If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best swim cap for swimmers with long hair is, then I’d recommend the Lahtak Long Hair Swim Cap as the best one.
Swim caps are common accessories for those of you who regularly use the pool for exercise, but it can be time-consuming finding the best swim cap designed to hold longer hair.
We’re here to make that search easier by giving you five top-selling swim caps for long-haired swimmers as well as a buying guide to help you choose the right one.
Here are the top swim caps we’ll be reviewing:
- Lahtak Long Hair Swim Cap
- Aegend Solid Silicone Swim Cap
- The Friendly Swede Silicone Long Hair Swim Caps
- Speedo Silicone Solid Swim Cap
- TOPLUS Swim Cap
Swim Caps for Longer Hair – Buyer’s Guide
Although swim caps can look the same, there are enough differences that allow some to stand out more than others.
Before you settle on any best swim cap for swimming with long hair, keep in mind the following features and other aspects to look for.
This way, you may have a better chance deciding which cap is actually best for your needs.
Swim Caps: Are they Necessary?
Prior to addressing what you should examine when choosing swim caps for your longer hair, let’s tackle whether or not swim caps are vital accessories that you need to add to your exercise equipment.
You may believe that swim caps are meant to completely protect your hair from water, but that’s practically impossible.
Even the smallest of seams or air holes can let in water, so your hair may feel some amount of dampness even with a cap.
However, some caps do better than others at keeping your hair from becoming soaked. This amount of protection also ensures your hair’s safety from chlorine.
It’s known that chlorine can have major negative effects on your hair such as taking away essential oils, weakening hair strands, and changing the natural color.
The right swim cap can also do well at keeping your hair out of your face. This is especially useful if you have longer hair.
It’s easy for strands to fall in the way, and even with eye goggles, seeing can become difficult.
Another bonus to wearing swim caps is keeping your pool clean.
A cap prevents your hair from falling out all over the water, which can force you to clean the pool more often as well as clog up drains and filters over time.
Types of Material
You’ll find swim caps made using a number of different materials.
Some are best for certain circumstances. Below are a few common materials used in swim caps.
Silicone
This may be one of the more well-known, popular choices due to its many benefits.
Silicone rubber has a natural ability to repel water, so when used for swim caps, it may better protect your hair by keeping it as dry as possible.
It’s also a rather durable material, and it does a good job holding up against various temperatures.
Neoprene
You can generally find neoprene used in wet suits, so swim caps made with it tend to do a good job retaining heat.
This can help if you’re swimming in the cold or training for events like triathlons.
These caps are heavy though, so it may work better if you’re used to pushing yourself in the water.
Spandex
If you need something that’s lightweight and easy on your hair, spandex-type caps may be useful.
These types of caps may only work if you casually hit the water for training because they don’t exactly do well at keeping your hair dry.
Latex
Swim caps made from latex can also benefit you if you don’t dive in the water on the regular.
They’re not the most durable caps, but they are light in weight and don’t retain much heat, which can better benefit those of you swimming in heated pools.
Fit
Regardless of which type of material your swim cap is made of, if it doesn’t fit properly, it’ll do a poor job at protecting your hair or keeping it out of your face.
You should look for caps that have a tight enough seal to better keep water out. The seal should also not be overly constricting or it can cause headaches and general discomfort.
Its material should be stretchy enough so that it’s easy to pull over all your hair. A tear-proof design is ideal as well so that you can stretch it out without worrying it’ll rip.
Temperature Rating
As mentioned in the section about the types of materials used in making swim caps, how well or how little a cap retains heat is important.
This all depends on the type of water you swim in, however.
Are you developing your training routine in a heated pool?
Then you shouldn’t need to worry about retaining any heat in your head. In fact, that may cause you to sweat more and cause your hair to become drenched anyway.
For those of you hitting the open water instead or simply swimming in an average pool that isn’t heated, a neoprene cap or something similar does a more adequate job at trapping in heat so that you’re comfortable.
Best Swim Cap for Swimmers with Long Hair – Reviewed
Lahtak Long Hair Swim Cap
The Long Hair Swim Cap from Lahtak is seen by many as the best swim cap for those with longer, thicker hair such as dreadlocks.
There’s more than enough fabric to keep your hair secure and free from getting soaked. However, this much material can cause you to experience some drag.
It has a loose-fitting design divided in two parts: one fits to your head for a water-tight seal, while the other merely holds your hair and leaves it loose.
