Picking out a swimsuit can be a daunting task. With so many styles, patterns, and colors to choose from, it can be hard to know which one will be the best option for your needs. One important factor to consider is which color swimsuit will be easiest to see underwater. After all, you want to make sure you remain visible while swimming or doing water activities. So what swimsuit color provides the highest visibility underwater? Let's take a closer look.
Factors That Impact Underwater Visibility
When choosing a swimsuit for optimal underwater visibility, there are a few key factors to consider:
Light Conditions
The lighting conditions you'll be swimming in impact visibility. Indoor pools tend to have brighter, more direct light compared to open water environments. Outdoors, visibility is impacted by time of day, cloud cover, and water clarity. Early morning and late afternoon tend to have lower visibility than mid-day when sunlight is more direct.
Water Clarity
Visibility is directly related to how clear or turbid the water is. Clear tropical waters will allow better visibility than murky lakes or oceans. Chlorinated pool water clarity can vary too.
Depth
The deeper you swim, the more water light has to travel through which reduces visibility. Even the best swimsuit colors will become less vibrant at depth.
Swimsuit Color and Pattern
Obviously the color and pattern of your swimsuit itself will impact its underwater visibility. Dark or busy patterns are harder to see than bright simple colors.
Best Swimsuit Colors for Underwater Visibility
Taking all these factors into account, the following swimsuit colors tend to provide the highest visibility underwater:
Bright Primary Colors
Vivid primary colors like red, yellow, and orange are your best bet for high visibility underwater. These warm bright hues reflect light and contrast strongly against water, making them easy to see under various conditions.
A bright red or yellow swimsuit will stand out even in poor visibility. Orange is especially visible, as it contrasts against both blue water and green algae. These primary colors also aren't absorbed as much by water compared to other colors on the spectrum.
Fluorescent Colors
For maximum visibility, choose a fluorescent colored swimsuit. These super-bright, sometimes neon shades glow and reflect ambient light extremely well. They provide the highest contrast and visibility underwater.
A fluorescent pink, orange, green or yellow swimsuit is your best choice for low light open water swims. These suits will be visible even at greater depth and distance. Fluorescent colors also hold up better over time compared to darker brights.
White
A white swimsuit is highly visible underwater, performing nearly as well as fluorescents. The bright white fabric strongly reflects light. A white suit or print contrasts well against surroundings.
White can look almost florescent underwater. It stands out nicely whether swimming in sunny conditions or deeper darker spots. Just be aware that white tends to become transparent when wet.
Avoid Dark Colors
Dark colored swimsuits like black, navy, or dark purple suffer from poor underwater visibility. As colors get darker, they absorb more light instead of reflecting it back. This makes them fade and disappear underwater.
While dark colors may look stylish, avoid wearing them when underwater visibility is important. Stick to bright shades instead.
Swimsuit Visibility Aids
If you prefer the style or slimming effect of a darker swimsuit, consider adding visibility aids:
- Bright colored swim cap in neon or primary colors
- Goggles with colored lenses or silicone strap
- Bright silicone swim skins or sleeves
- Ankle floats or socks in visible colors
- Rashguard with fluorescent accents
- Swim buoys attached to your suit
Choose What Works Best For You
The most important thing is finding a swimsuit you feel comfortable and confident swimming in. Make sure it fits your activity needs and safety is a priority. A brightly colored swimsuit can provide that extra visibility during open water swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, water polo, synchronized swimming, or any activity spent mostly underwater. Just avoid darker colors that can disappear from view when wet. Focus on brightly colored suits in neon, fluorescent, primary or light colors for best all-around underwater visibility.
FAQs
What color swimsuit is easiest to see underwater?
Fluorescent and bright primary colors like neon yellow, orange and pink provide the highest visibility underwater. White swimsuits also perform well.
What swimsuit color is the worst to see underwater?
Dark colors like black, navy or dark purple have poor underwater visibility. Their dark hues absorb light instead of reflecting it back, causing them to fade underwater.
What colors does a swimsuit need to be seen underwater?
Choose brightly colored swimsuits in shades of fluorescent pink, orange, yellow, or neon green. Primary colors like red, orange, and yellow also work very well.
What can you add to a swimsuit to see it better underwater?
Visibility aids like colored swim caps, goggles, rashguards, swim skins, ankle floats, or buoys attached to darker swimsuits help improve contrast underwater.
Does swimsuit color matter for underwater photography?
Yes, models wear fluorescent orange or neon colored swimsuits to stand out better against blue-green water backgrounds in underwater photography.
Conclusion
Picking the swimsuit color with the best underwater visibility is an important consideration for safety and performance. Fluorescent and bright primary colored swimsuits in shades of yellow, pink, orange and red perform best underwater. They strongly contrast against the surroundings, reflecting light in all conditions. Swim aids can help improve visibility of darker colored suits when needed. Just be sure to avoid darker navy, black or purple swimsuits underwater. Focusing on bright visible colors will help keep you safer and more confident during all your underwater activities.
