Swim Caps

A swimming cap is also regarded as a bathing cap or swim cap. It’s a skin-tight piece of fabric worn on the head. It is made from silicone, latex or Lycra. The swim caps keep swimmer’s hair out of the face and even secure the small hairs on the forehead.

Caps enable the swimmers to swim faster by reducing the hydrodynamic drag. It also protects the hair from any chlorine present in the water along with direct sun rays. Both males and females wear swim caps during the official tournaments. The caps are available in different sizes depending on the swimmer’s head and most common dimensions are -

• Small - 20.5 to 21.63 inches
• Medium - 22 to 22.38 inches
• Large - 22.75 to 23.13 inches

Types of Swim Caps 

The swim caps are manufactured from various types of material and are classified accordingly -

• Silicone Caps - Silicone caps are one of the most common types of swim caps. The caps are highly durable and can last up to several years. Silicone caps also avoid pulling off any hairs, are easier to put on and off and hence preferred by both male and female swimmers. 
• Latex Caps - The latex caps are thinner and less durable than the silicone caps. The lighter weight of the caps offers more breathability. It retains less heat and hence preferred in warmer climates. The latex caps are economically cheaper than the silicone caps but rip off easily if not put on and off properly.  
• Rubber Caps - Rubber is made from latex and is the most common elastic material. Rubber caps are a bit thicker than the latex caps but are equally light-weight and inexpensive. The crepe bubble caps are also made from rubber and are ideal for cold weather as these types of caps retain heat better and block the water entry. The crepe bubble caps are highly durable due to their thickness. 
• Lycra and Spandex Caps - Lycra is officially trademarked for synthetic fibres such as spandex and elastane. The Lycra caps are highly durable and softer that do not pull off the hairs. The caps are permeable to water yet can reduce a significant amount of hydrodynamic drag. The caps aren’t used in official competitions but can be used in practice sessions. 
• Neoprene Caps - Neoprene is also a synthetic rubber widely used as a wet suit material. The neoprene caps are composed of a thin insulating layer and are used in cold water bodies. These swimming caps are ideal for open-water swimmers and triathletes and are comfortable to wear as they do not pull hair while putting on and off.
• Double Swim Caps - Some swimmers prefer to wear two swim caps at once to prevent their hairs from getting wet. Double capping is achieved by wearing an inner silicone or latex cap inside the traditional chin strap swimming cap. Double caps are worn by open water swimmers also to get warmth in cold water.

Evolution of Swim Caps through the years

In the early 20th-century, swim caps were made from rubber fabric. Later in the 1920s, latex was used to manufacture the caps. The traditional chin strap caps resembled a lot to the strapped leather helmets and were known as "aviator’s style caps". Later in the 1940s, rubber was required to make war materials leading to the sudden disappearance of rubber swim caps. In the 1950s, decorated caps were introduced and by the 1960s, they became widely popular among the swimmers.

Between the 1960s and 1970s, many swimming pools mandate the usage of swimming caps for swimmers with long hair. Nowadays, a wide variety of simple yet effective caps are available which are majorly used in all competitive tournaments.