This style gives you a good amount of snugness without clinging to your head too hard and causing discomfort.
Created out of silicone material, you can stretch it to easily wrap up all of your hair.
However, the quality of the silicone feels a bit thin, so there’s a chance it can tear if you stretch it too far. The fabric is still soft and won’t damage your hair or skin.
Pros
- Creates a snug feel that’s still comfortable
- Does a good job fitting a lot of hair
- Fabric is soft and easy on the hair
Cons
- Thin material may be easy to tear
- Can cause some drag due to the amount of material
Aegend Solid Silicone Swim Cap
The Aegend Solid Silicone Swim Cap is an inexpensive option to keep your hair and even your ears protected.
It features large ear protection pockets that hold your ears without causing any overpressure.
With the cap’s 3D ergonomic design, it’s simple and quick to slip on. It may take a few tries to break it in though.
Although it aims to provide a tight, non-slip fit, there is still a chance that it can slide when you go underwater.
It may be a better cap for the casual exercising in the water rather than regular, heavy use.
The silicone material is high in quality and thick enough that it creates a good seal and doesn’t tear easily.
It’s lightweight, soft, and gentle on the skin as well for those of you with sensitivities. The elasticity of the material allows it to stretch properly without ripping.
Pros
- Easy to get on
- Does a good job covering your ears
- Silicone is thick and sturdy
Cons
- Chance for the cap to slip off underwater
- Can take some breaking in to put on properly
The Friendly Swede Silicone Long Hair Swim Caps
With The Friendly Swede Silicone Long Hair Swim Caps, you can get a cap that’s good for adults and children with longer hair of various types and textures.
The 100% premium silicone material is durable and long-lasting so you can use it during your water training routine on the regular.
It can be somewhat awkward to pull on at times, but when you do fit your hair in, it goes on snug and stays in place.
The cap generally keeps your hair dry if not for a few damp areas.
However, there’s a chance for your water to get wet via the ear pockets as water may slip through there.
For pure training purposes, the cap features a hydrodynamic design that gives you less resistance and drag. It’s also wrinkle-free so you may have an easier time maintaining it.
Pros
- Roomy for a variety of hair types
- Goes on snug and doesn’t slip
- Sturdy material
Cons
- Can be awkward to get on
- Ear pockets may let in water
Speedo Silicone Solid Swim Cap
If you want an affordable cap that’s easy to wear, the Speedo Silicone Solid Swim Cap can provide that.
Made from silicone, the cap is available in several different colors so you can personalize it to fit with the rest of your workout gear or clothes if that’s important to you.
The silicone is intended to resist snags and tears, but it doesn’t feel that high in quality and may not hold up long.
It can be useful for light to moderate exercise in the water, but perhaps nothing too intense.
This is more apparent considering that the cap may slide off after spending a long time in the water.
Wearing the cap provides a good amount of comfortable, however.
The elasticity holds well, and it isn’t known to snag your hair while you put it on and take it off. There’s a good deal of room too for your hair to easily fit in.
Pros
- Maintains its elasticity well
- Comfortable material
- Cap is simple to wear
Cons
- Can slide off after spending some time in the water
- Material feels low in quality and not long-lasting
TOPLUS Swim Cap
The TOPLUS Swim Cap is made from high-quality, premium silicone that features quality elasticity so you can stretch it out and pull it on without it tearing.
It has a good chance of maintaining its shape, experiencing no deformation, after long-term use.
It can handle a good amount of hair as well as covering your ears to keep them safe and free from pressure as well.
In spite of it having a quality seal, it might get too tight for some and cause some discomfort if you wear it for awhile.
The silicone feels comfortable nonetheless.
It’s soft and doesn’t tend to cause any irritation.
Generally, it holds well on the head, but the front may rise a bit, which might urge you to readjust during your routine swim workouts.
Pros
- Does a good job securing all of your hair
- No deformation after long-time use
- Covers your ears well
Cons
- May require frequent readjusting
- Can fit too tight
Final Thoughts
Even if you have longer hair, you should still feel comfortable adding some water routines into your workout regime, and that comfort comes in having the right swim cap.
We feel the best swim cap for swimming with long hair is the Lahtak Long Hair Swim Cap. It’s made from waterproof silicone that does a good job keeping most of the water out.
It stretches well to wrap all of your hair up, and it provides you with a snug feeling that isn’t constricting or uncomfortable.
You may be able to wear it for an extended amount of time in the water without feeling overwhelmed. It helps that the fabric is soft as well.
