Swimming is among the most popular sporting hobbies in the country, with 4.7 million people enjoying a dip at least twice a month, according to Sport England. And, unless you’ve had a bad case of swimmer’s ear, you’ll have heard about the wild swimming trend. The Outdoor Swimming Society says that several million people in the UK now take to rivers, lakes, lidos and seas each year. Their main motivation? Joy, with 94% saying they felt happier and less stressed after a swim.
Team GB’s five-medal haul – one gold and four silvers – at the Paris Olympic Games 2024 likely encouraged more people to take up or return to the sport, too. So, the chances of you having a swimmer in your life are pretty high.
If you’re looking for inspiration to find the perfect gift for them this Christmas, we’re swimming in ideas.
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The best gifts for swimmers
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Streamlined cossie
Zoggs swimsuit, £31
zoggs.com
£45
next.co.uk
Former Paralympic swimmer Susie Rodgers, who won 30 international medals including gold at the Rio 2016 Games, rates Zoggs’ colourful swimwear because some pieces are made from recycled plastic bottles. She recommends wearing a size down “as costumes loosen over time, and smaller costumes keep you more streamlined”.
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One bag holds all
Speedo mesh bag, £13
speedo.com
£13.99
amazon.co.uk
Rodgers, who recommends “varying your training, and using different speeds in a session”, suggests a “net bag to hold your snorkel, hat, goggles, fins and paddles”.
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Adjustable sliders
Hunter neoprene sliders, £40
hunterboots.co.uk
debenhams.com
Want to avoid verrucas? Of course you do! Unlike most pool shoes, these slides have an adjustable Velcro strap fastening, which, as Rodgers has a prosthetic, means “they’re the only thing that stay on my foot”.
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Take care of your hair
TreSemmé Keratin Smooth mask, £8.50
boots.com
£6.50
amazon.co.uk
Alicja Jasnikowska hits the pool year-round, and this year is swimming 15km throughout November to raise money for Cancer Research UK. She says: “Swimming three times a week dries out your hair, so I use this conditioning mask in place of a regular conditioner.”
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Watertight goggles
Zoggs polarised goggles, £23
shop.rnli.org
£21.92
allensswimwear.co.uk
According to Jasnikowska, this pair from Zoggs “have a good seal, so no leakage, and the tinted lenses are great for summer outdoor swimming”.
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For the softest skin
Nivea Soft moisturiser, £4.34
superdrug.com
£5.70
amazon.co.uk
This Nivea moisturiser is always in Jasnikowska’s swim bag because it’s “light, easily absorbed and a bargain”. She uses it regularly on her hands and feet, too, so “it’s a great all-rounder”. Pop it in a swimmer’s stocking.
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Spotty wet bag
Radsocken wet bag, £6.98 for two
amazon.co.uk
“I was given one of these years ago as a gift and it’s brilliant,” says Jasnikowska. “It’s for your wet cossie, hat and goggles after your swim.”
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Funky flip-flops
Havaianas, from £16
havaianas-store.com
From £7.99
amazon.co.uk
Jasnikowska loves classic Havaianas to go between the changing rooms and the pool, as they’re “durable, stylish and double up as a holiday flip-flop”.
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Cuddly hot-water bottle
Boots hot water bottle, £6.99
boots.com
£4.95
amazon.co.uk
Jasnikowska thinks outdoor swimmers (like her mum) would love nothing more than a decent hot-water bottle for Christmas.
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Swim caps for thick hair
Swimscarf swim cap, £26.95
swimscarf.co.uk
Katrice Rodrigues is the founder of Unity Swimming CIC, which provides a safe space to improve swimming confidence for Black and Asian people. She recommends the Swimscarf swim hat, saying it “fits all heads, hair lengths and types, keeps it dry, and comes in several fabulous colours”.
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Cold feet begone!
Zone3 neoprene swim socks, £39
zone3.com
£9.99
amazon.co.uk
Diane Mangan, a swim guide at Wild Swims Lake District, says icy feet and hands can diminish the enjoyment of wild swimming. “So, I can never have enough swim socks,” she says. “They are a must for protecting the feet from rocky shores and provide an essential layer of warmth for long swims.”
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Long-sleeved swimwear
Finisterre women’s Yulex long sleeve swimsuit, £150
finisterre.com
Finisterre men’s Yulex long sleeve shorty wetsuit, £165
finisterre.com
Mangan says: “They call it a swimsuit, but it’s made from 2mm Yulex natural rubber, a clean alternative to neoprene. Like a wetsuit, it gives warmth to your core but, because it’s designed as a swimsuit, it’s good for breaststroke (legs can drop rather than float, as in a full wetsuit). The Yulex material is soft and easy to get in and out of – essential for winter dips when you want to get warm quickly. Also, the design and cut are beautiful and it’s well made.” You can also rent suits from £20.
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Swimming aids for little learners
Speedo spinning dive toys, £17.39 for four
sportsgb.com
£19.20
johnlewis.com
Delphin discs swimming aid, from £4
newitts.com
£29.95 for six
amazon.co.uk
Chris Lee, head coach at Plymouth Leander who has worked with five-time Paralympic medallist Reece Dunn among others, says sinkers or saucers are ideal for child beginners because they’re “fun items that engage the swimmer and allow them to enjoy the water”. Meanwhile, Swim England suggests noodles, long cylindrical pieces of foam, are great training aids for swimmers of all ages.
