# Floating bathing suit? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 10, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-bathing-suit/646760 "2013-01-10T16:45:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-bathing-suit/646760/1 "2013-01-10T16:45:00Z")
I want to design one. The community pools in all the developments I’ve been looking into recently have, for some odd reason, all got prominently posted “NO FLOATS” which I find disappointing because there’s nothing I like more than lying back on a float, closing my eyes, and soaking up a few rays while being partly immersed in a swimming pool. But this is seemingly not to be, so I’m trying to find a way to make my bathing suit buoyant. I’ve actually done something like this before, though it looked a little dorky. (OK, a LOT dorky.) I jammed into the waistband of my loose swimming trunks two rather long “noodles” which ran parallel to my body, roughly from my knees to my heads, and that was ok, but I’m thinking that “noodles” would qualify as “floats” and therefore be verboten. But maybe I could have the noodles cut up and sewn into the suit itself, or maybe put into the pockets. Or other buoyant material (styrofoam?) could be inserted into the suit itself? I’ve also been thinking that maybe I’d need some sort of buoyant cap, to support my head? I’ve seen styrofoam biking helmets. Any ideas for either of these designs? Materials? Pre-existing inserts? I don’t care how dorky I look (obviously), as long as I can argue that this is NOT a float, but rather a part of my swimming attire. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-bathing-suit/646760/2 "2013-01-10T16:50:32Z")
They already make them for kids (like [this](http://www.catchoftheday.com.au/images//floaty/swim.jpg)); don’t know if I’ve seen an adult version. Never seen anything for the head though. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-bathing-suit/646760/3 "2013-01-10T16:51:16Z")
One effect of wetsuits is that they provide some buoyancy because they are generally made of low density neoprene. You could buy a really think used wetsuit and trim it so that it is shaped more like a regular bathing suit. They even sell hoods that could be used as is or trimmed into a cap shape. > **[Wetsuit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wetsuit)** > > A wetsuit is a garment worn to provide thermal protection while wet. It is usually made of foamed neoprene, and is worn by surfers, divers, windsurfers, canoeists, and others engaged in water sports and other activities in or on water. Its purpose is to provide thermal insulation and protection from abrasion, ultraviolet exposure, and stings from marine organisms. It also contributes extra buoyancy. The insulation properties of neoprene foam depend mainly on bubbles of gas enclosed within th... ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-bathing-suit/646760/4 "2013-01-10T18:34:02Z")
When I wear a bathing cap my head is pretty boyant. Might be different for someone without massve amounts of dry hair underneath the cap, though. But when I go for the backstroke my head definitely floats. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-bathing-suit/646760/5 "2013-01-12T11:48:10Z")
Barefoot suits have flotation built in. Enough to hold a 180 lb me above water. [Here’s](http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a162/rbp2/matt_foot.jpg) a pic of my son in one, [here’s](http://www.roho.co.uk/watersports/jobe11_invert_barefoot_suit.jpg) a pic of one out of the water. They aren’t as tight-fitting as a wetsuit, so you won’t be quite as warm (if that matters). We have (had) sizes for everyone and used them to just float around beside the boat, like life-jackets. I don’t know if this will do what you need, but used ones are probably available on Craigslist. ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-bathing-suit/646760/6 "2013-01-12T13:44:49Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > used ones are probably available on Craigslist. Ewww. You don’t want your boys down there, do ya? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-bathing-suit/646760/7 "2013-01-12T16:43:24Z")
One risk you run is that you’ll make your lower half more buoyant than your upper half, and that your head will tend to rest underwater. ---
**Author:** ![blueblonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@blueblonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blueblonde)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-bathing-suit/646760/8 "2013-01-14T12:30:37Z")
What about cutting a noodle into rings and threading them on a belt? ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-bathing-suit/646760/9 "2013-01-15T01:00:24Z")
Glue styrofoam packing peanuts to a body stocking, then put a wetsuit over it so they won’t fall off and clog the drain. For your head, use one of those styrofoam cheesehead things Green Bay fans wear! ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-bathing-suit/646760/10 "2013-01-15T01:30:20Z")
Maybe I’m the first to think of this, but perhaps the reason why “NO FLOATS” is posted is because they don’t want people lounging around in the middle of the pool getting in the way of swimmers? ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-bathing-suit/646760/11 "2013-01-15T13:13:43Z")
> [@Tabby\_Cat](#): > > Maybe I’m the first to think of this, but perhaps the reason why “NO FLOATS” is posted is because they don’t want people lounging around in the middle of the pool getting in the way of swimmers? Then they’re gonna have to change their signs for me, aren’t they? (And I’ll put my gum where I goddamn please.)