Choosing a Pair of Swimming Goggles
Finding the Right Goggles is as Important as Finding the Right Suit
Apr 1, 2009
Making sure to find the right goggle for face is important for comfort and eye health. Find a goggle that is comfortable around the face, as well as one secure enough to keep water out of the eyes. Seems simple enough, but there are many choices. Most adult goggles run from $5 to $30.
Swedish Goggles
This type of goggle is very popular and actually quite comfortable. The goggles come unassembled and can be customized to fit the face by nitpicking with elastic straps. The perfect fit can be accomplished this way and the bit of energy to do so is well worth it. Newer swimmers tend to shy away from Swedish goggles because they have no gasket between the goggle and the eye, just the hard plastic. Swedish goggles also leave very obvious rings around the eyes after a nice workout. The rings are not painful, so long as the goggles were not too tight, but can be unsightly until they gradually disappear shortly after a workout.
Gasket Goggles
There are two types of gasket goggles. Foam and silicone. Foam gaskets work better for most people as silicone goggles can sometimes feel like they are sucking out the eyeballs. People with smaller facial frames should use foam gaskets in an oval rather than round shape, which works better to keep water out of the eyes.
Anti-Fog Goggles
While one can definitely invest in a more expensive goggle that has special anti-fog technology, chances are it is still going to fog. A trick that most swimmers use is to spit into the goggles and rub the saliva around. Somehow this works wonders. You can save a lot of money by trying this out before investing in pricey anti-fog models that may not work as well.
Invest in Tinted Goggles
If swimming outside, be sure to buy a pair of goggles with a good tint to protect the eyes from UV rays. Even if not swimming the backstroke, the goggles will shield the eyes from the reflection off the water which can be brutal on a sunny day. Gray and blue tints are the most common and most aesthetically pleasing to use. Some goggles even have a tint with a mirror coating on the outside of the lens which is quite appealing.
Difficult Faces to Frame
People with faces that are difficult to frame should buy a pair of goggles that can be personally adjusted at the nose, and not the kind with a plastic band with grooves. Swedish goggles are great for adjusting because they use either a small rubber tube, or a strong rubber band that can be fitted just right.
It may take a while to find the perfect goggle. The best thing to do is to buy a few standard inexpensive goggles first. Swimmers will be satisfied to know that the more expensive frilly goggles are not necessarily the best. Frills do not matter if the fit is not right.
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