HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT SWIMMING GOGGLES

swim.de published an interesting article on swimming goggles in 2011. Read it for yourself.

Homo sapiens expect swimming goggles to give them the vision of a sea dweller. We show you what eye protection needs to do and what you should look out for when choosing it. You really don’t need much equipment for swimming: You can do without a swimming cap, and flats, pull-buoy, paddles and other training equipment if need be. What you really need is a swimsuit or swimming trunks and swimming goggles. Why are waterproof goggles so important? Firstly, they protect your eyes from aggressive chlorine and small particles in the water. And secondly, only good goggles allow you to find your way around the pool and especially in open water.

GOOD NEWS – BAD NEWS

First the bad news or the good news? The bad news? Well, there is no such thing as the perfect swimming goggles! No model fulfills all characteristics for all athletes equally. But that doesn’t have to make your eyes water in two senses of the word. After all, there are so many different models that, with a little patience, there should be a suitable model for every head. The most important thing about eye protection is that it fits the shape of your head and eyes. Christian Keller, world and European swimming champion and recreational triathlete since the end of his professional career, gives the following tip: “The most important thing is to unpack the goggles and test them on the spot. It must feel comfortable to wear them. They should sit on their own when you just press the lenses against your eyes, without the headband. Then they have a good fit.”

SWEDE OR MASKED MAN?

In fact, a lot depends on how the two lenses sit in or on the eye sockets. Depending on the shape of the face, simple Swedish goggles, an elaborately sealed high-end model or a so-called swim mask can fit. Swedish goggles are reduced to the bare essentials: they have a hard rim without a seal and therefore sit in the eye socket rather than on top of it. They are inexpensive and still last a long time. The adjustment options are also an advantage. Because you insert the nose bridge and headband yourself, both are individually adjustable and can be easily replaced. However, original Swedish goggles have no coating to prevent fogging and are not mirrored. The rubber used as a headband usually breaks down more quickly in chlorinated water and sunlight than silicone. However, the “luxury version” of Swedish goggles is also available with a silicone strap, soft rims and tints.
Goggles with soft silicone rims sit less deep in the eye socket. These have become popular among triathletes for various reasons. In any case, a triathlete should have different requirements for goggles than a competitive swimmer, as Christian Keller knows from experience: “The Swedish goggles without cushioning are no longer used as extensively as they used to be, so the rings under the eyes have become smaller. For triathlons, I have got into the habit of wearing larger swimming goggles. For me, it’s important to protect my eyes from impacts or kicks and also to have better orientation in the lake. During my first open water swim in 1992 in Füssen Forggensee, I swam with my goggles on – after a few meters they were already fogged up. So my predetermined tactic of using the mountain peak in the finish area as a guide failed completely.”

PROTECTION AT THE START

This is not the only reason why it makes sense to specify different goggles for pool swimming and triathlon use. This is because the Swedish goggles are less likely to get lost during a start jump due to their smaller profile and fit in the eye sockets. Tinting, special straps or a large field of vision are superfluous for uncomplicated orientation in the pool. However, it is precisely these attributes that you need as a triathlete, as well as protection for your eyes: an (unintentional) kick or blow in the start scramble can have much more unpleasant and lasting consequences if you are wearing goggles with hard lens rims. That’s why on the following pages we only present glasses that are especially suitable for use in triathlons – both in competition and during training.
If you are dependent on optical correction, you have two options. On the one hand, you can use contact lenses and normal swimming goggles. On the other hand, some manufacturers offer models with corrective lenses. If you opt for (weekly) contact lenses, you should look after them properly, remove them after swimming and clean them with an all-in-one solution. Swimming goggles with optical correction are currently available for relatively little money. Before buying, you should have your eyesight checked by an optician to determine the correct diopter for both eyes individually. Many manufacturers allow you to select the degree of correction for both lenses.