What's the best swim cap for long hair?
It's a question that every long-haired woman struggles with - how can I go swimming without having to deal with the hassle of washing and drying and styling my hair afterwards? Is there a swimming cap that keeps hair dry?
In fact, it's the exact question that led me to found this company and create my signature product - the Bunbathers Ponytail Swimcap.
But first let's take a look at the back story around what swim caps have been available so far, how they work and what I do and don't recommend.
The History Of Swim Caps
After rubber was invented in 1883, swim caps made of rubberised fabric were first seen at the start of the 20th century. Many of these early caps featured a chin strap similar to an aviator's helmet. By the 1920s, swim caps were made of latex. Latex is the soft white substance found beneath the bark of a mature rubber tree. In the 1940s, rubber was needed for the war effort so swim caps became scarce.
During the 1950s and 60s, decorative swim caps for women became popular. Movies dubbed 'aqua musicals' were all the rage and their popular star Esther Williams always wore gorgeous swimming caps that were truly a fashion statement.
Cute rubber caps from the 1960s & Esther Williams, the "Million Dollar Mermaid"
Today swim caps are mainly worn for practical reasons - for hygiene whilst in a public pool with other swimmers, for warmth if ocean swimming long distances and to keep hair dry and protected from salt water or pool chemicals.
The Modern Silicone Swim Cap
Today most quality caps are made of silicone, which is thicker and more durable than traditional latex. It's also less likely to tug on hair - who remembers always needing to powder the inside of their swim cap as a child?
Drawbacks Of Regular Swim Caps
Even though swim caps have come a long way, their shape and design had not really changed. They appear to have been designed with a male head in mind, with no thought given to the hair on the head or the ethnicity of the wearer.
If you have long hair, curly hair, thick hair, afro hair, braids or locs, it can be very difficult to fit your hair into a standard cap.
Many women wear their hair in a ponytail or bun when swimming - yet a standard cap struggles to accommodate this. This creates a 'conehead' effect and pulls the cap away from the edges, making is less likely to cover the ears. With larger buns or ponytails, it can even start to pull the cap off.
These caps are stretched out by the women's ponytails:
The Problem Of Finding The Best Swim Cap To Keep Hair Dry -
What Are The Current Solutions?
Long Hair Swim Caps
Some brands have simply extended the overall shape of the swim cap, allowing a little more room at the back. There is a Speedo Long Hair Swim Cap as well as a Kmart Swim Cap For Long Hair, among other brands.
This Speedo swimcap has a bit more room at the back - but won't keep hair drier
Do Long Hair Swim Caps Work?
The Speedo Long Hair Swim Cap and the Kmart Swim Cap For Long Hair may fit more hair in the cap, but they do not really help keep hair dry, since the bulk of you hair is placed at the back of your head. This is the first part to get submerged in the water. Still, these can be a good option for competitive swimmers who want to stay aerodynamic but don't care if their hair gets wet.
Swim Caps For Natural Black Hair
Some new brands have addressed the lack of diversity of standard swim caps. Traditional swim caps do a terrible job of fitting natural black hair, such as afros, braids and locs. But now there are some cool brand such as Swimma, who design amazing caps perfect for this. They are almost shaped like a lightbulb!
Recently a similar type of cap (made by Soul Cap) made headlines when FINA said these caps were not allowed at the 2021 Olympics because they "do not follow the natural form of the head." However now the The International Swimming Federation says it will revisit its decision - which it definitely should.
These natural black hair swim caps definitely work well for this type of hair and make swimming accessible and comfortable.
A Swimma Cap
The Double Cap Technique
Professional swimmers often wear two caps to secure their goggles and reduce drag. Ocean swimmers may wear two caps to keep warmer, and to create a seal to keep hair drier. However this method puts a lot of pressure on the head and isn't really that comfortable for recreational swimming.
An Olympic swimmer wearing 2 caps at once
The Safety Swim Cap
This swim cap doesn't keep hair any drier, but it does provide an excellent solution to the problem of head injuries by competitive swimmers. It's like a protective helmet in the water. For that let's say bravo, Hammerhead swim caps!
The protective inside of a Hammerhead swim cap:
The Ponytail Swim Cap
But now the swim cap you've been waiting for - the one that really does keep your hair dry. It's the best waterproof swimming cap for long, thick hair.
When you're at the pool wanting to keep your hair dry, how do you wear it? If you're anything like me you will always put it as high as possible, up in a top knot or bun. That's why Bunbathers ponytail swimcaps are created with a special compartment on top, to keep hair higher and drier.
You can check out our videos at the pool and at the beach to see how your hair stays dry even once you dive under. That's because the bulk of the hair is held up the top, where it's harder for water to reach. This makes our Bunbathers Ponytail Swimcap the best swim cap to keep hair dry.
In addition, because there is a special area for hair up the top, this means the cap doesn't pull up around the sides. It has more room to cover all the hair around the hairline, as there is nothing putting upwards pressure on the cap. That's another reason why a Bunbathers Ponytail Swimcap is a great choice to keep long hair dry when swimming.
Will My Hair Get Wet With A Bunbathers Ponytail Swimcap?
If you are swimming a lot of laps and diving under a lot, your hair may get a little bit wet around the edges. However this is easy to dry - just keep your hair up in the (dry) bun and blast the wet edges around the hairline with the hairdryer for a minute or two. Because the water will have affected just the roots and edges, this will add a bit if beachy texture and volume at the roots - not a bad thing!
The bulk of your that's piled into the bun compartment will remain dry, especially if you are swimming for leisure not sport - such as hanging out in the pool with your kids or lounging the jacuzzi.
If you are in a hot tub or jacuzzi, the cap will also stop the steam from the hot water making your hair frizz up. This makes it a great choice to help you prolong your blowout after hitting the pool.
That's the end of our journey into keeping long hair dry while swimming. The most important thing to remember is - swimming is fun, healthy and good for the soul. Don't skip the swim because you don't want to ruin your hair. Whether in the pool or the ocean, you never regret a swim! We hope that now that you know about the best swim cap for keeping hair dry, you'll be in the water and loving life more than ever!