Goggles for Open Water Swimming

Goggles are goggles right? Not necessarily. Just like choosing which layers to put on when going outside, choosing your goggles for open water swimming is a must.

Some things to consider:

1. Light reflects off water. The brighter the sun the harder it is too see. Opt for reflective and darker gogglers at this time. The TYR metalized tracer or nest pro-nano are perfect in these conditions.
2. Even during “overcast” there is still some light reflection from the water. Opt for tinted lighted goggles in this case. The TYR tinted Tracer or Nest Pro Nano in pink and blue or clear are great for these conditions.
3. If it is dark and gloomy and the visibility is limited in the water (think lakes that look red, murky, etc) then opt for lighter colored goggles. The clear, pink, and blues.
4. If the water is super clear then still err on the side of caution and opt for the light reflective goggles. As for goggles fogging up, well, it happens, and as an athlete we must deal with what is thrown at as. There are different temperatures in the lakes, the air and such causing the “foggy-ness”.

Tips:

1. Anti-fog liquid works for some lucky folks, try it and see if you like it.
2. Buy new goggles for race day that are the exact same pair you currently train with, try them once before hand to make sure they fit and there are no “leaks”. New goggles tend to fog less.
3. Avoid putting your fingers or other products on your goggle lenses pre-race. Imagine sunscreen lathered fingers in lens creating a mess and limits visibility. The fit is super important, especially for the longer the races. Find goggles that fit comfortable, yet snug. It is nearly impossible to find goggles that don’t leave the “I just swam” lines on your face hours post training, so forget about trying to fix this look.

Fit:

1. Make sure it is snug but not overly tight.
2. Make sure the goggle straps are straight behind your head, not sitting down super low and super high.
3. To tighten goggles, tighten the strap, but also pull the strap a tad more snug by the eyes. No need to push on the front of the goggle to jam the eye holes on your face.

Happy Swimming!

Written by Teresa Nelson
USAT Level II Triathlon Coach, Seattle Athletic Club Downtown
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