Silicone swim caps vs. Latex swim caps vs. Lycra swimming caps
Lycra swimming caps:
As they are made of the same material as your swimsuit, which is in fact a mix of Lycra and polyester, they can give you a more uniform look.
They are also more durable than their latex or silicone counterparts. On the other hand, lycra swim caps has a soft comfortable feel and it tend to slip a lot, and they aren’t very waterproof. So they don’t protect the hair well from the chlorine. It can come in a lot of different colors, as is made possible by the lycra fabric. It has a neutral smell (unlike a latex swim cap for example).
Silicone Swim Cap:
To prevent this problem of allergy, manufacturers started to use silicone as a material for swim caps, as silicone doesn’t lead to allergic reactions. Nowadays silicone caps are the most popular kind. A silicone cap is made of nontoxic flexible silicone, no smell. It is shinier than a latex swim cap. All kinds of colors are available, even several colors per swim cap. It has longer lifespan because it’s much thicker than Latex swim cap and tears less easily. It is less comfortable than a latex swim cap because it is thicker, less flexible. The cost of silicone swim cap is higher than a latex swim cap. A silicone swim cap can slip a little bit more than a latex swim cap but less than a Lycra swim cap. It doesn’t keep your head warm if you swim in cold water, so it will be a good choice if you swim in water that isn’t too cold. It takes more time to dry than a silicone or latex swim cap.
Latex Swim Cap:
The latex swim cap was one of the first kinds available as early as in the 1920s and is still popular in this day. The latex swim cap comes in an extensible rubber-like material, which is thinner than silicone swim caps.
It has features of inexpensive, comfortable.It has a matte finish when dry, whereas a silicone cap is shinier.
It always come in a single color per cap (except for printed logos), unlike a silicone swim cap or Lycra swim cap can feature several colors per cap. It may cause allergy to certain people. Because of its thinness, it is easy to tear and it has the shortest lifetime of all types of swim caps.
If you aren’t allergic to latex and just want to have a swim cap that gets the job done, is inexpensive, comfortable and doesn’t need to look funky, then a latex swim cap might be perfect for you.