Today’s entry is a contrast to Swimwear #1 – ’tis the season day 2. The rebellion against all of that rubber of course is the ‘Polar Bear’. A swimming costume, goggles and a hat, also known in the ‘trade’ as skins swimming. It started life in our Polar Bear challenge last year, a fairly well known trial amongst winter swimmers.
The kit follows the international ice swimming rules – a swimming costume, one swim hat and goggles. We did concede and adapt this slightly last year by ditching the swim hat for a nice woolly one. We realised we were never going to get our faces in and swim properly in such minimal attire so we may as well keep our heads a bit toasty. This year I’m occasionally adding the balaclava and doing a spot of heads in front crawl but it’s never for long.
This is proper “zing” territory. Your skins tingles, you feel alive, bits go numb, some bits hurt. You make a desperate dash to get dressed as you get out to avoid chilling any further. As much as I’m liking our longer “full gimp” swims, for me this wins.
This is proper winter swimming!
Open Water Wheway 