Not interested in icicles in my hair after swimming!

October 24, 2014 8:10 AM

Hey swimmers. I'm loving lap swimming. And with colder weather coming, I'm wondering how to stay warm from pool to home (due to wet hair).

I'll only be able to swim anywhere around 6 - 8 pm, so it's going to be chilly when I leave. I don't have a LONG ride home - under 10 minutes - but with wet hair, I know I will be a human icicle even with the car heat on (I get cold very easily). And (here's the snowflake) I don't want to mess with taking the time to dry my hair in the locker room since I'll be showering again once I get home. (This is important to me because I am loving swimming and looking forward to it a few times a week and I don't want the cold weather to be a reason I talk myself out of going!)

Anyway, I am thinking of some kind of hat, but not sure what material would be best for this since I'll need it to dry and not get easily ruined. I couldn't pin anything down by Googling, so I'm wondering what "keep warm after the pool" hacks you all have come up with?

Baseball hat? Stocking cap? Hoodie? Scarf wrapped around my head?

As always, I appreciate your input!

posted by foxhat10 to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (24 answers total)

I would wear a warm, fleece-lined hat. They have several at places like REI, but in your place I would totally buy this one.
posted by mochapickle at 8:12 AM on October 24, 2014 [1 favorite]

Could you wear a swim cap while you're swimming and keep your hair dry? I know they're not everyone's cup of tea.
posted by corey flood at 8:15 AM on October 24, 2014 [2 favorites]

I would just towel turban (or Turbie Twist).
posted by Lyn Never at 8:17 AM on October 24, 2014 [2 favorites]

I would either buy a wool hat and stuff my hair up into it and go, and/or get a pullover hooded sweatshirt that has draw strings to close it tight and throw fashion out the window.
posted by 724A at 8:17 AM on October 24, 2014 [1 favorite]

What about a terrycloth or microfiber turban? They are meant to dry quickly and be used every day.
posted by muddgirl at 8:17 AM on October 24, 2014 [1 favorite]

When you get out of the pool, wrap a Microfiber Hair Towel around your head. It really pulls out the extra liquid. Then put on a fleece-lined hat, preferably an aviator-style hat with ear covers. Hang up the towel at home - it'll dry quickly.

One trick I use in the winter: get a bulk box of hand warmers. Wear them in your gloves or pockets on the way to the gym. Then when you're working out, put the warmers inside your hat in your locker. The hat will be toasty warm when you put it on -- it's awesome.
posted by barnone at 8:21 AM on October 24, 2014 [9 favorites]

I agree with barnone, but get the microfiber turbie twist since it will be easier to keep on your head than a plain towel.
posted by Safiya at 8:23 AM on October 24, 2014

Try a swim cap. My daughter uses one and her hair still gets wet. I'm thinking that you could leave the cap on until you get home. Wear a knit hat over it in the car. You will look weird but keeping the cold wind from hitting the damp hair directly might make it worth it.
posted by myselfasme at 8:27 AM on October 24, 2014 [1 favorite]

How long is your hair? If it's really short just towel it off. Are you going home on a bike or in a car or bus?
I have nearly waist-length hair, go outside with it wet often, the only time I've actually had icicles was when it was colder than 20 degrees Fahrenheit and I was outside for more than 15 minutes. So really, unless you live in a cold climate and have long thick hair and walk or bike home you probably should not worry about it.
posted by mareli at 8:30 AM on October 24, 2014

Response by poster: Oh yeah, 724A, fashion is definitely not a priority when leaving the pool!

And I do use a swim cap, but my hair still gets wet, which is ok. I'm not going to try to win that battle of keeping dry hair under the swim cap.

barnone, the hand warmers in the hat sounds pretty good!
posted by foxhat10 at 8:32 AM on October 24, 2014

Best answer: Just noticed your user name. You need a fox hat, size 10.
posted by 724A at 8:54 AM on October 24, 2014 [13 favorites]

I would go with a satin-lined hat, like these (I'm not endorsing that particular store, it's just who I found). Your hair texture may vary.
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:56 AM on October 24, 2014 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Oooh, corpse, that hat looks very cozy.
posted by foxhat10 at 9:19 AM on October 24, 2014

For the very coldest days I would do something like a fleecy hat on the head, a scarf for the neck and to catch any head drips, and over the whole thing a hooded coat/sweatshirt with the hood up. Mix it up on the less frigid days to see what combo works the best.
posted by poffin boffin at 9:25 AM on October 24, 2014 [1 favorite]

On the coldest days on mornings when I was too lazy to dry my hair I had a two-part solution. I took a scarf (in my case it was a slightly moth-eaten cashmere scarf), wrapped it around my head and hair and neck, and then plopped a fleece hat on top.

My ears and neck and head were wonderfully toasty. The hat didn't get too wet and the scarf dried off relatively easily as long as I dried my hair well enough with the towel.
posted by that girl at 10:28 AM on October 24, 2014 [1 favorite]

I did fine with a very fluffy knit hat that I could pull way down. Mine was a synthetic/wool blend. Stay away from cotton. Then, I wrapped my neck in an oversized wool scarf so that my head popped out of what looked like a big fluffy nest.
posted by quince at 10:34 AM on October 24, 2014 [1 favorite]

It's really amazing how dry your hair gets with a vigorous rubbing with a microfiber towel. Especially if you have short hair, you can get your hair practically dry.
posted by BrashTech at 10:36 AM on October 24, 2014

I was a swimmer in Chicago, and one thing I noticed is that even if my head was wet, if the rest of me was really super warm, it wasn't as bad. So make sure you have a heavy sweater and wool socks and maybe gloves, not just the hat.

(Also, wool hat + hood or at least hat + scarf for the win.)
posted by restless_nomad at 11:12 AM on October 24, 2014 [1 favorite]

Does the place where you swim have a sauna in the locker room?
posted by brujita at 11:20 AM on October 24, 2014

I use a fleece hat and auto start for the car. Warm it up for 5-10 minutes, it makes a world of difference!
posted by fshgrl at 11:53 AM on October 24, 2014

Ooo I had no idea satin lined hats existed! I have a friend who NEEDS one of those.

(but how do they not slide off your head? Or is that a slippery-hair only problem? I have slippery hair, and she does not.)
posted by small_ruminant at 12:01 PM on October 24, 2014

Response by poster: I have shoulder length hair. And no sauna.

Thanks guys, these sound pretty good and it might be that I'll need to combine a couple of items.
posted by foxhat10 at 12:02 PM on October 24, 2014

Squid lid.

Credentials: 7 years on the swim team in NW Ohio, two godchildren and two children on the swim team now. Trust me. Squid lid.
posted by The Almighty Mommy Goddess at 1:35 PM on October 24, 2014 [2 favorites]

You have no access to a sauna now, but if you are serious about swimming, why not find a place that does have a sauna? My gym has one, and if I sit in there for 15-20 minutes after washing my hair after swimming, I am of course very warm, and also my hair is almost dry when I go out to the car. I can't imagine having to go out to the car with cold wet hair in the middle of winter. :-(

So, why not look around at local gyms to see if any have a sauna?
posted by mysterious_stranger at 2:36 PM on October 24, 2014