I started swimming again at the age of 39. Why? In March 2023 I severely injured my leg. I earned myself a grade 2 quad tear attempting to run up a pyramid in Oaxaca’s Monte Alban. I couldn’t walk. I used a cane for months. Competitive swimming--my favorite activity at age 9--was key to staying active during my long recovery.
The most difficult part of starting a ‘new’ sport as an adult was not knowing what equipment to buy. I searched the internet for a list of basic equipment you need to start swimming. I specifically wanted info on quality brands available in Mexico. After trial and error, I have a setup that I am confident enough to recommend. Here are eight things you need to start swimming, including prices and where to find them in Mexico.
1. Swimsuit
I’m sure you already guessed that a swimsuit is one of the first things you need to start swimming. The pool I joined requires a solid color one-piece sporty swimming suit in either blue or black. While shopping for an athletic swimming suit, I developed a resentment for the activewear industry, but eventually found a suit I was happy with.
When swimming for fitness, you can choose either a racer-back or scoop back design. For fit, go with something that is tight, as it will loosen slightly in the water. I chose a suit with two layers of material to prolong wear. Also look for chlorine-resistant materials like 100% polyester that contains PBT (polybutylene terephthalate). A chlorine-resistant suit can last up to 10 times longer than a regular swimsuit. If you swim more than twice a week, get two or more suits.
My pick: I chose an Arena suit from Marti. My exact suit (MX $900 or €50) is no longer available, but here is a similar one: Traje de Baño Arena Natación Bodylift Chiara Mujer.
2. Goggles
The three main things you need to start swimming are a suit, goggles, and a swim cap. Let’s talk about the goggles for a second. Before buying, consider what kind of swimming you plan to do. For pool swimming, you can choose inexpensive clear goggles. For open waters you’ll want mirrored lenses to block the sunshine. You might also want to go larger on surface area for a better view.
In general, you want goggles that suction comfortably over your eyes without leaving pressure marks, don’t fog, and don’t slip out of adjustment. What you need to start swimming is to focus on improving your stroke–not to constantly mess with your goggles.
My pick: TYR Women’s Black Ops 140 EV Mirrored Racing Goggles (MX $560 or €31). I chose these because Katie Ledecky, the most gold-medal decorated swimmer of all time (yes, more than Michael Phelps!), is sponsored by TYR. She swims the 1500m free in 15:08.24 and is my hero. I used to have a pair of Nike goggles that cost the same amount, but my TYRs are better quality by far.
3. Swim cap
Beyond a suit and goggles, what you need to join a swimming pool is a swim cap. A cap keeps your hair out of the way and prevents the community pool from being full of stray hairs (yuck). Though your swim cap does not keep your hair dry (that’s a myth) it does make you more streamlined as you swim. It helps you go faster while expending less energy with each stroke. Pretty cool for a thing that makes you look bald in photos.
When it comes to the equipment you need to start swimming, there are two main styles of swim cap on the market. The traditional swim cap is made from a single-piece of flexible silicone. Choose a bright color if you plan on open water swimming. The other option is a Silitex or three-piece fabric cap. This fabric is meant to be gentle on long hair and some people find it easier to put on.
My pick: I like the old-school Nike silicone cap (MX $230 or €13) from Innovasport. Note: Swim caps have no gender, so don’t be afraid of wearing a cap marketed “for men”, like I do. Same goes for nearly all sports equipment.
4. Sandals
What you need when you join a swimming pool is a pair of sandals or pool slides. Go with an all-plastic pair that rinses off easily after walking around a mucky locker room.
My pick: I have the classic green & yellow Brasil logo Havaianas (MX $400 or €22). I already owned these.
5. Towel
What you need to start swimming is a towel or a robe. You use it to walk from the locker room to the pool, stay warm after practice, and dry off after your post-swim shower. A nice towel is one of the main things you need to start swimming if you want to be comfortable at the pool.
