Silicone Swim Caps: Benefits, Drawbacks & Best for Swimmers

This article discusses the characteristics of a silicone swim cap as well as its advantages and disadvantages. This can especially be helpful if you are a beginner and wonder which kind of swim cap you should get.

A silicone swim cap

History

While the latex swim cap was and still is popular, certain swimmers exhibit allergic reactions when they wear such a cap. To prevent this problem, manufacturers started to use silicone as a material for swim caps, as silicone doesn’t lead to allergic reactions. Nowadays silicone caps are the most popular kind.

Characteristics

A silicone cap has the following characteristics:

• It is made of flexible silicone.
• It is a little bit thicker than a latex swim cap.
• It has a neutral smell.
• It is more shiny than a latex swim cap.
• It can sport one or several colors per swim cap.

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Advantages

A swim cap made of silicone has the following advantages:

• It doesn’t generate allergic reactions like latex does.
• It protects your hair well from chlorine.
• It lasts longer than a latex swim cap, because it doesn’t get attacked by chlorine and because it is thicker and therefore tears less easily.
• Because it is thicker than a latex swim cap it keeps the head warmer in cold water.
• It often looks better than its latex or neoprene counterparts because it can sport several different color combinations and because its finish is more shiny.
• Swim caps with a more exotic shape (for example the funny ones with a shark fin or the more serious ones with a chin strap) are often made of silicone because the material is better suited to create more complex shapes.

Disadvantages

A swim cap made of silicone has the following disadvantages:

• It is more expensive than a latex swim cap.
• It is less comfortable than a latex swim cap because it is thicker, less flexible and constricts the head more. On the other hand, it seems that your hair gets pulled less in silicone swim caps.
• A silicone swim cap can slip a little bit more than a latex swim cap (but less than a lycra swim cap).

Conclusion

The silicone swim cap is your first choice if you are alleric to latex or want a better looking swim cap that lasts longer, even though it is a little bit more expensive.