When it comes to water bottles, you have a choice between plastic or reusable ones. And while it doesn’t matter which you use when you swim (and you should at least bring one of them), we believe that you should use a reusable water bottle when you swim.
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Aside from being better for the environment, reusable water bottles have some other unknown perks for swimmers that make them better to use than plastic bottles.
Keep on reading to learn why you should use a reusable water bottle when you swim!
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Why You Should Stay Hydrated When You Swim
It’s a common swimming myth that you don’t sweat when you swim. And that belief couldn’t be further from the truth. Even though it doesn’t feel like you’re sweating because you’re surrounded by water, you actually are!
Even when the water is cold (or feels cold) you can still start to sweat when you’re working out in the pool.
For this reason, it’s so important to keep hydrated while you swim. Especially if you’re swimming outside and/or the air/water is warm. Obviously, the warmer the air and the water, the more you’ll sweat.
Staying hydrated while you swim can help prevent injury during your swim workout. Just as drinking water during your workout can help with recovery after you finish a workout.
Keeping a reusable water bottle on hand while at the pool, beach, or lakeside can help ensure you stay hydrated. Try to sip at your bottle whenever you’re resting. Even a small drink can help if you’re working a set.
Why You Should Use a Reusable Water Bottle When You Swim
1. Better for the Environment
Let’s start with the obvious!
More times than not, reusable water bottles are better for the environment. They keep plastic from ending up in landfills or being discarded on land/in the water.
As swimmers, we need to be conscious of the water we’re swimming in. We should ‘pay it back’ if you will. For all that the water gives us, we should ensure we’re doing our best to keep it clean, too.
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And while you can argue that you can reuse plastic water bottles for your next practice, you’re actually more likely to forget a plastic bottle. Or throw it out before you remember to use it again.
Just as recycling them can start with good intentions. But most plastic that’s recycled doesn’t end up recycled due to being ‘contaminated’. Instead, it’s better to eliminate the risk by switching to a reusable water bottle.
2. Keeps You Hydrated
Yes, we know. The purpose of a water bottle is to keep you hydrated. Reusable or not. But some people have difficulty staying hydrated without a little motivation.
Reusable water bottles with motivational prompts or hourly reminders to drink can help individuals drink more. Both during their workout or during the day. A win no matter how you look at it!
While we don’t recommend chugging water to reach your next level, you can certainly make a goal to reach a certain level/measurement by the time you finish your workout.
This can help keep you on track during your next swim workout. And give you the motivation to stay hydrated.
3. Easier to Use
When you’re short on time in the middle of your set, you don’t have time to unscrew and screw the lid back on your water bottle.
For this reason, reusable water bottles with flip-top lids are ideal for swimmers. And other sports where you only have a short period to get a drink!
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The quick access with a flip lid makes getting a drink quick and easy. Especially if you’re dealing with paddles on your hand. Or an injury on your hand(s).
It’s something so simple but it’s extremely effective.
And it’s why we recommend water bottles to swimmers that don’t require a twist top to drink from. Instead, something that can be opened and closed quickly is ideal. Two examples are water bottles from Contigo and Diller.
4. Save Money
Reusable water bottles might cost more upfront but long term, they’ll save you money. Especially if you’re using a new plastic water bottle for each swim workout.
And while some reusable water bottles can be expensive (such as Hydro Flasks and Yeti’s), you can find more affordable ones for half the price.
Such as Y&3 Motivational Water Bottle or Pogo Water Bottle with Chug Lid
Keep your water bottle clean and you’ll find that it can last you for years. Saving you some extra money each week or month 🙂
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5. Less Likely to Forget
Plastic water bottles are easy to leave behind. Just as they’re easy to throw away without realizing it. Perhaps it’s because we know they’re temporary and there’s another one waiting at home for us.
Conversely, it’s much easier to remember to bring your reusable water bottle home with you. Or wherever else you’re going.
This is especially true if your reusable water bottle has a hook or handle that you can carry it with. Or attach it to your swim bag. Alternatively, some water bottles do fit in the side pockets of your swim bag, too!
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Additionally, it’s less likely to be thrown away if you leave it at the pool or elsewhere when you leave. More often than not, it’ll be picked up and stored until you come back to claim it.
Again, this can help save you money. But it can also be a sense of relief for those who forget items, as reusable water bottles aren’t thrown away as often as plastic ones.
6. Won’t Be Used By Someone Else
On the pool deck and with cloudy and foggy goggles, plastic water bottles look alike.
