Choosing the Correct Swimming Goggles

In this article, we have provided a step by step guide to help you in choosing the correct swimming goggles.

A pair of well-fitting, non-leaking goggles, with good visibility is an essential piece of a swimmer’s kit.

Having a correctly fitting pair of goggles helps ensure an uninterrupted swimming performance.

Most of the world’s leading manufacturers of swimming equipment produce a range of swimming goggles.

As a result, there is a vast range of goggles catering for swimmers of all sizes and for all swimming disciplines.
Our buyer’s guide will walk you through the correct process
It can assist you in making an informed buying decision.

Swimming Goggles Buyer’s Guide

Stage 1: The type of swimmer

The first stage in choosing the correct pair of swimming goggles is to determine who are they for?

There are many types of swimming goggles.
Each designed to fit the particular shape and contours of either men’s, women’s or children’s faces.
Therefore, it’s important to select the appropriate goggles for the correct gender or age group.

Stage 2: The goggle type

The second stage is to determine what the swimming goggles are going to be used for?

Swimming goggles can be used for a variety of activities. This includes open water (triathlon), racing (competition) or training.

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Open water goggles are usually designed with larger lenses than pool goggles, giving them improved visibility.

Goggles – Open Water

Many of our more experienced open water swimmers use the Aqua Sphere Vista Swimming Goggles as an ideal goggle for open water swimming. They find them comfortable and good visibility.

Vision + Performance: The Kayenne swim goggles are made with oversized Plexisol lens, quick-fit buckles, silicone straps for comfort and durability, and a stabilising nose bridge.
Aqua Sphere patented curved lens technology offers clear visibility and 180-degree wide field of vision.
Aqua Sphere’s Kayenne swim goggles are constructed with 100 percent UVA/UVB protection
The Clear lens transmits a natural light, which makes it ideal for low light and overcast conditions.

Goggles – Open Water (Starter)

Many of our swimmers use the ZABERT Pro Swimming Goggles

These are ideal starter goggle for open water swimming. They find them comfortable and good visibility.

Customized 3D ergonomic design model, for a comfortable fit.
High-grade silicone gasket nose piece and adjustable strap were featured for unisex adult with a different face, head size and hair length.
Anti-fog and UV protection lens give clear, wide and safe vision.
Zabert pro swim goggles come with a free protective case and extra nose clip and earplugs.

Training goggles are usually designed for comfort and good visibility.

Goggles – Training Pool

Many of our swimmers use and recommend the Speedo Unisex Adult Futura Biofuse Flexiseal Goggles as their training pool goggles. They are comfortable, with good visibility.

The gentle yet reliable seals offer the soft, most cushioned fit.
The seals move with you to ensure they perform while remaining comfy
Specially designed cushiony comfortable goggles with Speedo BioFuse technology
Your face is unique, so the flexible frame adapts to you, rather than the other way around
Keep everything in view with Wide Vision lenses

Racing goggles are designed to be streamlined, usually with small lenses to minimise drag.

Therefore, it’s important to select the correct type of goggles design specifically for their particular function.
Many competitive swimmers have a pair of goggles for training and another pair for competition.

Goggles – Racing/Competition Pool

Many of our swimmers use and recommend the Speedo Fastskin Elite Mirror Goggles as their competition pool goggles. They find them comfortable, with good visibility.

IQfit 3D goggle seal for a leak-free, secure fit and reduced marks around the eyes
IQfit goggle strap with patented tensioning scale for a unique and personal fit
Hydroscopic Lens profile for maximum peripheral vision with minimum head movement
Fit point markers for precise alignment of Fastskin goggle and cap by touch before a race

Stage 3: The goggle lenses

The next stage is to determine what type of goggle lenses are required.

Swimming goggles have many types of lenses designed for particular environments and light conditions, which include,

Clear lenses are designed to provide maximum visibility in low-light and/or overcast conditions.

These can be ideal for both indoor and outdoor swimming.

Coloured lenses are designed to provide reduced glare in bright conditions.

The most common colours are amber, blue and yellow.
These can be ideal for both indoor and outdoor swimming.

Tinted lenses are designed to provide some glare and brightness reduction.

These can be ideal for indoor pools and some bright outdoor swimming conditions.

Mirrored lenses are designed to reduce brightness and offer glare protection.

These can be ideal for indoor pools and some bright outdoor swimming conditions.

Polarised lenses are designed to offer protection in very bright and/or sunny conditions.

These can be ideal for open water swimming, triathlons and bright indoor pools.

Photochromatic lenses

Photochromatic lenses react to changing light conditions. They darken in bright conditions and become lighter in dull conditions.

These can be ideal for outdoor swimming, open water or triathlons.

There is a wide range of goggles with prescription lenses available.

Some manufacturers offer a customised ‘build your own’ prescription goggles kit.
These enable swimmers to change lenses and to cater for any differences in the prescription of each eye.

