Choosing the Correct Goggles for your Swimming Event

When you’re competing in a swimming event, whether it’s a pool meet or an open water triathlon swim, it’s very important that you choose the correct goggles.  The choice is important not only to protect your eyes and enable you to see better depending on where you’re swimming, but the correct goggles can also enhance your performance.

It’s important to note that there some essential differences between pool and open-water goggles. For example, pool goggles often don't feature polarisation for dealing with changing light conditions, and so they're also more likely to fog up in murky water.

Open-water goggle lenses can come in a range of tints, to cope with the different lighting conditions outdoors. Some are polarised or mirrored, while others are curved or faceted to increase visibility. They also tend to come with larger lenses to provide better peripheral vision which helps during an open water swimming session or race.

If you are planning an open water swim, polarised goggles are vital to stop the bright sun or glare. 

Choosing the right lenses for open water swimming

Naturally, a full open-water mask will create greater drag than a set of specialist open water goggles. A full wraparound goggle is a common choice for the open-water triathletes which have the benefits of greater peripheral vision and a larger distribution of pressure.

These goggles are also beneficial for those participating in Iron Man races as the generous volume offered by the wraparound captures more air, preventing the eyes from becoming oxygen-starved, as can be the case with smaller lenses more suitable for pool swimming.

Your goggles may not be your most expensive kit purchase, but it’s worth spending a bit of time thinking about your needs before you buy.  You need to take into account the likely conditions of your open swim. For example, if your race is taking place in Lanzarote or somewhere else hot and sunny, you’ll need a set of goggles that can cope with glare.  On the other hand, if your race is in the UK, your open-water goggles will need to be adaptable for mixed conditions ranging from bright sun, cloudy skies and murky waters.

Open Water Goggles from Sharks Swim Shop

At Sharks Swim Shop, in addition to a huge range of goggles suitable for swimming in a pool, we also offer a range of top brands which are ideal for open water swimming.  These include the Zoggs Aquaflex Titanium or Zoggs Predator Flex 2.0 (which retail at £28 and £36 respectively).   Other brands which are perfect for open water swimming due to their exceptional polarisation properties ar the Maru Groove and Aquasphere Kayenne Polarised Goggles.

Our experienced team can help you to choose the most appropriate goggles for your up and coming event.  We’ll take into account the environment, your personal preferences in terms of vision, fit and size and, of course, your budget.

Just call into our shop at Sketty Cross in Swansea or visit our online store at www.sharksswimshop.com