Apologies if the answer to this is in this forum, or on the internet in general, but my searching skills are obviously lacking.
So, I keep reading that swimcaps reduce drag.
What are we talking about here - a 1% advantage over not wearing a cap, if all else remain equal? 2%?
If I wear a cap, could my 40.5sec 50m (which I have done 3x) be sub40? :)
Never noticed a difference. I wear one only for open water, and then only because they are required by the club for visibility. I'm partially bald, besides I buzz the hair, so there is nothing there to create drag except for the ears projecting a bit. I suspect the goggles create as much drag as that.
For longer distances I would suppose the drag reduction would be even more noticeable. Maybe not in increased speed, but in reduced energy to go a certain distance. Coincidently, last week just for giggles, I put on one of those old lady swim caps with rubber flowers glued to it and swam a few hundred meters. The drag was really noticable. Obviously your natural hair probably wouldn't cause THAT much drag. But it is something. I kind of think of it like moss growing on the hull of a boat. If you keep the hull nice and clean you get better gas mileage.
Found this cute swim cap science fair projected results: www.all-science-fair-projects.com/print_project_1116_140
Dan
That's great, thanks. I see roughly 1.5sec over 100m in that experiment. SUB40 50m HERE I COME!!! :) (I will start wearing a cap tomorrow.)
Another advantage for a cap - if you wear your goggle strap underneath the cap, it is one extra preventive measure (besides tucking your chin) to prevent your goggles falling off when you dive in.
And, then there's the fashion statements that you can make with a cap ...
For longer distances I would suppose the drag reduction would be even more noticeable. Maybe not in increased speed, but in reduced energy to go a certain distance. Coincidently, last week just for giggles, I put on one of those old lady swim caps with rubber flowers glued to it and swam a few hundred meters. The drag was really noticable. Obviously your natural hair probably wouldn't cause THAT much drag. But it is something. I kind of think of it like moss growing on the hull of a boat. If you keep the hull nice and clean you get better gas mileage.
Found this cute swim cap science fair projected results: www.all-science-fair-projects.com/print_project_1116_140
Dan
Think it also depends upon how you wear your hair. Short hair? Buzz cut? Bald? Cap probably won't do as much good for you (or it might be less noticeable). Have hair like Fabio? You are probably going to want to stuff that mane up under a swim cap.
For most of us --- it is for big time meets and we might get some time improvement but it might be mental as well??!!
You might get under 40 with a cap and a better start and a good turn.
The great Popov never wore caps, even though he may have been a tenth or so faster with one. He is still the fastest non-techsuit swimmer after 2 decades.
The great Popov never wore caps, even though he may have been a tenth or so faster with one. He is still the fastest non-techsuit swimmer after 2 decades.
Unless you're counting jammers as tech suits, he's not anymore. If you are counting jammers... I highly doubt any elite swimmer is going to do a tapered 50 free in a brief anymore, so that makes it a bit of a moot point.