You have three options. First, a regular terry cloth towel or robe works. It may be heavy, but it does the job. Your second option is an inexpensive microfiber towel like this from Decathlon (MX $150 or €8.28). This will be portable and light in your gym bag, but may not absorb water the best. Your third option is a more expensive microfiber towel.
My pick: I bought a Sportia microfiber towel (MX $500 or €27.61) at a triathlon in Acapulco. This brand is both lightweight and absorbs a ton of water. Every time I get my legs truly dry before sliding on my jeans after swim practice, I thank myself for the splurge.
6. Anti-fog spray
If you’ve read articles about things you need to start swimming, you may be on the fence about anti-fog spray. Some say it doesn’t work. Contrary to what everyone told me, I love my anti-fog spray.
People swear by alternative liquids for anti-fogging goggles. I’ll admit I’ve tried my own spit (!) but it doesn’t last a full 1-hour practice and it's gross seeing people lick the inside of their goggles during practice. Others swear by a dry application of dish soap. I don’t like contaminating the pool or my own eyeball with detergent.
My pick: I use this Japanese brand View Anti-Fog Spray (MX $200 or €11) that I bought from Articulos Deportivos Jr. in downtown Mexico City. A good anti-fog spray should last at least 2 swims without reapplying.
7. Toiletries
You might not think of toiletries among the things you need to start swimming, but having a minimalist shower setup helps me get in and out of the locker room quickly.
Shampoo
The best option is either solid shampoo (see the travel tin below) or refilling your own travel-sized shampoo.
My pick: I use this We Bare Bears Travel Bottle Set (MX $130 or €7.18) from Miniso. For the pool I take only one bottle for shampoo plus my soap. When I go on vacations, I use the other bottles for conditioner and lotion. They don’t leak.
Soap and travel holder
I shower with bar soap. I hate slimy, single-use camping leaves so I chop up a regular bar of soap into cubes (I call my invention “soap dice”) for the pool or travel.
My pick: I store my soap dice in a leak-proof metal travel tin from LUSH Cosmetics (MX $105 or €5.80).
Leave-in conditioner
Though I always rinse my hair in clean water before putting on my swim cap, the pool chlorine still leaves my hair dry. To keep my gym bag light, I towel-dry my hair at the pool and keep my leave-in conditioner at home.
My pick: I like this light spray from Maui Moisture Hair Styling (MX $194 or €11). Once a week I use a thicker formula Aveda Botanical Repair (MX $260 or €14.36).
8. Gym bag
When you get all the equipment you need to start swimming, you have to carry it back and forth to the pool. I use a regular plastic bag to put my wet items after every practice. This bag goes inside my gym bag. When I get home, I place my sandals, towel, suit, cap, goggles, toiletries, and the upturned bag in the shower to air dry.
My pick: I bought a gym bag from Chilean brand Xtrem back in 2015. I have my Tía Marisel to thank for a Samsonite gift card that Christmas. The one I have is similar to their current QUEST 3XT model (MX $420 or €24). It’s lightweight, has mesh pockets, and a separate wet storage compartment. When my swim stuff dries, I can re-pack this bag quickly for next practice. It’s an ideal swim bag, but also super durable and can double as a travel duffel on weekend trips.
Your health is worth it
Though there are quite a few things you need to start swimming, all eight items in this list have lasted for a year without replacement. Even if I didn’t previously own any of the equipment you need to start swimming, it would have realistically cost me MX $3,289 or €181 to start from scratch with the basics.
Beyond money, remember that swimming for fitness is an investment in your health. In my case, the recovery of mobility makes it worth every peso. Now I can swim over 2km any day of the week. I won 2nd place in a triathlon relay in December 2023. I can jog a 5K or ride my bike daily again. My next competition is a 2.5 km open water swim in May 2024. Whether it’s for recovery or to try out a brand new sport, I hope this list helps you set a budget and prepare to start swimming at your local pool.
