In the 19th century, wool was the fabric of choice due to its ability to continuously conceal the skin, even when wet. And wool helps keep the body warm even when it is wet, a characteristic that few synthetic materials have.

So we wonder if Captain Matthew Webb swam in a wool swimsuit during his seminal English Channel crossing in 1875, did he have any insulation advantages over modern-day swimmers who use synthetic swimwear?

Of course, he swam breaststroke and was venturing across a body of water in an unprecedented swim during an era when it was considered unfathomable to swim across, so there were definitely no practical advantages that he might have had.

Copyright © 2011 by Open Water Source