A cagoul, cagoule or kagoule (from the French "cagoule" meaning "cowl" or "hood") is the British English term for a lightweight (usually without lining), weatherproof pullover raincoat or anorak with a hood, which often comes in knee-length. In North America and Japan cagoules are more commonly known as windbreakers.

A cagoule does not open fully at the front and must be pulled on over the head. It has an integral hood, elasticated or drawstring cuffs, and some have a few poppers or a short zip at the neck.

A cagoule which can be rolled up into a very compact package and carried in a bag or pocket was invented by Noel Bibby of Peter Storm Ltd in the early 1960's. In some versions, when rolled up, the hood doubles as a bag into which the rest of the coat is pushed. It became very popular in the United Kingdom during the 1970's.

Cagoules are popular with outdoor adventure centres for water sports and wet or muddy games to keep participants warm even when wet. Adventure cagoules usually have no zip that could get stuck with sand or mud.

Designed for the rigours of adventure centre use this fully waterproof pullover cagoule is worn over a base layer of clothes. It is generously sized to allow layering and maximum freedom of movement.

The longer design reaches to the knees and gives better allround protection, like when you to sit down on damp ground, walk through a waterfall, or similar activities.

A canoeing cag (short for cagoule) is a simple pullover garment, but shorter than an adventure cagoule to fit better with a canoe spray deck. Since you sit in the boat they don't need to be long and thus avoid extra bulk.

Worn over a base layer, a cag is ideal for many water sports like canoeing, windsurfing or wet fun games. It protects you from wind, rain and the cold while still allowing maximum freedom of movement.

Canoeing cags usually come without a hood and are generously sized to allow layering. Some sailing tops have a tighter fit so they don't pick up too much water during a capsize or when dipping into the water whilst on the trapeze.

Some cags have just a short zip or a velcro fastener on the front. Pull-it-on-and-go simplicity.

Cags are very good for swimming training. Being quite robust, they offer a good resistance workout without the risk of injury. They also provide some buoyancy when air gets trapped inside.

For your next swim wear a canoeing cag on top of your usual swimwear. Cags great for swimming resistance training and should always be in your swimming bag. Most swimming pools have no problem with it because the fabric sheds no fluff to clog up their filters.

Once you have gained some confidence add rain pants or wear an overall for extra resistance. You can vary the resistance level by wearing extra sports clothes underneath.

Depending on the design cags hold more or less water when swimming. Canoeing cags sometimes have wider sleeves to allow for more freedom of movement.

Swimming Training

These cagoules are great for resistance training in swimming pools. They don't fluff up the filter systems, so they let me wear my light weight nylon cagoule and pants in the local pool.

For endurance training I only wear a full body Lycra suit, which speeds up my swimming because this suit smoothes my body lines and makes me more aqua-dynamic.

For my resistance training I put on my slightly oversized pool cagoule, made of thin nylon. Backstroke is fairly easy. Front crawl takes more effort. Breaststroke comes up with a lot of resistance. The cagoule reaches down to my knees and acts like a small sail from the knees up when I pull my legs forward. Swimming like this requires a lot more effort.

My other passion are outdoor sports. I usually wear my adventure cagoule and pants for survival swimming and muddy assault courses. They are both made from tough heavy nylon which avoids cuts and bruises during these activities.

Afterwards I wear it all in the shower to rinse the dirt out and get it clean again. Then I shake the water out and it is ready for the next adventure or my way home.

Sascha from Austria  

Multipurpose Outfit

My canoeing cags are great for many water sports, not just canoeing. They fit so well that I have full freedom of movement. I have some cags with a hood, but most come with a neoprene collar to keep too much water from flowing in, which is good when you wear a cag for swimming training.

A cag with a secure front pocket for keys and money is great for open water swimming where I swim a good distance from one point to another, leaving nothing behind on the beach. Combined with a thermal top, jeans, socks and light shoes I have a robust swimming outfit that keeps me warm. I prefer a brightly coloured cag so I can be seen by boats and not get run over.

For resistance swimming training I wear a cag over a heavy tee-shirt or sweatshirt which soaks up water for extra weight. About 2-3 litres of water collect in the sleeves, providing a good heavy workout. The neoprene cuffs keep the water in for a consistent training level. Sweatpants or baggy jeans make this a really tough exercise, which I enjoy a lot.

Torin from Cork, Ireland