A swim parka is a hooded long coat that typically has a water-resistant / waterproof shell and a warm fleece lining. It is loose fitted and comfortable. Some parkas are so big that you could change under it.

You can wear a swim parka for pool swimming, open water swimming, other water sports, and non-water sports (think of it as an athletic parka). It is meant to be worn when you're out of water.

We incorporate thoughtful design elements in tingting's swim parka, aka sPARKA. Not only does it work well at the pool, it could be styled up to look great outside the pool.

People wear a swim parka because it's warm, comfortable, and convenient to use before and after the workout. tingting's swim parka is made for everyone who swims. It reduces the hassles associated with swimming, thus helping you stick to your health goals.

Warmth: Whether you swim easy or hard, you're losing heat to the cold water. Once you're out of water, you're losing heat through the evaporation of water from your breath, wet hair, skin, and swim suit. It can get chilly and uncomfortable quickly! Competitive swimmers wear the swim parka to stay warm in between racing, because there's a fair bit of wait time at a swim meet. The features of a swim parka (water-resistance, warm fleece liner, hood, full zipper) are appreciated when you're cold and damp after swimming or other sports. The water-resistant shell of a swim parka protects you from splashes and sneaky puddles. Have you accidentally sat in a wet chair?! The shell also protects you from the wind and rain.

Comfort: tingting's swim parka is lined with a soft and warm fleece. It has a relaxed fit and Raglan sleeves that allow movements. There is room for layering too.

Convenience: Some people wear a swim parka to and from swim practice for convenience. Showering and changing at a public changeroom can be awkward, and that's a deterrent to swimming. You can wear the swim parka over your swim suit, and head home for a private shower. You can hang up tingting's swim parka to air dry after each use; the fleece lining is moisture wicking (quick drying). Alternatively, you can wash it in the machine as frequently as you wish!

tingting's swim parka, aka sPARKA, differs from the traditional swim parka in these ways:

• resembles an everyday coat
• achieves a slimmer fit that still feels comfortable and allows room for layering
• thigh-length instead of over-the-knee-length
• offers two looks; it's reversible!
• extra soft fleece lining that is made from 100% recycled polyester
• ribbing elements in the hem and cuffs to hold in heat
• fabrics have been tested for the use of harmful chemicals
• hood-opening contours the face to keep out cold drafts
• intentionally minimalistic to reduce unnecessary plastic usage and potential points of weakness (No snaps, Velcro, drawstrings, bungee cords and stoppers)

Tingting's swim parka is designed to be machine washable. Its construction is sturdy and the fabrics used to make the parka are long-lasting. It can be cleaned as frequently as you wish. Simply put it in the machine to wash and dry on low heat setting.

If you swim 4-7 times a week, you could let it air dry after each use, then wash it once every two weeks or every month.

Yes! Tingting's swim parka, aka sPARKA, can be machine washed and dried on low heat setting.

We've done 13 rounds of Wash & Dry testing. We're happy to report that there are no observable pilling on the fleece lining, and the outer shell looks fresh and crisp after 13 rounds machine washing and drying.

Please follow the easy care instructions:

• Wash cold inside out with like colors
• Fully zip before wash
• Use a laundry net
• Tumble dry on low heat, or hang to dry
• Do not iron / bleach / dry clean

White is such a beautiful color! To keep it looking white, make sure to wash it with similar colors.

You can machine wash it as frequently as you wish. You can also spot clean it to save some water and energy!

Watch this video on Spot Cleaning Your sPARKA

If you track dirt on the shell fabric, simply use a wet cloth to wipe it off. Dust and dirt come off of this fabric easily.

• We purposely lay down on a wet lawn to track some giant mud marks on the elbows/ sleeves and coat front.
• We're happy to report that 99% of mud came off the fabric by spot cleaning with a wet cloth. The 1% of mud left was trapped in the seam between the cuff and the sleeve. We proceeded to rinsing it under running water, which effectively washed away the trapped mud.

If the stain involves grease, add a bit of soap and scrub it with a wet cloth.

• We wore the swim parka out for a bike ride and tracked some dirt on the back side (dirt + bike chain lube). We used a small amount of hand soap and scrubbed it moderately. We're happy to report that all the marks came off. The swim parka looks great!

Yes! After washing, the swim parka will be very wet and heavy because the fleece lining is highly absorbent. You can put it in the dryer to remove any excess moisture. Use a low heat setting (permanent press). If it comes out slightly damp, simply hang it up to air dry.

Yes, tingting's swim parka is rain-resistant. It should keep you warm and dry, unless you spend an extended time period in a heavy storm. Check out our 10 Minute Rain Test Video.

We use a waterproof /breathable softshell fabric to make the outer shell. It is coated with Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finishing, and bonded to a waterproof membrane. The waterproof membrane blocks out large water droplets while allowing tiny water vapors (sweat) to escape. 

Having said that, there are tiny holes along the seams where water seepage may occur (if you stand in a heavy rain storm for a long time). The tiny holes are made during sewing when the threaded needle pushes through the fabrics to join the fabrics together.

Dirt and grease can affect the effectiveness of the Durable Water Repellent (DWR). To maintain the water repellency of your swim parka, wash it regularly and tumble dry on low heat setting for 20 minutes to reactivate DWR.