Gifts for swimmers: 19 gift ideas for those who love to swim

Thinking that all you need to swim outdoors is a swimsuit or shorts and a set of goggles? Think again. If you’re buying a gift for an outdoor swimmer (or to treat yourself) there are countless things you could consider.

Kit, tech, books and gear – as well as fun swim-related gifts – any of these are sure to be well-received.

To get you started, take a look through our guide to the best gifts for open-water swimmers. We’ve chosen items that swimmers will definitely use or cherish, many of which we’ve tested, and others that we would recommend based on feedback from 220 readers.

Jump to:

• Best gifts for open water swimmers
• Best gifts to use in the pool

For more inspiration, take a look at our lists of the best gifts for triathletes, the best gifts for runners or even our list of the best swimming goggles.

Best gifts for swimmers in 2024

Swim Smooth: The Complete Coaching System for Swimmers and Triathletes

Give the gift of excellence by helping your favourite swimmer reach their full potential. Swim Smooth is a complete coaching guide to swimming written by Paul Newsome and Adam Young, both of whom are experienced triathletes, open water swimmers and professional teachers.

Their book has become hugely popular amongst swimmers and triathletes, and is praised for its unique approach to coaching that provides personal advice to the reader.

Through understanding the fundamentals of swimming, the authors help you identify your swim type – they cover six different ‘personas’ – so that you can find the style that works best for you.

Hundreds of colour photographs and 3D graphics are included to help visualise your training routine, along with nutrition and flexibility information.

The book has advice for intermediate, advanced and elite swimmers, so it’s a perfect choice for anyone passionate about swimming.

Browse our other favourite swimming books for ideas.

Shokz OpenSwim

The Shokz OpenSwim (formerly AfterShokz Xtrainerz) swim headphones are a great choice for earbud-free listening.

They use bone conduction, meaning the headset generates vibrations that travel through the cheekbones, so swimmers don’t have to remove their earplugs to listen.

We reviewed the Aftershokz Xtrainerz and gave them a verdict of 86%, thanks to their technological ‘genius’ and impressive sound.

They hold 4GB of music, approximately 1,200 songs, and have an eight-hour battery life, making this the perfect gift for a music-loving swimmer.

These waterproof headphones are also ideal for swimmers.

Perfect for intermediate swimmers who want to improve, this online course includes an hour and a half of video lessons, which allow for up to 30 hours of practice and improvement spread over a couple of months.

As part of the course, you get an illustrated 140-page e-book and a companion guide, plus a certificate when you finish.

The Wave Surfing Lesson Experience Day in Bristol

There aren’t many places you can surf on crystal clear waves surrounded by lush green countryside – but The Wave in Bristol is one of them.

Why not treat your triathlon-loving friend to a 90-minute surf session with one of these vouchers? They’ll spend half an hour on land and an hour in the water, as this is ideal for beginners and those looking to improve.

Nabaiji Microfibre Towel

At under £20/$20, this towel offers great value. It’s lightweight, large enough for post-swim drying and is designed to absorb water effortlessly.

The towel is also compact enough to squeeze into a kit bag’s limited space, while being able to dry quickly. Plus, it’s available in a range of colours.

See our other favourite lightweight towels.

Garmin Swim 2 GPS Swimming Watch

We reviewed the Garmin Swim 2 last year and found it to be an impressive piece of tech. It collects vast swim data including stroke count, efficiency, heart rate and pace.

During testing, the accuracy was spot on in terms of lap and pool length, while it uses GPS tracking during open-water swimming.

This is a worthy investment for anybody serious about swimming and it can strongly improve swim training efficiency.

For more watch-related ideas, take a look at our list of the best swimming watches.

Fogged-up goggles can be the bane of any swim, so Cressi’s anti-fog gel is a handy solution. The product has been specially designed for diving and swimming goggles, but can also be used on other surfaces like mirrors and windows.

It has a neutral pH and the components are organic solvent-free, keeping your eyes safe and preventing them from irritability.

When applied to goggles, it creates a protective film that prevents condensation. A very helpful addition to a swimmer’s kit.

Best gifts for open water swimmers

Zone3 Neoprene Heat-Tech Warmth Swim Gloves

Cold hands will be one of the first things an open-water swimmer notices as the temperatures drop for winter.

Our hands cannot generate heat and our cylindrical fingers have a large surface area to mass ratio, meaning they lose heat quickly.

A set of neoprene swim gloves will make a huge difference for a relatively low cost and can also be used in the warmer months if your hands are particularly sensitive to the cold.

We awarded the Zone3 Heat Tech gloves our ‘best in test’ and a score of 90% when we reviewed them, as the 3.5mm neoprene with titanium lining, coupled with a liquid seal finish, made them flexible yet toasty-warm.

The Velcro wrist straps give an extra layer of security against water ingress.

Introduction to Open Water Swimming in Worcestershire

For anyone just getting started in the world of open water swimming, this one-hour session on the River Avon would make a great gift. You can choose between a small group lesson (£35) or a more focussed private, one-to-one tutorial (£60).

It includes up to 40 minutes of swimming, and you’ll get a free tow float to use during the session.

Zone3 Polar Fleece Parka Robe Jacket

Swim changing robes make a great functional gift and, as they can be a bit expensive, they can be a thoughtful gesture for an important swimmer in your life.

