Foamists… I need advice.

I want to make a float for swimming, it’ll fit in between my legs (it’s called a pull buoy) and provide buoyancy. You can buy these already (and I have many) but I want to make a custom one for swim-run races where you’re in and out of the water lots and need large amounts of buoyancy to counteract the drag/weight of swimming in trainers.

So, what foam?  It needs to be:

1) low density, for high buoyancy and low weight for running with.

2) hard-wearing, it’ll have holes for elastic to hold it to my leg while I’m running, I don’t want the elastic pulling through or bits of foam falling off into the lake/sea/environment.

3) easily cut/shaped so I can create the perfect balance of size and comfort (!)

4) easily glued or otherwoth stuck to itself (so I can create a good shape with different bits)

5) cheap!

Any tips and online sources? Thanks.

Have you tried one of the really big pull buoys, e.g. huub big buoy https://www.amazon.co.uk/Huub-Unisex-Buoy-Black-Orange/dp/B00TX57A9M/

Would have thought for anything larger any buoyancy advances would be negated by the drag?

Look up Paulamar in Glasgow and give them a ring – they’ll tell you exactly what would work best … and then sell you a bit

Thanks both.

@ebygum. Yup, tried one of those and it’s nice and big but the tinkerer in me wasn’t to make a longer thinner one that has more buoyancy and less drag.

@macckruisskeen. Thanks, I’ll contact them.

Thinner then that amazon one above ?

I understand the thinking but at some point you are gong to go too thin and may struggle to kept the float between your legs?? …. That will end up uncomfortable, may have adverse effects on your swimming stroke and you may end up using up more energy then the higher drag of a thinker float ??

Just a thought

Good luck

Plastazote is probably what you are looking for. It’s tough, easy to cut and glues well. Not especially cheap if you have to buy a whole sheet but you should be able to get an offcut. Even better, find someone who uses lots and rummage in their bins.

Plastazote is expanded polyethylene foam – used to use lots of it with medical prosthetics many years ago, ideal because it doesn’t absorb liquid (bodily fluids)