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Share your swimming pool changing room tips

30 replies

NigellaAwesome · 27/09/2023 16:03

I have just taken out a pool membership and went for my first swim today. I found the changing to be challenging and would love to know other people's tips. These are my issues:

  1. I'm squeamish about verrucae, so think I might want to wear surf socks, if it's allowed. I really don't want to put bare feet on the floor.
  2. I find getting dressed after to be hard work as I was wet and sticky, and left with no bra on.
  3. The changing rooms are mixed, with cubicles. In my last line of work I had a fair few dealings with sex offenders, so I may be a bit more sensitive than others about this, but I felt self conscious even in the cubicle.

I drive 10 minutes to and from the pool from home. I will be going home straight afterwards most days, so no need to worry about putting make up on, drying hair etc. I have many many pairs of croc slides, and also have a dry robe (bought in a moment of heady madness when I thought I might do a bit of sea swimming). I am thinking along the lines of arriving in my swimsuit with the dry robe on. Afterwards just strip off swimsuit, put it in a wet bag, give body a cursory dry and leave in the dry robe & crocs.

What are your pool changing room tips?

OP posts:
PinkRoses1245 · 27/09/2023 16:11

I arrive in my swimsuit, with whatever I can find over the top. I usually swim before work so I then get dried and dressed as usual, never experience any issues with it? If cubicle is locked, I never even thought about any issues with others.

CharliesAngles · 27/09/2023 16:12

My DC swims 5 times a week.
They all seem to wear DryRobes, so literally come out of the pool, give hair and body a cursory rub with towel and on with the dry robe and out.
They shower back at home so don’t bother to strip off their swim wear at the pool.

NigellaAwesome · 27/09/2023 16:32

@PinkRoses1245 I have dealt with and also aware of many other voyeurism incidents - either cameras above or below the cubicle walls, or physically standing on benches and peering over. If I had realised it had this set up beforehand I probably wouldn't have joined, but it does and I have, so I will just make the best of it.

OP posts:
CyberCritical · 27/09/2023 16:33

Primark men's section or decathlon do long length sleeved towelling ponchos.

I wear my swimsuit under clothes, clothes go into my bag, I swim, get showered, put on poncho and drive the 5 minutes home with just the poncho on. It's like a calf length hoody made of towelling fabric so I'm fully covered, by the time I get home I'm dry and can just put PJs on and dry my hair.

SoftPillowAllNight · 27/09/2023 16:41

I go in wearing swimsuit + a dress over it (something easy to just slip on). I carry flip flops as I can't bear to be bare feet poolside/in showers. Post swim I have a full shower and wash hair. I put my hair up in a hair-towel-thing and slip on my dress with knickers. Then get home & dry my hair. I have a women only changing area though with lockers.

MogTheMoogle · 27/09/2023 16:43

Swimsuit under clothes for arrival. Don't forget to pack your underwear in the bag.

Personally, I don't think I could walk out in a dry robe / onesie or other fluffy garment so. Clothing wise, you're after flexible fabrics and looser clothing to avoid fighting with stickiness.

In the summer, a flowy dress goes well.

Winter, a jumper and loose trousers - not skinny jeans...or after one particularly ambitious evening...gym leggings.

I swim in the evenings so not so fussed about leaving sans-bra if I'm going straight home. More often in Winter as jumpers, coats make it hard to notice. Summer, I will fight one on. I've learnt to do it up from the back though, which means you don't have to swivel it. If practical for you, perhaps try a bralette or bandeau

Feet wise, I see some people in flip flops or sliders, and some by the wall on the side of the pool - so these could be worn up to the pool edge. Check with your pool though....Plus worn in the shower and changing rooms before changing to regular footwear.

Similarly, bring 2 towels - one to dry with and one for the floor?

Cubicable-wise, I'm more bothered about cleanliness - but scope them out a bit, rather than darting in one as soon as you walk in. There's probably an area that feels a bit nicer than the rest....For me that's one with the drain at the door rather than under the bench and away from the club swimmers, banging and clattering.

cocksstrideintheevening · 27/09/2023 16:44

Never wear leggings, tights or jeans.

I swim before work so arrive in costume and work clothes. Then unfortunately do have shower and wash hair but I always wear
Something that is easy to put on after. Flip flops / slides from changing room to pool to shower to changing room.

Dry feet last on the towel that is now on the floor so can get socks in. Talc helps.

smooththecat · 27/09/2023 16:44

If you’ve got a gap at the base of the cubicle, be ready to kick if some bloke sticks his head under. It happened to me and I regret not retaliating.

PurpleMonkeys · 27/09/2023 16:48

I take talcum powder and dust me legs after to stop the stickies.
I also highly recommend a big bottle of wash And Go and just decant a little bit into a tiny empty travel bottle to use in the shower afterward.

That's it, there's my two top tips.. 🤣

irisretic · 27/09/2023 16:52

I find in my pool with mixed cubicle changing there are usually enough people around that there isn’t a concern about voyeurism.

Fleasbane · 27/09/2023 16:55

Decathlon do circular towels which are designed to go on the floor when you're changing. I think your idea of dry robe and crocs before and after is good. If there are mixed sex cubicles, there probably aren't individual shower facilities either so you will need to go home to shower.

I would take a pair of pants to put on under the dry robe after in case of gusty wind!

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 27/09/2023 16:55

Swim suit on under cloths to go. I have a Velcro fastening wrap around towel which I can change underneath into a sweater and jogging bottoms sans underwear. I have a big coat on and walk home. Footwear - I use a cheap pair of sliders between changing room and pool side. Otherwise crocs for there and back home.
I get the concerns on mixed changing rooms even with cubicles, as ours have had a few issues with peeping toms. Staff now regularly patrol the changing area and it’s been made more open. Be prepared to make a huge noise if you do have issues.

gogomoto · 27/09/2023 17:11

I walk home from the indoor pool (5 mins) or drive from the outdoor pool (also 5 mins) with my dry robe over my swim things, not because of any issues with changing but during covid they closed the changing rooms and I have never gone back to using them. I then shower at home, saves so much hassle

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 27/09/2023 17:27

@gogomoto do you not feel vulnerable with a dry robe on? does it just look like a coat? I’m a 15 min walk through trading estates on a busy road. I am wondering if this might a game changer.

purpleme12 · 27/09/2023 17:44

I go in clothes and get changed there.
And no I couldn't not get changed after either.
Best tip if you ask me is talcum powder after. Total game changer.

Rosecoffeecup · 27/09/2023 18:00

Arrive in swimsuit with loose fitting clothes over top - harem pants, jogging bottoms, a dress in warm weather etc. Swim, then towel dry and redress in underwear (don't forget to pack) and loose fitting clothes. Wear flip-flops around changing room, showers and to poolside. Some pools won't let you wear the same pair from outdoors to poolside as they can make the floor dirty, so maybe keep a pair to change into once inside the changing rooms.

I never swim before work because I don't want to have to get a damp body into work clothes, do make up etc. Far easier to go directly to and from home.

CyberCritical · 27/09/2023 18:00

@Alphabet1spaghetti2 dryrobes are like big knee length parkas that zip right up to your chin and have a hood. They've become quite popular as a coat for standing next to football pitches watching your kids play in the piss it down rain because they're massive and thick.

I've spotted them in Primark a couple of times if you fancy one and don't want to spend big.

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 27/09/2023 18:02

@CyberCritical oh thank you! I’m in town tomorrow so will wander into primark. Sound so much easier than trying to get damp legs into joggin bottoms.

looking like a coat sounds much better than looking like a towel coat hybrid.

NigellaAwesome · 27/09/2023 18:11

Thanks everyone - I will definitely be packing talc in my bag. Does anyone wear pool socks? I was looking at the swimtech ones online.

OP posts:
GOODCAT · 27/09/2023 18:15

I wear loose fitting leggings and top over swimming costume and get changed after. Not sure I would fancy wearing a dry robe after partly because I have to drive over street bumps (and prefer some breast support for that), partly because as the weather gets colder I wouldn't like the walking to and from the car in it (or at least not without leggings) and partly because if I had to stop or get out I wouldn't want to hang around in it (highly unlikely). I take two towels for maximum dryness.

I have found the unisex changing rooms okay save for a fully naked man, but he wasn't threatening. Unfortunately only other men around at the time who said nothing and I wasn't about to say anything directly to him as the only female, so had to make do with complaining afterwards.

NigellaAwesome · 03/10/2023 16:15

Thanks for all your tips. I've been a few times now and I am getting into the swing of things. I have one of the decathlon hooded towels which is handy, and I bought a foot mat from decathlon today, as well as little booties for wearing in the pool. Talc and spray in conditioner have been great. I don't think the dry robe is going to feature in my plans too much - the one I have is absolutely enormous, but I have found putting a gilet on over what I am wearing hides my braless state well.

There is another pool nearby that I can go to on the same membership which I think I prefer, but what is it with the mixed sex changing? This second pool doesn't even have doors on the shower cubicles so it makes having a proper shower after the pool impossible. I must say I find the changing aspect very very off-putting, albeit that I enjoy the actual pool. The pools are council run and I would love to see the equality assessment that they would have had to have completed when introducing the mixed changing policy.

OP posts:
Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 03/10/2023 16:30

For those needing swim hats - today I tried an extra large swim hat. Much easier to get all the hair in and came down over my ears. Zero wet hair or swishy wishy ears. (Not really a fan of ear plugs in the pool).

CakeInAJar · 03/10/2023 17:41

Always pack an extra towel per cubicle for feet

The golden rule: wear something to the pool that is easy to put on with damp legs. Because changing room humidity means it’s impossible to dry them properly. The amount of times I’ve worn jeans to the pool and deeply regretted it when at leaving time it takes me 20 minutes to put them back on 🤣 I now always wear a maxi dress no matter what the weather

JessicaPeach · 03/10/2023 19:03

I enjoyed this thread op, thanks!

I do similar to others but afterwards I like to take my time and have a nice shower and wash my hair. My gym provides towels so usually I use two which is helpful. I'm on the lookout for a lightish dressing gown that I can put on while I dry myself so I don't feel so exposed as it can be quite busy in there. I've thought about one of those dry mats too for when I can't get extra towels so good to see those being recommended

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 03/10/2023 19:14

I cheap skated a dry mat. Had an old waterproof coat, which had seen better days. Cut the back out of the coat and hemmed the edges. The cut out pockets are perfect for putting wet swimsuit and floor mat in to bring home. Five minute job.

our pool has just brought in a rule that outdoor shoes must be changed for flip flop/crocs before entering the changing rooms to keep floors clean. A good idea, (imo) does anyone else’s gym/leisure center/pool have this rule?