Many swimming goggles have an anti-fog coating.

This is designed to stop condensation in the goggle lenses.
Swimmers should not touch the lenses inside of the goggles as this may cause the anti-fog coating to wear.
Anti-fog goggles should be washed in cold chlorine-free water after use, to help prolong the life of the anti-fog coating.
Experience tells us that the anti-fog coating usually wears out in a few weeks.
To see how to stop your goggles fogging after the anti-fog coating has worn out, see ‘how to stop goggles from fogging’ below

Stage 4: The goggle straps

When purchasing a new pair of swimming goggles, they usually come with one of two types of silicone goggles strap. The double strap and the split strap.

A one single silicone goggle strap, the double strap is threaded through the goggle’s eyelets forming two straps.

The swimmer usually places the lower portion of the strap on the back of their head just above their ears and the higher portion of the strap over the crown of their head.

The split strap is a wider single silicone strap, with a split strap providing a firmer hold on the back of the swimmer’s head.

When purchasing a new pair of swimming goggles, swimmers should be aware of fixed or customised straps that may be difficult to replace if the strap breaks.

Bungee cord straps are becoming an increasingly popular replacement goggle strap. Made from latex cord with an adjustable cord lock, they are comfortable and easily adjustable.

Stage 5: Nose Bridge

Some swimming goggles have adjustable nose bridges, while some others have fixed bridges.

With an adjustable nose bridge to suit your face shape.

Stage 6: The Fit

The next stage is to ensure that the goggles fit correctly.

To find the correct pair of goggles they should be tried on before entering the water.
When selecting an online retailer or supplier, it’s best to check their returns policy. Ensure you can easily return the item if it doesn’t fit correctly.
Ideally, you should try on a few pairs of goggles to determine which is the best fit.
The two main goggle features to ensure a correct fit, are the eye sockets and the nose bridge (see diagram above)

To test the fit of a pair of goggles, you should first place the goggles over your eyes, without putting the goggle strap over your head.
Now you should gently press the goggles onto your eyes.
If the goggles provide some suction to your face for a few seconds, then this is a strong indicator that they are a good fit.
However, if the goggles don’t provide any suction to your face, then this is a strong indicator that they will leak once in the water.
A good fitting pair of goggles should provide a slight suction and a comfortable, even pressure around your eye.

Once you have potentially found a suitable pair of goggles you should then try them on using the goggle strap.
It’s important to remember that the strap is to securely fit the goggle and not to provide the seal around the eye sockets.
The strap should not be tightened too much.
It shouldn’t make the goggles feel uncomfortable or leave marks around your eyes.

How to stop goggles from fogging

It’s common for swimming goggles to suffer from condensation from time to time. This usually occurs when the goggles come into contact with the warm water.

As previously mentioned in this article, many swimming goggles have an anti-fog coating. This usually wears out in a few weeks.
Once the anti-fog coating has worn out the swimmer has a number of options to help keep their goggles from suffering from condensation. These include,
One of the most effective and cost-free solutions is s
Swimmers should simply rub some of their saliva across the inside of the lenses.
Many swimmers prefer to use either an anti-fog spray or an anti-fog stick.
Some swimmers use baby shampoo or even toothpaste as anti-fog solutions
However, in our experience, these can cause some swimmers to have eye irritations.

Anti-fog goggle solution

We recommend Arena Instant Anti-Fog Spray as an effective way of preventing condensation from occurring inside the goggle lenses.

No residue is or rinses needed, uncomplicated, fast and effective application
‘Contents 35ml enough for approximately 150 applications

Takeaways

A pair of well-fitting, non-leaking goggles, with good visibility is an essential piece of a swimmer’s kit.

Having a correctly fitting pair of goggles helps ensure an uninterrupted swimming performance.

Most of the world’s leading manufacturers of swimming equipment produce a range of swimming goggles.

Consequently, there is a vast range of swimming goggles,
These cater to swimmers of all sizes and for all swimming disciplines.
Our buyer’s guide will walk you through the correct process
It can assist you in making an informed buying decision. This includes,
The type of swimmer
The type of goggle
The goggle lenses
The nose bridge
The goggle straps
The fit

Swimming resource library

We have provided a swimming resource library.

This contains links to all of our publications and blog articles.
Now with an easy to use index.
To access any article simply click on the attached page link: swimming resource library

Recommended swimming equipment

We have provided a recommended swimming equipment page.

It contains swimming equipment that we and our swimmers use and recommend.
You can access this page by clicking on the following link: recommended swimming equipment

The Competitive Swimming Exchange – Facebook Group

The Competitive Swimming Exchange. This is a competitive swimming Facebook group to help exchange ideas and information to collectively improve the sport we love.

It’s an international group for all swimmers, coaches, teachers, masters, triathletes and swimming parents.
In fact, it’s for all those who are interested in competitive swimming, either in the pool or in open water

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