--- title: "Swim meet kit list: required gear and race rules" description: "A swim meet kit list needs an approved swimsuit; goggles and a cap are optional. Cadetes cannot wear competition suits, while swimmers from Infantis B upwards may use them." url: "https://swimtrack.ai/blog/the-kit-what-they-actually-need/" lang: "en" author: "SwimTrack" publisher: "SwimTrack" license: "Free to read and quote with attribution to SwimTrack. Not for resale. https://swimtrack.ai/terms/" published: 2026-09-19 pillar: "parent-role" audience: "parent" --- # Swim meet kit list: required gear and race rules A swim meet kit list needs an approved swimsuit; goggles and a cap are optional. Cadetes cannot wear competition suits, while swimmers from Infantis B upwards may use them. > **Idea in Brief** > - **Three items enter the water.** A swimsuit is required; goggles and a cap are optional. > - **The suit has clear limits.** It must meet coverage rules and appear on World Aquatics’ approved list. > - **Cadetes cannot wear competition suits.** Portugal’s 2026/27 rule permits them from Infantis B upwards. The club’s kit list is open on your phone while the shop offers four kinds of swimsuit, each looking like a different answer. Beside them sit goggles, caps, fins, paddles and more things that seem equally official. For a race, the World Aquatics rules make the list much shorter. A swimmer must wear a swimsuit. They may also wear goggles, a cap, or both. They may not use anything else that could help speed, buoyancy or endurance. The rule itself names webbed gloves, flippers, fins and adhesive substances. The suit has limits of its own. A women’s swimsuit must not cover the neck, pass the shoulders or go below the knee. A men’s swimsuit must not rise above the navel or go below the knee. It must be non-transparent. It must also be on the World Aquatics List of Approved Swimwear at the time of the competition. World Aquatics publishes and maintains that list on its website, so you can check the exact suit against the current list. Portugal adds one rule for the youngest escalão, the age category a swimmer competes in for the season. In the 2026/27 season, Cadetes A, B and C may not wear a *fato de competição*, meaning a competition suit; a shop may call it a tech suit. The FPN annex gives the rule through two illustrated figures. For boys, the drawings show a brief and a plain suit reaching about mid-thigh. For girls, they show a one-piece with short legs and a plain one-piece without legs. These are drawings, rather than a written suit specification. The same FPN document says competition suits may be used by Infantis B and A, Juvenis, Juniores and Seniores. For Cadetes, the question of whether one is worth buying does not arise because it is not allowed. From Infantis B upwards, it is allowed. Whether to buy one is then a family and coach conversation. Before each race, swimmers gather in the *sala de chamada*, the call room. Call Room Judges report a possible swimwear breach to the Call Room Supervisor. The supervisor decides whether there is a breach and, if there is, reports it to the Referee. The check happens before the race. Parents in the stands do not run it. If you are unsure before meet day, ask the club which exact suit is intended. Fins, paddles, a kickboard and a pull buoy stay with the training kit. The coach uses them at practice, while the race rule keeps helpful devices out of competition. Tape has one narrow exception. It may cover one or two fingers or toes to treat or protect an injury, including binding two together. Anything more falls outside that permission. If something hurts, ask a doctor. The club decides what it expects each swimmer to own. For the edible part of the bag, use the [meet-day food guide](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/what-to-pack-meet-day-food). --- ### Share it with your swimmer Keep the rule as simple as the kit itself: - **Under 12 (you're driving).** *“Your race kit is your suit, plus goggles and a cap if you want them.”* The short list is easy to remember. - **12–15 (sharing the wheel).** *“Let’s check whether this suit is allowed for your escalão and on the approved list.”* A shared check gives them some ownership. - **16+ (they're driving).** *“Can you check the suit and tell me what your coach expects in the bag?”* The responsibility now sits mostly with them. ### Stay aligned with your coach Your coach can explain which training tools the club expects. Ask, *“For this escalão, which suit and training items does the club expect my swimmer to own?”* Then check before buying and leave the race-day decision to the officials in the call room. ### Keep exploring - [Your swimmer's first meet](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/your-swimmers-first-meet) — Learn what to expect at your swimmer’s first meet. - [What to pack: the meet-day food that actually helps](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/what-to-pack-meet-day-food) — Choose food for the edible part of the meet bag. - [Dryland explained](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/dryland-explained) — See dryland explained for a swimmer’s parent. ## Related reading - [What to eat before a swim meet: breakfast and small snacks](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/what-to-pack-meet-day-food/) - [First swim meet: what to expect before and between races](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/your-swimmers-first-meet/) - [Dryland training for young swimmers: safe with supervision](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/dryland-explained/) --- SwimTrack — https://swimtrack.ai HTML version of this page: https://swimtrack.ai/blog/the-kit-what-they-actually-need/