Yachting World Swimming Tow Floats For Open Water

The best open water swimming tow floats

Love or hate them, the tow float or safety buoy is fast becoming an essential bit of open water swimming kit.

Along with swim hats, tow floats are the most important item of safety kit for outdoor swimmers. Because they’re bright and float on the water’s surface, they make you visible to other water users.

You can also get tow floats with dry bag storage. This means you can bring food, drink, a phone or more with you on your swim. And that means better safety and a whole new open water world of adventure. Scroll down to my buying guide to find out more.

A word of caution, though – tow floats are not lifesaving devices. So, be wary that they can lull you into a false sense of security and make sure you follow all your usual safety measures.

Lomo Swim Run Rucksack Tow Float

Most Sturdy Rucksack Tow Float

Reasons to buy: High quality, good visibility, easy towing

Reasons to avoid: No extra safety features like a whistle or reflective panels

Specifications

• For multiple-activity events
• Adjustable, removable webbing strap
• Removable backpack straps
• Internal dry chamber
• Dual air chambers
• Discrete side valves
• High-quality materials
• RF welded seams for strength and durability

Like all Lomo products, this rucksack tow float is of great quality. I loved how durable this Rucksack Tow Float felt. You could drag it over rugged rocks, drop it on the beach and it wouldn’t break – and that’s great if you use your kit hard.

The inflation valves take getting used to. Rather than having straw-like valves that stick out, you inflate this tow float by putting your mouth over the holes. But this does avoid rubbing and minimises the potential for damage. Equally, it’s super easy to deflate after use.

Like other tow-float rucksacks, it wasn’t as comfortable in rucksack mode as a proper hiking rucksack. But, so long as you keep your carry load light, you can’t go wrong. And it enables a whole world of combined activities and adventures.