What do I need to bring?

Great!!, so you are clearly thinking about coming on one of our trips! Go on, bite the bullet, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - book a place! You won't regret it, we promise.

OK, so things you will need....

Insurance

We don't have a preferred provider, and we are not getting kick backs from anybody or commissions. We recommend that you have comprehensive travel insurance, and it would make sense that it covers open water swimming. Of course, as a company we have all of the insurance policies in place that we need - but we suggest that you need your own too.

General stuff

We would suggest that you bring the following, to make your life that bit more comfortable - it is not the end of the world if you don't have everything, we can usually sort stuff out.

• Warm hat
• Warm tops (no zips or buttons) to put on after swims that you don't mind them possibly getting a bit grubby.
• Warm trousers (no zips or buttons or belts) also to put on after swims
• At least two towels
• Two swimsuits
• Goggles or mask
• Ear plugs - both for in the water, and during the night!
• Water bottle (for cold drinks - we provide you with flasks for hot drinks
• Bag for all your post-swim stuff to go into, we suggest a roll-top drybag, that way if the weather does give us a little bit of the liquid sunshine, then your kit is still dry whilst you are enjoying the water.

Don't worry too much about memorising this list, once you have booked onto a trip, we will send you all the details that you could possibly want.

Where do I get a wettie?

We have a small selection of wetsuits that we can hire out to you. A hired wet suit might not have a good fit, so you are best to get this sorted before you get to us. Ask folk you know who you swim with where they got theirs. But please try to have a swim in it before you get here. If it rubs you don’t want to find that out in salt water.

Our biggest tip would be to try it on. Tempting as it may see, do not buy off eBay. All wetsuit manufacturers build to slightly different shapes and sizes, the only way yuo know which one is the best for you - is to try them on.

For example ONeill make great surf wetsuits, no question. Dan will never buy one, as they simply do not fit him, he is not the same shape as their model. Xcel Wetsuits are also great surf wetsuits, and fit Dan perfectly. It took him two days of fighting in and out of wetsuits in sweaty changing rooms to discover this.

Can I hire a wetsuit from you?

YES! You asked, and we delivered.

We have a small selection of very high quality 3mm Neil Pryde short-sleeved wetsuits.

Our guests come in so many different sizes and shapes that it is not possible for us to cater to everyone. But, get in touch and we will see if we have one to fit. We do have a wide range of sizes.

The reason we have gone for short-sleeved is that it allows you to feel the water better as you swim. It also means a lot less wrestling to get in and out of the suit.

A wetsuit is such a tight fitting garment, that it is important to get one that fits you properly - even if it is only a cheap one, rather than hire suit that fits where it touches... trust me, I have experienced it.

We would definitely say that the fit and design of the wetsuit has a larger influence on whether it keeps you warm than the thickness. A great 3mm suit that is close fitting and made from high quality neoprene that has been blind-stitched, glued and taped (like the ones we have) is going to be warmer than an old 7mm that you borrowed from a friend who is two stone heavier than you are.

Hoods make a difference to your sensation of cold, and so if you do tend to get chilly we would recommend investing in a neoprene skullcap or balaclava.

Do I need a wetsuit?

If you want to bring one, please do so.

If you prefer to swim in swimwear, that is fine by us.

It is your holiday - do what you want!

The Gone Swimming team tend to wear wetsuits when we are running one of our holidays, simply because we could be swimming in open water with people who are a lot more adapted to the cold and want to swim for longer. We need to be able to ensure your safety.

However, when we are out adventuring on our own, most of the time we just strip off and get right in. Saves a lot of weight and faff of lugging a wet wetsuit back with you.

We do have a small selection of wetsuits that are available to hire from us, please contact us before your holiday to check on sizes.

My wetsuit is only 3mm - will I be warm enough?

Only you can answer that question, as we are all different people with different levels of adaptation to cold water.

We would definitely say that the fit and design of the wetsuit has a larger influence on whether it keeps you warm than the thickness. A great 3mm suit that is close fitting and made from high quality neoprene that has been blind-stitched, taped and glued is going to be warmer than a 5mm that you borrowed from a friend who is two stone heavier than you are.

The suits that we provide are 3mm suits that have been blind-stitched, taped, and glued. They are high quality Neil Pryde suits (brand spanking new), and so it's just a question of finding the one that fits you the best!

Hoods make a difference to your sensation of cold, and so if you do tend to get chilley we would recommend investing in a neoprene skullcap or balaclava.

The simplest answer is, that we are not forcing you to swim any set distances. If you have had enough, and you do not want to swim any more, whether you are tired or cold or whatever... then that is fine. It is your holiday, and we are here to look after you.

We will get you warm and dry, and a hot drink in hand whilst you relax, take a stroll, enjoy the views, and watch the others swim.