason you might be losing your cap in a long freestyle race is technique - make sure you are not bobbing your head up and down as you swim or breathe. Many swimmers (myself included) will slightly tilt their head up when breathing (instead of just rotating to the side) so that, with every breath you take, you're putting upward force from the water onto the edge of the cap as you turn your head back (and down) from your breath. Over a distance race, this repetition and water force pushes your cap off your head.

RE: How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

philoswimmer — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:57:32 GMT

At the risk of stating the obvious, I always crack out a brand new cap for this. I agree with the suggestion to wet your hair first. It seems to me that latex caps hold better than silicone ones, though I prefer the silicone because they are more comfortable. The Sporti brand seems a little tighter than other brands. Sometimes you can find junior size caps if you really want to squeeze your head.

RE: How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

jaadams1 — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 12:51:40 GMT

Duct tape...quick fix for anything, and it won't come off in the chlorine either. :)

RE: How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

Karlene — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 09:18:17 GMT

Hair products like gel, mousse, and conditioner can make it difficult to keep your cap on. Make sure none of these are on your hair prior to a race.

RE: How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

Allen Stark — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 07:27:54 GMT

My wife wears a lycra cap for distance.It is not as slick as a latex or silicone cap,but it doesn't come off and she doesn't overheat.

RE: How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

Former Member — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 06:12:39 GMT

I lost my cap in my 1000 in my very first masters meet. :bitching: I never had this problem during all my years of competitive swimming up through college. I've found that the fit of latex caps is very variable. The style that seems to work best for me has a bottom (headband?) that is clearly tighter than the rest of the cap. (This style: www.allamericanswim.com/all-american-swim-latex-caps-p-9131.html As far as silicone caps go, I had terrible problems with them popping off my head until I got a Speedo "long hair" model. I do not have particularly long hair but maybe I have a freakishly large head or something. At one meet I tried wearing a latex cap, then my goggles, and then a silicone cap on top of that. It stayed put, but it was a bit warm. The next two meets I swam with just the silicone cap and it stayed put.

RE: How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

swimslick — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 02:30:20 GMT

Get your hair and cap fully wet before putting it on, and make sure to press all the air pockets out. Helps me at least!

RE: How to keep cap on during long swim (mile/one hour postal)?

That Guy — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 02:01:24 GMT

I keep losing my cap and sometimes my goggles with it when swimming 1650 or one hour postal. I've tried both latex and silicone caps....has anyone found a cap system that stays on? My system is not to wear a cap in distance events, though I sometimes forget and put on a cap before a long race out of habit. 200 event or shorter? Sure, wear a cap. 400/500 event? Subject to whim. (For example, in a meet last weekend I wore a cap for the 400 IM but then did not wear one for the 400 free.) 800+ event? Do not wear a cap. Do this :doh: until urge to wear cap subsides. Then swim long race without overheating :ohyeah: