Product Review: SafeSwimmer Float for Open Water Swimming

Terry VanderWert on June 24, 2016

The SafeSwimmer Float and other brands of swim buoys provide visibility and more for triathletes training for open water swims. Check out the video review of the product below. 

You can find information for getting a swim buoy at the end of this post.

Watch the video on YouTube.

Safer Open Water Swim Training

Video transcript

About half of the triathlons in which I have participated have involved open water swimming.  Even if most of your training is in a pool, eventually you will need to practice in open water.

In this post, I am going to share with you my initial experience with the ‘Safe Swimmers Float’ or ‘Float’, for short. In 2025, when I updated this post, many alternatives replaced this brand.

I first noticed the Float when I noticed swimmers dragging this orange floaty as they swam past our house. That I so easily noticed them was testimony to the visibility provided to the swimmer by the bright orange color.

This additional visibility is especially important for lakes where people use boats for fishing, skiing, wake boarding, and leisure cruising, and where the captains possess varying boating skills and levels of focus.

One inflates the Float quickly with a few strong breaths. Then, swimmers clip it to a belt around their waist.

The belt is adjustable to fit waist sizes up to 38 inches. An extender belt is available for larger waist sizes.

This particular model also has a place to store a water bottle for long swims. According to the manufacturer, swim coaches recommend consuming between 150 and 350 ml or 5 to 12 fluid ounces of water every 15 minutes during a swim to avoid dehydration.

The manufacturer claims you can also store personal items such as wallets and car keys in the same area as the bottle. I have not tried this and would, at a minimum, place these items inside a zippered bag to avoid them becoming wet.

Make sure that the Float is sitting on top of the water before you release it. The first time that I let the Float hang from my belt while I was standing in shallow water, the water bottle fell out of the Float into the lake.

Once out into the open water, you will not notice that you are towing the Float.

In addition to providing visibility for the swimmer, the Float will support the swimmer in the event of panic, a cramp, or anything else that causes one to stop.

No matter how much assistance the Float provides, it is still wise to never swim alone or at least never go out alone. My wife often followed me in our pontoon.

Enjoy your open water swim training and be safe.

Related Post: Becoming a Confident Open Water Swimmer

Swim Buoys on Amazon.com

Here is a link to look for a swim buoy on Amazon.com.

Disclaimer: Please note that SeniorTriathletes.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.  As an affiliate, I will receive a small commission for any purchases of this product that you make through Amazon.

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Masters Running: What Hal Higdon Teaches About ‘Moving Young‘

Terry VanderWert on February 25, 2016

cover of the Masters Running by Hal Higdon

A review of “Masters Running: a guide to running and staying fit after 40”, Hal Higdon, Rodale Press ©2005.

Staying active as we age is one way to not only live longer but with higher quality.  Of the 500 respondents to a survey of runners, 93% indicated that they ran to stay fit.

In his book “Masters Running”, Hal Higdon shares advice from his life as a runner.  Lessons from his experience will help you become a better runner and decrease the inevitable effects of aging.

 

A Little Background

Running is my weakest leg of a triathlon.

I could resign myself to the fact that, according to Dr. David L. Costill, I had simply failed to “carefully select my parents”.  However, I don’t just want to participate in triathlon.  I want to compete in the sport.  For this reason, I have read several books on running and am following a run training program from “Run Less, Run Faster” by Bill Pierce et al.

However, I found the advice from Hal Higdon particularly useful when I started running around 10 years ago.  I have also followed his ideas for the times I have restarted running after an injury or extended time away from running.

 

About the Author of “Masters Running”

Hal Higdon is a competitive runner and has been since he was in college at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota.  He continued to run after college and competed internationally at Masters (over age 40) events.

However, despite his own accomplishments, he was struck by 91-year-old Duncan MacClean who he described as ‘moving young’ despite his age.    As Higdon wrote, cosmetic surgery and hair color can change our appearance, but unless we stay active, the first time we move, we will give away our age.  Celebrated USA Triathlete Tony Schiller made a similar comment during our conversation.

In the book, Higdon shares the results of academic research that, in the late 1970’s, documented what we now take for granted, that those who remain active, live longer on average.  The more strenuous the activity the greater the effect.  Swimming, biking, and running are among the activities that have the most impact on longevity.

near-the-finish-line-at-the-Georgia-triathlon

Sprint to the finish line at the Lake Lanier Islands Triathlon 2018. The picture was taken by Tim Nettleton for TrueSpeedPhoto.com and provided compliments of Georgia Multisports.

Starting to Run

Starting from the proof provided from studies by researchers Ralph S. Paffenberger, Jr., M.D.; Kenneth H. Cooper, M.D.; Michael L. Pollock, Ph.D.; Jack H. Wilmore, Ph.D.; and David L. Costill, Ph.D., Higdon shares ideas on how to become a runner and continue running well into the senior years.

There is no argument that our abilities and needs relative to running and other types of physical exercise change as we age.  Nevertheless, those who commit to running can be successful by:

  • starting to train,
  • training more once started,
  • training smarter, and
  • learning when to rest.

While it is best if we never get out of shape, this news may be too late for some.  We must work with what we have and start from where we are.

If you want to start running, Higdon provides a simple plan that he calls the ’30/30 Plan’.  This approach involves a mix of walking and running for 30 minutes per day for 30 days.

 

Improving the Run

Having started running, we can adopt Higdon’s ideas for improving our running ability by:

  • gradually, but consistently, increasing the intensity (speed and distance) of running
  • strength training.

Higdon makes a major case for strength training indicating that the number one goal for the book is to convince the reader to include regular strength training in our routines.  The book includes an entire chapter on how to create a personalized strength training program.

Training smarter includes cross training.  This fits the plans of a triathlete who must train in three sports.  Higdon also identifies sports that support running, such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, as well as complementary activities such as stretching.

“Masters Running” includes information about rest and recovery.  Proper rest and recovery helps to prevent injury while maintaining the benefits of previous smart training.

 

Order “Masters Running”

Through examples and anecdotes from his nearly lifelong experience with running, Higdon not only makes points important to becoming a better runner but also illustrates why these are important, something our inquiring minds appreciate.

 

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