Throughout almost twenty years of swimming, I’ve seen swimmers grab the wrong water bottle numerous times. And there’s always that moment of hesitation when looking at the line of bottles on the deck, wondering which one is yours
This is especially true at swim meets when everyone has their belongings squished together. Or in a crowded lane with gear all over the deck.
Reusable water bottles can help cut back on the chance of someone else mistaking your water bottle for theirs. Especially if it’s more personalized with stickers and decals to make it stand out.
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Keeping others from using your water bottle may seem like a minor reason to use a reusable water bottle when you swim. But it actually plays a much larger role.
Mainly that it can keep you from getting sick.
If you have a healthy immune system and rarely get sick, that’s great! But not everyone has that. Or they have family members at home or in their life who need to stay vigilant about getting sick.
Making sure that no one will mistake a water bottle for someone else’s can make all difference for some individuals.
And it’s a great way to help keep the team healthy as a whole 🙂
7. Healthier
We like reusable water bottles that either feature flip-top lids or have some type of covering over the mouthpiece. Again, while the flip top is great for quick drinks between sets, it doubles as a way to keep the mouthpiece clean.
On the pool deck or in the weight room, it’s easy to knock over a water bottle. And if the mouthpiece is exposed, such as squeeze water bottles (Polar Bottle and Gatorade bottles, for example), then that mouthpiece has rolled on the ground.
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And I don’t know about your pool deck or the floor of your dryland room, but ours can get pretty gross. And I don’t want to drink from a bottle where the mouthpiece just landed on the ground.
For some, this isn’t a big deal. But for others, it’s a nice thought to know that the mouthpiece is protected from contaminants.
8. Personalize
Most of us enjoy personalizing our swim gear. Or at least picking out the colors or patterns that we like best. And one of the joys about owning a reusable water bottle is getting to customize them as we see fit.
Such as stickers! Most swimmers love decorating their water bottles with stickers and it’s a great way to express your personality. And show a bit of humor along the way!
Deck out your water bottle with school/college decals, your favorite Jolyn stickers, and more!
You can also pick out reusable water bottles in your favorite color(s) or a design that you like.
9. Temperature
If you’re training outside or overheat easily, keeping your water cold is key to regulating your body temperature.
Plastic water bottles aren’t the best at keeping water cold for the length of practice. Especially if you’re outside and it’s hot.
While insulated water bottles, such as Iron Flask and ThermoFlask can run a bit more than non-insulated water bottles, they may be worth the cost for those hot summer swim practices.
How to Clean Your Water Bottle (And Why You Should)
Reusable water bottles that sit poolside need a bit more attention than those that don’t. Some of this is because the water bottles are exposed to the constant splashing on the deck. And rarely do they get dried out the way they should.
Because of this, mold can grow in certain spots on your water bottle. Such as in/around the mouthpiece, where the lid screws onto the bottle, and in the straw.
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For your health, you should clean out your water bottle regularly. Doing so will not only keep you from getting sick but it can also make your water bottle last longer.
7 Steps to Clean Your Water Bottle
- Take apart your water bottle. Unscrew the lid and pull off the straw (if you have one)
- Utilize a specialized water bottle brush set (such as this one from OXO) to clean out the bottle itself. Use the remaining pieces to scrub out the straw and mouthpiece. You should also clean any remaining parts of the lid.
- Use soapy water to clean your bottle. You should only need one drop of dish soap to clean everything
- Rinse out every piece of your water bottle with clean water. You may need to do this a few times to get rid of all the soap
- Let your bottle air dry, preferably set it at an angle upside down so it can drain
- Once dry, assemble your water bottle
- Fill it up and it’s ready to use again!
In Closing
Using a reusable water bottle when you swim has several advantages over a plastic bottle. Some of which can apply outside of the pool, too! While they’re small reasons overall, they can make your swim practice easier and can save you money in the long run. What’s not to like about that?
As always, happy swimming!
-Chevron
Bonus Content
Basic Pool Etiquette: 15 Ways to Share the Pool: Swim etiquette ensures that swimmers share the pool safely. But what is proper swim etiquette and what rules do you follow when sharing the pool?
Swimming on Your Period FAQ: Yes, you can swim on your period! From one menstruating swimmer to another, here are some frequently asked questions I get about swimming on your period.
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About
Chevron is a current competitive swimmer with almost 20 years of experience in the pool. And although she fell into the sport by accident in her high school years, she still trains daily and competes throughout the year. She’s committed to providing guidance to all levels of swimmers and believes that everyone should know how to swim.
