After more than a year of lockdown–not to mention the preceding years of grad school when I had no time–I was so ready to get back into swimming. Instead of joining a club, I figured I would swim in the lake by my house for free.
I’ll admit that the first several outings were hard. Out of shape and trying to swim in choppy lake water, I wasn’t sure how to achieve the rhythm of long-ago lap-swimming workouts in a open water. I couldn’t get my stroke down or figure out how to avoid swallowing tons of water when the waves came. I also couldn’t make it all the way from the floaty dock to the end of the rope that demarcated the swim area. (It didn’t occur to me to swim in shallow water where I could have just stopped and stood up — which is now how I do it.) Hanging on the rope in deep water didn’t really work, so I was putting in way more effort than I could afford to give, and that made me feel unsafe.
I studied the other swimmers who glided by in the distance with orange and yellow floats trailing their bodies, and figured it was probably time to learn about those. New Wave, one of the leading manufacturer’s of swim buoys, was happy to set me up with some testing gear.
Benefits of Using a Swim Buoy
I tested a New Wave 20L TPU swim buoy over two weeks worth of lake swimming, and it has enhanced my swimming experience in several ways.
First, I’m more visible: from the beach, from the floaty dock, from a paddle board or kayak outside the swimming area. There is no life guard at the lake, so it’s important to make myself visible. I am a firm believer in using the buddy system when doing any outdoor activity, but I couldn’t always find someone to come with me. On those days, I swam closer to shore and before entering the water asked the teens lounging and chatting on the beach towel next to mine to watch out for my buoy in case I got into trouble. They said, “we got you.” Thank you.
The second benefit of using a swim buoy: keeping my valuables with me. The TPU fabric is strong, durable, and waterproof; the roll-down dry-sack style keeps water out of the bag. I toss in my keys, a little bag that holds my asthma inhaler, my wallet, and sometimes a bottle of water. I place my phone into a New Wave Phone Case, and I’m good to go.
It’s really nice to be able to focus on enjoying the water rather than worrying about my stuff. I could fit more into the bag if I wanted to, like small towel and my water shoes. The buoy floats, so adding a few things doesn’t add any weight to me. The buoy is 25″ x 12″, and is suitable for people who weigh more than 190 pounds.
Most important, the New Wave 20L swim buoy is increase my buoyancy. Now that I have figured out that I can get to the beach a bit later and swim in the shallow water, I feel totally safe. When I get tired, I hold in the buoy in my arms and float upright or on my back. Floating on my back with the buoy feels incredible because I have help with the floating part so I can relax more deeply. I think everyone should float in water for at least ten minutes a day. It calms my nervous system and clears my head. I love it.
I also used the swim buoy as an exercise tool. I can hold it on my chest or under my neck and use it like a kick board to get a nice leg workout. When I want to chat with other swimmers, or rest when in deep water, I just hold it and it keeps my upper body afloat.
Durable and Easy to Use
The New Wave 20L swim buoy is made out of a thin TPU material that is strong and more abrasion-resistant than traditional PVC material used in many buoys. New Wave claims that TPU is less likely to breakdown after exposure to sun care products, chlorine, and the sun’s rays than PVC. I have not yet tested the buoy in a chlorinated pool or used sun care products with it since I swim in the early evenings (still light out, but no worries about sun exposure).
The buoy is simple to use. I place my items inside the bag, fold the top down a few times, and snap together the two ends of the strap that holds the bag in its “rolled down” state. I blow a few puffs into the air spigot, tighten it, and enter the water. The bag has a lead strap that is attached the bag at one end and has a clasp on the other end that attaches to an adjustable nylon belt (it’s about an inch and a half wide). It literally takes just a few seconds to blow it up, seal the air spigot, and strap on the buoy. When I’m in the water it just floats above me when I”m swimming. I never feel it or the belt.
Bottom Line
I think the New Wave 20L swim buoy is a must-have item for lake swimmers. I feel so much safer when I use it because I can rest on it in deep water and because it makes me more visible. When the lake is crowded and not everyone follows the rules, I am less likely to be run over by a paddle board because my big orange buoy would be hard to miss. It’s an added bonus that I can use it as I would use a kick board. While the buoy is NOT a flotation device, I think teaching children how to use them would improve water safety and maybe make it easier for parents to keep track of children on the beach or at the pool. (New Wave makes buoys in several sizes and in three colors: orange, yellow, and pink.) On sale now at Amazon.
$ 44.95 for 20L, $39.95 for 15L at Amazon.
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