I like to swim outdoors year-round. In the summer, I wear only a swimming costume and neoprene socks. However, in the winter I add some extra neoprene. I have Raynauld’s syndrome, which means my circulation is poor.
If I am going to swim for longer than five to 10 minutes as the water temperature drops – whether a loch or the sea – I will choose to wear a wetsuit. I like the Orca TRN Core (£169) swimming wetsuit. (Also for sale on Amazon).
But most of my swimming is the chillier months is more of a quick dip in the water. I find that I get both a physical and mental boost from being immersed in cold water, if only for a short while.
When taking a dip in the cold water, I chose to wear neoprene accessories including gloves, socks, a vest and hat.
Read: 11 things I have learned about wild swimming.
What to wear for wild swimming in winter
These are the neoprene accessories I like:
C-Skins Wired Glove 3mm 
Neoprene swimming gloves: C Skins 3mm wired neoprene gloves. (£42) (I see there are some sizes on Amazon and other sizes in C Skins Legend gloves (£32 to £35).
Neoprene swimming socks: I have two pairs, Lomo TRI-X Performance swimming socks (£19.99) and Orca swim socks (£35) (spotted for £29.99 on Amazon.)
I like them both. The Lomo socks offer a neat and grippy fit at the ankle. They are a better fit for people with wider feet and larger calves.
I like the Orca socks because they fit my narrow feet neatly all over, like an ordinary sock. I have really slim feet and these seem to work well for me.
Neoprene swim hat: I have owned a neoprene swim hat for years and I have no idea what the brand is. Choose one with chin strap so it stays in place and wraps around your ears for better warmth. I wear an ordinary silicon swim hat underneath.
Neoprene swim vest: I have an Orca Heatseeker vest (£54).( See Amazon, too, priced at £44.95 as this was published.) It is made with 2mm neoprene. I put it on over my swimming costume and it makes an amazing difference to general warmth.
What to wear after the swim
When I get out I use my Zone3 Oversized Heat-Tech Polar Fleece Parka Robe Jacket.
I also have heated mittens, which help a great deal with my poor circulation.
And I often take a filled hot water bottle with me so it’s still toasty warm after the dip. You can buy wearable hot water bottles.