Why do swimmers wear two caps

The reason for this is speed. Swimmers want to eliminate as much drag as possible, and if their goggle straps are exposed, it can contribute to the overall resistance they feel in the water.

Typically, swimmer's goggles sit on top of a latex cap, which is then cemented in place by a durable silicone swim cap. The friction of the silicone against the latex acts as a superglue to keep the top cap from falling off.

Latex is more likely to wrinkle and tear because it's made from an inexpensive, very thin material, which is why it always goes on first. Plus, silicone has less drag. If the silicone cap falls off — and it does happen on occasion, with one notable example being Dana Vollmer, who swam to a gold medal and a world record after losing her cap at the London Olympics — there's at least a backup underneath.

A cap can be the difference between an Olympian going home with or without a medal. More from Quartz About Quartz. Follow Quartz. These are some of our most ambitious editorial projects. From our Obsession. By Kelsey Kennedy Intern. However, some public swimming pools require swimmers to wear swimming caps. Swimmers may also wear swimming caps to help keep them warm in cold water. Swimmers who compete wear them to make their body more hydrodynamic streamlined , thus it makes them faster.

Swimming caps are not waterproof and will not keep your hair dry. No matter how hard you try, water will get in. If you swim holding your head above water, then a swimming cap will keep water from splashing on your hair.

Otherwise, as soon as you put your head underwater, the swimming pool water will get your hair wet. Many swimmers also use it as a trick to get their bodies adapted to the water's temperature. By splashing water from the pool on to themselves before the race, it means the initial dive into the pool will be less of a shock. Some swimmers even chose to slap themselves before racing, as it can help increase blood flow and warm their bodies up.

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