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Funky swim-aids for improvers
SwimPath training fins, £21.99
swimpath.co.uk
Speedo kickboard, £22.40
speedo.com
£28
amazon.co.uk
Nabaiji pull buoy, £8.99
decathlon.co.uk
Finis glide snorkel, £27.99
proswimwear.co.uk
£20.98
amazon.co.uk
Lee says, “Technique aids such as fins, kickboards, pull buoys, mesh bags and snorkels” would make great gifts for improvers.
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A racing suit for serious swimmers
TYR Women’s Thresher kneeskin, from £88.99
amazon.co.uk
£108.99
decathlon.co.uk
Arena Men’s Powerskin ST 2.0 jammer, £50
nessswimwear.co.uk
£54.99
arenaswimuk.com
Speedo Junior Fastskin Endurance+ kneeskin, £20
nessswimwear.co.uk
£9.51
allensswimwear.co.uk
Speedo Boys Fastskin Endurance+ jammer, £36
nessswimwear.co.uk
£38.94
amazon.co.uk
If you have a competitive swimmer to buy for, Lee suggests a racing suit.
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Heads first
Nike swim cap, £5.99
proswimwear.co.uk
£6.99
decathlon.co.uk
Soulcap, from £15
soulcap.com
£8.99
amazon.co.uk
Swimming hats “are good for a stocking filler”, says Lee.
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Body warming kit for icy dips
Women’s 66North merino wool hoodie, £120
66north.com
Men’s 66North merino wool hoodie, £120
66north.com
Sian Richardson, a member of the Bluetits Chill Swimmers group, visited Iceland last year and “fell for 66North clothing to keep me warm before and after a chilly dip”. The brand is pricey, but she says, “I love the Icelandic attitude to clothing, which is to buy good quality and buy less.” 66North describes itself as having “a circular mindset – designing and making products that are fit for purpose, made to last, repairable, and create minimal waste.”
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Giving back to the ocean
Surfers Against Sewage membership, from £5
sas.org.uk
Aside from cosy clothing, Richardson would love to receive a membership to Surfers Against Sewage, a grassroots environmental charity that campaigns to protect the ocean.
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Light muslin towels
Bohemia Samos hammam towel, £46
bohemiadesign.co.uk
generousape.com
Freya Bromley, author of The Tidal Year, travels by public transport for swimming adventures, “so having quality gear that’s light to pack is really important”. The hammam towels from Bohemia fit the bill and “get softer with every wash”.
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Changing robes
Finisterre Vean changing robe, £44
finisterre.com
Post-swim, Bromley finds Dryrobes “super bulky, so I prefer Finisterre’s changing robes”.
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Super-cool wet bag
Gill 5L Voyager dry bag, £20
gb.gillmarine.com
From £18
amazon.co.uk
Bromley’s wet swim stuff also goes in a dry bag, which she describes as “a great gift to help the swimmer in your life avoid soggy paperbacks in their bag!”
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Dip into a great read
Sea Pools by Chris Romer-Lee, £22.50
guardianbookshop.com
£16.95
amazon.co.uk
Bromley also suggests a coffee-table book “along with a handwritten promise to take your loved one to one of the destinations”. Her pick is Sea Pools for its “stunning photography”.
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Bobbling under
Julia Bradbury women’s bobble hat, £10
millets.co.uk
Sean Fletcher men’s hat, £10
millets.co.uk
gooutdoors.co.uk
Mel Connell, head of marketing at Cleaner Seas Group,lives in Falmouth, Cornwall and swims year-round. To warm up after a cold dip, she suggests this fleece-lined bobble hat. All profits from sales go to the mental health charity Mind.
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Take the plunge
Atlantic Coastal Supplies retro dive mask and snorkel, £80
atlanticcoastalsupplies.com
Connell also likes to enjoy taking in the wildlife below the waterline, so she loves the “retro mask from new UK surf brand Atlantic Coastal Supplies”.
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Sustainable flask
3-in-1 Ocean Bottle, £48
oceanbottle.co
£40
amazon.co.uk
Connell says: “Nothing warms the cockles after a cold dip like a cocoa from a sustainable flask.”
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Tow float for safe swimming
Zone3 neon tow float, £25
zone3.com
£22.49
amazon.co.uk
For would-be ocean dippers, Connell cautions: “Sea swimming can be dangerous if boats and other craft can’t see you. A neon tow float allows others to avoid you.”
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Shower on the go
RinseKit Pod, £65
rinsekit.co.uk
Bonnie Tsui, author of Why We Swim, says: “I love the RinseKit, a portable shower that you can fill with hot water and stow in the back of your car.”
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Emergency light for sea swimming
Adventure Lights Guardian emergency light, £15.54
evaq8.co.uk
From £14.95
amazon.co.uk
GP Clare Taylor, who swims in the sea year-round, suggests “waterproof lights to attach to your goggle strap, so you’re visible in the early mornings before the sun is fully up”.
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Cold-defying mittens
Natural Lambskin Lined Mitts, £40
johnlewis.com
Taylor also says a good gift for swimmers would be, “thick, woolly mittens for after I get out of the water – I can’t get my fingers into gloves when I am cold!”
• This article was amended on 19 November 2024 to give further detail of Mel Connell’s work.
