5 must-have gadgets chosen by Aspire swimmers To save you trawling through thousands of reviews and blogs, we’ve compiled a list of must-have swimming gadgets that our swimmers have told us are essential to their training and adventures. I mean who else is better to ask than people tackling tides, diving in to lakes and rivers, and crossing the English Channel? Finis Tempo Trainer Pro Our swimmers said: “So you don't need to watch the pool clock” and “for stroke count” If you're taking on the Aspire Channel Swim or are a regular at your local pool, this is perfect for keeping an eye on your stroke and the efficiency of your swim. You can focus more on your swimming instead of constantly watching the pool clock. Buy it here Suunto Ammbit 2 Our swimmers said: “For open water and pool swims for distance, time and lap recording” AKA – The GPS for athletes. This is perfect for the pool and open water, not to mention tons of other sports. The Suunto Ammbit 2 is an all-rounder. As well as stroke and lap counting, this gadget will map out distance and even detect your swim style to help you improve on your technique. It’s a big investment but if you’re serious about swimming and want to improve, the Suunto Ammbit 2 is the gadget for you. Buy it here Finis Duo Underwater MP3 Player Our swimmers said: “With bone conducting sound for pool. All the ones with ear pieces don't seem to work very well.” Brilliant for pool swimmers! Compatible with iTunes, this MP3 player allows you to listen to up to 1000 songs with up to seven hours of battery life (personally, I don’t know anyone who would spend that long in the pool but it’s good to know you can!). The integrated clip simply attaches to your goggles and the pads rest on your cheekbones allowing you to hear music without putting anything in your ears. You can only use it up to seven metres depth for 30 minutes so don’t take them on any deep diving missions. Buy it here Finis Tech Toc Our swimmers said: “For rotation training” This training tool is perfect for swimmers that want instant feedback on their stroke technique. The belt with ball bearing capsule creates an audible sound when tipped from side to side so that you can hear and feel movements - this will help create a consistent symmetrical roll from side to side. The delay setting is perfect for beginners looking to work on their stroke as it forces exaggerated movements. By concentrating on your hips and core muscles, your swimming will become faster and more efficient. Buy it here The most popular gadget Swimovate Poolmate watches Our swimmers said: “A great piece of kit and superb customer service. Latest watch can be used for open water as well I believe.” “Great at counting my laps for me - particularly good for long sessions!” The Swimovate Poolmate watches come highly recommended by many of our swimmers and our event managers at Aspire. The standard watch is great for pool swimmers – it counts laps, distance, time and calories. The Poolmate Plus is adapted to do all of this and more in open water. It monitors strokes, efficiency, sets, rest time and stores all of this data for up to 50 sessions so you can closely compare each session – perfect if you’re training for a big event! Buy it here You might also enjoy... 10 ways to make the most of time in the poolTips and advice from the coach of Hartham Masters and the ASA. "I was determined to swim again and regain some normality in my life"After sustaining a sequestrated disc in her lower back, Vanessa decided to go against medical advice and get back in the pool. Less than a year later she has taken on two massive swimming challenges and found a love of open water swimming. Channel swimmer to Channel boat leaderTessa talks about how the channel water got under her skin taking her from swimming the channel to leading a group of six swimmers across the Channel. Swimming blog Swimming How we help Manage Cookie Preferences