Swimsuits for Hiking and Swimming: The Only Kit You'll Need

Some of the best swims are the ones you earn: a trail, a climb, and an alpine lake or swimming hole waiting at the top. The trick is one kit that hikes up dry and dives in ready, with no wet-cotton misery and no changing behind a tree.

Below is the full hike-to-swim kit: the swim pieces that actually move on the trail, plus a few extras worth packing. You wear the first four out the door. The rest go in your bag.

The hike-to-swim kit

1. Wear itA sporty, secure suit. Skip anything you would only wear poolside. For an athletic fit, go two-piece with the racerback Cut Back Crop, which gives sports-bra-like support that stays put on a scramble. Want full coverage in one piece? The Caspian Flat Rib Stevie has a sporty, textured flat-rib fabric and locks in. See all one-pieces.
2. Wear itQuick-dry hybrid shorts. The MVP: they hike like activewear, swim like boardshorts, dry on the walk out, and have real pockets. The Alany Hybrid Explorer Short and Bellevue Explorer Short are stocked in a full size run. Shop all shorts.
3. Wear itA long-sleeve sun layer (UPF 50+). On a hike you want real coverage. A quarter-zip sunshade vents when you heat up on the climb, a sun hoodie shades your neck and head, or a ruched sun shirt layers light under everything. Browse all sun shirts.
4. Wear itBottoms that move. A high-leg cut like the Ostler Colorblock High Leg gives you a sporty range of motion on the trail. Want a small stash spot? A zip-pocket bottom like the Nautical or Alany holds a card, some cash, or a trail snack.
5. Pack itWater shoes. Alpine lakes and swimming holes are rocky and slick. A grippy water shoe saves your feet on the way in.
6. Pack itA packable quick-dry towel. Skip the beach towel. A compact microfiber towel dries you fast and weighs almost nothing.
7. Pack itHat and polarized sunglasses. Shade for your face and glare off the water. Add a strap so the shades survive the swim.
8. Pack itA light layer for the descent. Your quarter-zip sunshade pulls double duty as a light layer when the temperature drops on the way down.

How to layer it (trail to water)

The wear-it pieces go on in this order, so you are sun-safe going up and swim-ready at the top:

• Secure suit first, your base for the whole day.
• Sun layer over it, on for the climb and the open water, off for a quick cool-down.
• Hybrid shorts on top, coverage and pockets for the trail, easy to swim in or peel off at the water.

Swimsuits for hiking and swimming: quick answers

Can you hike in a swimsuit?
Yes. A quick-dry, secure swimsuit (or a suit plus hybrid shorts) is ideal for hikes that end at the water. Look for flat seams and straps that will not chafe under a pack, and add a long-sleeve sun shirt for coverage. Skip cotton, which stays wet and cold.

What should you wear to hike to a lake or swimming hole?
A sporty, secure suit, quick-dry hybrid shorts, a long-sleeve sun shirt or quarter-zip, and a zip-pocket bottom. Then pack water shoes, a towel, and a hat.

What is the best fabric for a hiking swimsuit?
Quick-drying, four-way-stretch swim fabric, plus hybrid swim-to-land fabric for shorts. It dries fast, moves on the climb, and will not hold water on the way down. Avoid cotton.

Save this: your hike-to-swim checklist

Build your kit: shop all swim. Then earn the swim.

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