Swim Goggle Buyer’s Guide
Whether you swim for fitness, recreation or competition, the importance of having the right pair of swim goggles cannot be underestimated. Buying the right pair of swim goggles starts with determining whether you plan to use them more for competition, training or for recreation. Goggles made for competition and training are designed solely with performance in mind, while recreational swim goggles are simply made to comfortably keep water out of the eyes. There are also goggles for competition, training and recreational swimming which are made specifically for children. Once you’ve determined the main function of the goggles, lens type, lens color and gasket material are important factors to consider.
Goggle Types
Competition Goggles
Goggles made for competition are designed with performance in mind. They are streamlined with a low profile that cuts down on drag while you’re moving through the water. The lenses of competition goggles are small, not much larger than the eye socket.
Training Goggles
Training goggles have lenses that are slightly larger than competition goggles, making them more comfortable to wear for long periods of time without adding too much resistance.
Recreational Goggles
Recreational swim goggles are designed for function and comfort. These goggles have lenses that vary in size; some pairs of recreational swim goggles are the size of a dive mask and allow for a greater view of the surroundings.
Kids Goggles
Swim goggles made for children come in a wide variety of sizes and designs. Most have adjustable nose pieces and some have chin straps to ensure a lasting seal. Swim goggles for young children often come in bright colors and feature popular cartoon character designs.
The type of lens you choose can determine how well you see when in the water, and can depend on whether you wear glasses or contacts. Lens color will largely depend on the lighting in the area you will swim most.
Lenses Color
Amber
Amber lenses work well indoors and outdoors in all lighting conditions. Indoors, the amber lens amplifies light by providing contrast, making vision clearer. Outdoors, these lenses cut down on glare and reduce squinting.
Blue
Blue lenses are best for indoor use. These lenses filter low light, providing some glare reduction.
Clear
These lenses have no light filter and make it easy to see in low light indoors. These lenses are also ideal for outdoor use where conditions may be impacted by murky water or indirect lighting.
Gray
Gray lenses provide protection from bright light outdoors. They provide eye protection from bright sunlight much like sunglasses.
Mirrored
Mirrored lenses are for outdoor use and filter out more light than smoked or gray lenses. These lenses block the swimmers eyes from view and are often used in competition.
Specialty Lenses
UV protection is an additional feature of some swim goggles which you should consider, depending on whether you’ll be swimming indoors or outdoors. There are also goggles fitted with prescription lenses for individuals with glasses or contacts.
Lens Materials
Polycarbonate vs. Optical Grade
Lenses are typically made from either a polycarbonate or optical grade plastic. The common polycarbonate lenses boast the widest range of lenses on the market, but sacrifice some quality. Optical grade plastic lenses are scratch resistant and reduce distortion.
Anti-Fog
Lenses made with either plastic material can come with anti-fog protection, a thin coat pre-applied to the inside of the lens. Anti-fog degrades overtime and can be reapplied using a variety of sprays or drops.
The gasket seals the goggle around your eyes, keeping water out.
Gasket Materials
Silicone and Rubber
These are the most common materials used to make swimming goggle gaskets. There are also gaskets made with silicone which are slightly more expensive than other materials, but they are also hypoallergenic. These goggles are common in both recreational and competition swimming.
Plastic
Plastic gaskets are used in the Swedish design, a style commonly found in competition goggles where the goggle itself rests directly on the eye socket. These goggles have small lenses and no soft material that makes the seal. These goggles are most commonly used for competition and open water swimming.
Foam
Foam gaskets tend to be difficult to find and become problematic over time since the foam separates from the goggle, reducing the seal quality. Goggles with foam gaskets are more difficult to find. Goggles with foam gaskets are commonly used in recreational swimming.
Goggle Fitting
The importance of the fit of swim goggles is critical to their proper function with a good pair fitting snugly without leaving marks around the eyes. To test goggles for the right fit, place them on your face without the strap. The nose piece should be adjusted to sit comfortably on the bridge of your nose and create a good seal. If the goggles are a good fit, there should be a moment of suction even without the strap. You should not have to tighten the strap to ensure a good fit around the eye. The strap should only be used to hold the goggle in place.
Goggle Profile
The profile is how far off of the face the goggle is raise. Competition and open water swimmers typically prefer swim goggles with a low profile, to reduce drag. Goggles with higher profiles offer more of an underwater view and are more commonly used by recreational swimmers.