Planning a day to the pool? Find below a list of things to make your swim session a success. Remember to use a water-resistant bag, though: a regular duffle bag will get soggy if placed on the locker room floor or brought near the edges of the pool.
Bathing Suit
You can’t swim publicly without a bathing suit, so don’t forget it! For storing your wet swimsuit, pack a plastic to keep everything else dry.
A Change of Clothes
Unless you intend to change back into the clothes you came in, pack dry clothes to switch into after your swim. For instance, if you swim in the morning, then you may want a fresh pair of clothes for after your post-swim shower.
Towel
Even if the public pool supplies towels, bring a spare. You never know when you’ll need an extra towel to dry off or keep warm. In fact, a spare towel can be useful when wrapping swim accessories (see below).
Swimming Accessories
If you like to wear goggles, fitness trackers or swim caps during your free swim or lesson, store them in your bag. You may want to also consider flipflops; walking to and from the pool can be slippery. Likewise, wearing flipflops in public showering facilities can prevent things like athlete’s foot.
Personal Hygiene Products
Before and after swimming in a public pool, you should quickly shower to rinse off your own body oils as well as any chemicals or bacteria that have entered your skin’s pores. Some products to bring include shampoo and conditioner (unless you wear a swim cap), body wash, deodorant and moisturizer.