Glow Sticks--how to attach them

LakeBagger

How do all of you attach your glow sticks to your swimsuit? I use a mini carabiner to attach one to my back suit straps and safety pin one to my front using the ties that come with the glowsticks. (I like doing backstroke.)

However, on my last swim, I had to pin two to my front because it was a two night swim. Within the first hour, one of them got pulled off (it was a windy swim). I've heard of other people losing glowsticks that are safety pinned on and wondered-- is there another way people have attached them to the front of their suit? Should I try sewing it on? Any ideas? I ended up shoving 3 or 4 down the front of my suit going into the 2nd night, but apparently it didn't work and nobody could see me.

Thanks!!

KatieBun

I use these. The batteries last 250 hours and they attach easily to a suit and goggles. Can be used as solid light or flashing. I've used them for 10 years and never lost one, even on a windy swim. I highly recommend them. (They're also more ecologically friendly because they're not disposable.)
https://www.amazon.com/Adventure-Lights-Guardian-Expedition-Light/dp/B00E7SYWVO?th=1

kejoyce

I also use what @KatieBun linked to, with great success!

LakeBagger

Thanks @KatieBun and @kejoyce-- I use an adventure light on my goggles, but it never occurred to me to swap my front-of-the-suit glowstick out for an adventure light... I'll try sewing it to the front of my suit and report back on how it goes!

KatieBun

@LakeBagger said:
Thanks @KatieBun and @kejoyce-- I use an adventure light on my goggles, but it never occurred to me to swap my front-of-the-suit glowstick out for an adventure light... I'll try sewing it to the front of my suit and report back on how it goes!

I've never had one detach itself from my suit, @LakeBagger Those clips are pretty tight. It's worth a try with just the clip before ruining a suit.

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LakeBagger

@KatieBun I’m having trouble figuring out how to attach it to the front of my suit for purposes of swimming backstroke. I don’t think I’d like it in the way of my shoulder up high on my suit strap, so I was thinking just sew it onto the middle of the suit.

KatieBun

@LakeBagger said:
@KatieBun I’m having trouble figuring out how to attach it to the front of my suit for purposes of swimming backstroke. I don’t think I’d like it in the way of my shoulder up high on my suit strap, so I was thinking just sew it onto the middle of the suit.

I never thought about backstroke! What about the midpoint of the top part of your suit?

ruth

I also wonder if you could snap the two parts of the light together through your swimsuit? (The part with the actual light mechanism and the second part, which has the clip). It has a really tight connection--so tight that I'm struggling to take mine apart as a proof of concept. But it seems worth a shot to see if you can put the clip part inside your suit (on your torso or wherever might be comfortable) and then snap the light part onto it through the suit.

kejoyce

I bet it would be the easiest/most secure/least likely to chafe option to put a few strong stitches in place to sew it on the front! I haven't put one on my front before, i might try attaching one to the neckline of my suit but it might drive me crazy if i could see all that light so close to my face in the dark. Being able to anchor it a little lower would probably be smart.

LakeBagger

Thanks for all the helpful brainstorming everyone. I’m using a suit I’ve had for a long time so I don’t mind putting a few stitches in it. I’ll see how it goes!

curly

I started reading this thread out of curiosity. Interesting problem. Have you considered strapping it around your ankle or thigh above the knee? Don't mind me. Just looking outside the box...