Recommended Swimming Goggles for You

Have you ever been swimming—whether it’s doing laps or just goofing off—and your goggles keep slipping and letting water in? Or maybe they’re too tight and uncomfortable? Are you constantly having to take them off and clear off the fogging on the inside of the lenses?

Finding the right balance of affordable and reliable can be tricky when it comes to goggles. To help combat that difficulty, we’ve compiled a list of top goggles to check out. We’ll start by explaining how to wear goggles, then get into specific goggles for specific types of swimming, including some of the best swimming goggles for a triathlon.

Photo Credit: Artisteer

How to Wear Goggles

Whether you’re swimming competitively or leisurely, a comfortable fit with your goggles is a must.

How tight should my goggles be?

First of all, your goggles should be comfortable. If they’re too tight, you’ll feel the pressure around your eyes. Sometimes the goggles will also create imprinted circles around the swimmer’s eyes. That’s another sign your goggles may be too tight.

But you do want good suction. Test your goggles to see if they have good suction by holding the lenses against your eyes without the strap. If they stick, great. If not, and if your goggles have an adjustable nose strap, adjust it until the lenses are suctioning to your eyes.

When you put your goggles on, start with pressing the lenses around your eyes, then move on to the strap. Pull the strap over the top of your head and secure it by adjusting the straps at the back.

How do I wear goggles with a swim cap?

If you’re wearing a swim cap, the most comfortable place to wear your goggles will be over the cap. Once you’ve put your cap on, place your goggles on lenses first, strap over head, then secure them at the back. Wearing your goggles underneath the cap will cause water to rush in and out of your cap; not a great feeling when you’re trying to focus on improving your form in the lap pool or having fun with friends.

Types of Swimming Goggles

Some of the best swimming goggles of 2018 are listed below.

Speedo Vanquisher 2.0

These highly versatile goggles are known for fitting most people’s faces quite well. In addition, they’re one of the best-selling goggles out there. These goggles work well in any type of swimming: open water, pool, triathlon, etc.

Swedish Goggles

Quite popular among indoor competitive swimmers, Swedish goggles are customizable to each individual swimmer’s face. And they don’t cost much. Some assembly is required with these goggles, but they look great on you. Also, be aware that the straps they come with don’t tend to last long.

TYR Black Hawk Racing Goggles

These goggles boast a prime feature: leak-proof. Popular among competitive indoor swimmers, the TYR Black Hawk Racing goggles can also be customized for an outdoor swim fit. They also work well for beginning swimmers.

Speedo Women’s Vanquisher 2.0 Mirrored Goggle

A great choice for outdoor swimming, the Speedo Women’s Vanquisher 2.0 Mirrored goggle is comfortable and excellent at keeping the sun out of swimmer’s eyes.

Aqua Sphere Kayenne Swim Goggles

These goggles are very popular among triathlon swimmers. They have a wider, triangular lens that allows for greater field of vision, and they are darkened a bit to account for sunlight.

MP Michael Phelps Xceed Goggles

Want to channel some Olympic-level swimming skills? Take a look at these goggles. Born of a collaboration between Michael Phelps himself and his coach, the Xceed goggles have a water-tight seal that stays in place no matter how quickly you’re moving through the water.

Kids Goggles

Kids just learning to swim can really benefit from wearing goggles. It can teach them to not be afraid of getting wet, and it can be pretty exciting for them to be able to see underwater. Listed below are a couple of goggle options for kids just learning to get their feet wet.

Finis Fruit Basket Swim Goggle

These goggles are not only colorful, but they come with scents associated with the fun colors, which is a neat feature for kids who might be nervous about wearing goggles or getting wet in the first place. They are designed to fit kids’ faces and to be leak-proof.

Finis H2 Goggles

Designed once again specifically for children’s faces, these goggles are particularly comfortable and easy to wear.

If you’re a beginning swimmer or have children who’d like to learn how to swim, sign up for classes with SwimJim!