When it comes to understanding the essentials of wild swimming, few voices carry more weight than Kate Rew. As founder of the Outdoor Swimming Society and fresh from completing her remarkable journey from 10km to 25km swims this year, Kate knows exactly what makes the perfect kit for winter dipping. While most of us are wrapping up warm indoors this festive season, you'll find Kate seeking out crisp morning swims and sharing her passion for cold-water adventures with her community.
Kate's Winter Swimming Essentials
Base layers to soften bold adventures
The foundation of any winter swimming kit starts with what you wear before and after your swim. Kate's top picks include our Kepler Merino Long Sleeve Top and Kepler Long Johns. These superfine merino garments offer the natural temperature regulation that Kate swears by for those crucial pre and post-swim moments.
It’s hard to get fully dry when you’re cold, which makes it hard to get trousers on - I find merino underlayers make all the difference to how fast I can dress, and how quick I get warm.
The Winter Swimming Game-Changer
For Kate, the Gourdon 30L rucksack is a game-changer. Forget having multiple bags slipping off your insulated shoulders when your hands are cold and fumbly, she puts it all into just one - a waterproof one, with two pockets for your thermos and woollens, and some mini-bags inside to comparmentalise wet things, fit for putting on sodden ground.
Small details, big impact
Kate's concerns for the environment are evident with her selection of the Dulsie Long Sleeved Swimsuit which is made from recycled ocean plastics and nylon waste.
This is cut so well, and the combination of long arms and a slightly thermal front panel I find perfect for winter swimming, it makes it slightly easier to get in, but you can still feel all the water.
Black Yak Plain Rib Wristwarmers are fair trade certified and hand-knitted in Nepal. Made using 100% sheeps wool with a microfleece liner, these fingerless gloves help keep your hands warm while letting you pull on your neoprene Outdoor Swimming Socks before getting in the water. Insulating your hands and feet really improves the winter swimming experience for many of us,
says Kate, and neoprene boots and gloves are also useful for longer training swims in milder waters
.
These seemingly simple additions make a world of difference when tackling winter waters. Keeping extremities protected allows you to focus on enjoying your experience rather than battling discomfort.
These seemingly simple additions make a world of difference when tackling winter waters. Keeping extremities protected allows you to focus on enjoying your experience rather than battling discomfort.
Complete the kit
Kate's full list includes:
- Kisdon Swimming Goggles: For reliable, fog-free vision in the water
- Idwal Beanie: Essential post-swim head warmth
- Gourdon 20 Waterproof Backpack: Keeps kit dry, and keeps you dry when carrying wet kit home
- Filoment Hoody: Perfect insulating mid-layer that packs down small enough to fit in a stocking
- Sastrugi Pullover: Crucial post-swim warmth with our warmest fibrepile fleece
- Haven Changing Robe: Water-resistant outer shell and cozy inner sanctuary for post swim warmth
- The Outdoor Swimmers Handbook: The must have guide to everything a wild swimmer needs to know
Gift with confidence
As someone with a lot of alpkit gear that has had it’s 10th birthday and is still going strong, Kate appreciates that alpkit are committed to quality and customer satisfaction. Every product comes with our Alpine Bond guarantee, ensuring it's built to last. And with our 123-day returns policy, there's plenty of time to ensure each gift is welcomed into its new home and works perfectly for swimming adventures.
What if you still can't choose?
Kate's hand-picked swimming essentials have been chosen from our extensive range of products for adventure loving swimmers. If one of these hasn't ticked your boxes, or you are buying for someone else and getting tied up in jargon, just hop on to the live chat at the bottom of the page, or visit one of our stores for more expert advice.
Gift Cards - For when you are struggling to find that perfect swimming gift
If, even after all of these great ideas, you are still struggling to put your mouse on that perfect present, our gift cards come to the rescue. We have physical gifts cards you can send to your loved ones, an Alpkit Foundation Giving Card and an e-Gift Card for when time has got you beat. These can be redeemed online or instore.
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