The Zone3 Polar Fleece Parka, with its soft fleece fabric and heat regulation, would make an ideal addition to any swimmer’s wardrobe.

This year we found that the Zone3 Parka was one of the best swim robes available.

Its outer shell is water- and wind-resistant and the long sleeves provide added pre- and post-swim warmth. It also features internal and zipped pockets.

The size of the robe makes it perfect for changing after a swim, and the material maintains your temperature while absorbing sweat.

Huub Swim Socks

Socks are the number one Christmas gift – so it makes sense to include a neoprene pair in this swimmers’ gift guide!

Adding a pair of neoprene socks or booties to your outdoor swimming kit will make you feel more comfortable in the water, as well as giving a layer of protection against standing on sharp pebbles or gravel under the water.

They also make walking on frosty ground much easier if you’re a winter swimmer!

We like the Huub swim socks, which include a split toe design to help them stay on (and to allow you to wear them with flip-flops) as well as a reinforced grippy sole and velcro closure tabs to make getting them on and off easier.

Check out our other top swim socks for alternatives.

Speedo Adult Active Bubble+ Swimming Cap

Wearing a brightly-coloured swimming cap is a must in open-water as, along with a tow-float, it’s the best way of ensuring you can be seen by other swimmers as well as SUPs and water craft (if in a multi-use area or the sea).

Another advantage of the Bubble+ cap from Speedo though, is the bubbles in the cap trap air, which will help keep your head a little warmer for longer. As we lose a lot of heat through our head, this is a must if you want to stay comfortable for longer.

Those dimples also work in the same way as the dimples on some triathlon kit, which Speedo claim will also make you cut through the water faster – and who wouldn’t want that?

The cap comes in black or white (fine for the pool) but for the open-water we’d choose this bright and visible red shade.

We’ve also gathered together other great thermal swim caps for cold-water sessions.

DHB Aeron Thermal wetsuit

This might be ‘big present’ territory when it comes to gifting, but if you’re looking for a special gift then a thermal wetsuit really can’t be beaten for outdoor swimmers that feel the chill but want to stay outdoors all year round.

Coming in at a fraction of the price of most thermal wetsuits, we were amazed by the warmth and quality offered by Wiggle-own brand Dhb’s Aeron. Flexible and easy to pull on, we gave it our ‘best value’ award and a score of 80% when we reviewed it.

The thermal lining extends across the chest, back and thighs and the suit features 2mm neoprene on the shoulders and buoyant 5mm neoprene in the lower body. Sizing is generous and both men’s and women’s sizes are available.

See other thermal wetsuits good enough to gift.

Sealskinz Unisex Water Repellent Cold Weather Bobble Hat

While you may see some swimmers doing breaststroke at your local venue while sporting a bobble hat, we prefer to wear a swim cap in the water and then pull on a toasty bobble hat afterwards to stop heat from escaping from our head into the elements – a good way to keep you warmer after your swim!

The Sealskinz Cold Weather Bobble Hat is water-repellent as well though, so should you face bad weather after your swim it won’t allow water through. It is quick-drying and three sizes are available.

Lomo Swim Run Rucksack Tow Float

We listed the Lomo Swim Run Rucksack as one of the best tow floats for open water. Tow floats are an important part of open-water swimming, adding safety and visibility for other boats and swimmers.

What makes this tow float from Lomo so impressive is that it doubles up as a waterproof bag. The high-visibility bag can be used whenever and wherever, but can also carry your possessions while swimming to avoid leaving them on the shore.

Best gifts to use in the pool

Most swimmers will also use the pool for training, so if nothing from the selection above ticks all the boxes, then why not choose an item they can use for their pool training instead?

Many pool tools are useful for practising swim drills, which can improve technique, speed and stroke mechanics ready for the open-water.

Items such as fins and paddles may also be used in open-water or, in the case of hand paddles and pull buoys, during swimrun races.

Aqua Sphere Alpha Fins

Scoring a huge 92% in issue 398 of 220 Triathlon, these Aqua Sphere fins are made with moulded EVA foam so it’s no wonder that they feel supremely comfortable and as light as a feather in the water.

The unusual design mimics your natural kick movement and the buoyant material avoids any sinky-leg syndrome, allowing us to focus on technique unhampered.

A stylish and practical pair of fins that are comfy, light and hydro in the water, at an affordable price. Kate Milsom

See our other top fins for pool training if you’re after something slightly different.

Zone3 Ergo Swim Training Paddles

Designed to help improve swim catch and pull strength through the water, these medium-sized, contoured hand paddles have both full hand straps and a single finger loop, making them suitable for varying levels.

Find alternative designs in our guide to the best hand paddles for swim training.

Maru Pull Buoy

Adding a pull buoy to your kit bag will also add another dimension to your pool training.

Used between the legs to lift the legs and create buoyancy in the lower body, a pull buoy is a handy piece of kit if you want to forget about your kick and isolate the front of the body to work on your stroke.

It also replicates the buoyancy feel of a wetsuit, which is handy if you want to get a similar feel in the pool to how you would feel on race day in all your kit.

We like this pull buoy from Maru, which is available in numerous different colours and is constructed from anti-chafe foam. it is lightweight and available in junior and adult (shown here) sizes.

Browse other great pull buoys from top brands in our guide.