BEST GOGGLES FOR OPEN-WATER SWIMMING
Since indoor swimming pools have not be given the green light to re-open, many die-hard triathletes and competitive swimmers are heading to the sea or nearest lake. While government officials pour over plans for a future safe, phased re-opening of indoor swimming pools, over a pint of beer in the pub, they seem quite happy to officially allow the general public to open-water swim as part of their outdoor exercise campaign. This ought to come with a public safety warning particularly for recreational swimmers, namely: never swim alone, always go with fellow swimming athletes or an organised open-water swim group for safety – preferably the latter.
However, we are where we are. So for those that do decide to take the plunge you want to make sure you have the best visibility with a good set of open-water swimming goggles. Open-water googles are designed for max vision – it’s critical to be able to sight while swimming, whether its for other swimmers, the shore line or the almighty exit line. With their wider and curved lenses open water googles allow swimmers a more generous field of vision. Pool goggles often don’t feature polarisation for dealing with changing light conditions and there’re also more likely to fog up in mucky water. Almost all open-water goggles have rubberised gaskets whereas some pool googles don’t.
There are few triathlon specific open water goggles out there, but there’s certainly room for a goggle that can cope with the reflection of the water surface, the glare of the sun and the choppy waters. Your financial choice will probably be a compromise based upon a combination of your chosen environment – pool and/or open water swimming – and your personal preference in terms of vision, fit and size.
Ready to dominate your open-water race? Here is a breakdown of some excellent goggles for open-water swimmers and triathletes.
Fastskin Elite
The Fastskin Elite Mirror goggles are claimed to be designed with world top athletes in mind and engineered for maximum speed when racing and training. Although available in green/blue and red/green they all come with purple lenses when you look through them. Each pair come with different sized interchangeable nose bridges and a black pouch bag for lens protection and safety during transport.
In use, the low-profile gaskets are comfortable, sleek and streamlined as you move through the water. For such compact goggles the hydroscopic lenses are still wide enough to offer excellent peripheral vision with little head movement, while the anti-fog coating provides maximum clarity. They come with UV protection and anti-glare properties which is great for those sunny open-water swimming days where you can swim in the direction of the sun without completely losing visibility. Their IQfit ™ ‘is a ‘tensioning scale’ on the strap which ensures the goggles are leak-free, provides a secure fit and reduces marks around the eyes. Unlike most open water google which sit over the eye socket, these actually fit into the socket for a higher more streamlined fit. This may feel uncomfortable at first if not use to wearing goggles but will feel fine after a short while.
These googles are a pool and open-water hybrid but appear more suited to the pool. However, with their UV protection and anti-glare properties elite triathletes will see the benefit of these streamlined goggles giving less drag and more speed in open-water.
Buy from: Speedo
Verdict: A pricy option, nonetheless, a lean, light and hydrodynamic goggle set that’ll appeal to the elite swim speedsters out there.
Zone3 Vapour
By far the most comfortable goggles. The Zone3 Vapours are an instant visual hit, with some neat themed graphics and an attractive colour scheme. The good times continue in the water with the polarised lenses minimising the suns glare from the water whilst the photochromatic element automatically darken in brighter condition and remain clear in low light conditions. The sizeable silicone gaskets are soft and largely prevent goggle marks around the eyes, and they also provide a seal that stays leak-free.The peripheral vision is impressive and they opt for a button mechanism for tightening the split straps. Their 54g weight puts them at the higher end of bulky goggles and they can feel heavy at the later end of endurance swims. You’ll need to take care of these as the lenses can be prone to scratching.
Buy from: Wiggle
Verdict; stylish, secure and soft on the eyes but a little bulky for those want hydrodynamic gains.
Aqua Sphere Kayenne
Aqua Sphere made a great pair of affordable no-frills goggles suitable for all swimmers. The oversized 4-point Plexisol lens offers 180 visibility. Besides being large, the lenses also offer UV protection and have anti-fog coating. They are also polarised curved very precisely to eliminate any distortion. These sea swimming goggles have a stabilizing nose bridge which helps you fit them perfectly without sacrificing comfort. They also incorporate Quick Fit buckle system which makes tightening and loosening very easy, even while wearing them. The buckle is positioned in a way to improve strap adjustment precision and comfort.
They are designed in such a way to sit on the middle orbital or your eye socket, eliminating raccoon eyes and providing you with a leak free, stable fit. You can be sure that this pair will serve you well for your open-water swimming sessions. It is ultra durable and it can take the rough treatmeant these goggles get. Popular both among professional and recreational users the only thing left for you to do is choose between clear, smoke or mirrored lens.
Buy from: Swiminn
Verdict: Value for money, versatile, comfortable and producing great vision, these tried and tested googles will not let you down and still one of the best open-water goggles out there.
Futura Biofuse Flexiseal Triathlon
The new Futura Biofuse Flexiseal goggles are specifically designed for Triathlon open-water swimming and come in both male and female versions The goggle allows you to keep your eyes open and protected with good visibility with its polarised lenses providing optimal vision and removing the reflection of light on the water surface and reduced glare from the sun.
The SpeedFIT system ensure fast and precise adjustment can be made and the ergonomic, mould fit, stops water from getting in. The goggles utilise a super soft flexible seal to offer the ultimate in goggle comfort while the flexible frame adapts to the contours of your face for an individual fit. A plus point is the goggle come with a protective goggles pouch protecting the lenses from scratches and ensures the goggles’ safe transport.
Buy from: Speedo
Verdict: Durable, stylish, secure and soft on the eyes. Lenses on the small side being a hybrid goggle for both pool and open-water. Tops marks for designing goggles for ladies as well as men.
Zogg Predator Flex
Zoggs have created an open-water classic. Utilising an Ultra Fit gasket that works to reduce pressure and red marks around the eyes for comfortable, distraction-free swimming the gaskets instantly produce a great and secure seal that doesn’t leak at all on long-distance swims, and the wide scope of vision is unsurpassed. The polarised lenses truly impress in a host of light and weather conditions, and they’re also adept at taking the glare off the pool lights (while not making it too dark) if you wear them indoors. Adjustment is easy via the clips.
Offering 180-degree peripheral vision with clear, anti-fog lenses you will never have to stop to wipe your lenses. What marks these goggle out is the Italian-made copper-coloured polarised lenses designed for use in all light conditions – repelling blue light and cutting down sun and water surface glare in bright conditions and amplifying light when it grey and overcast.
Buy from: Wiggle
Verdict: versatile for all weather swimming, flexible frame, comfy gaskets, good clarity of vision for sighting during open-water swimming.
