Confused about which swim goggles to purchase? The following is a list of the best swimming goggles for each type of swimming.
The swim goggle is an essential element of swimming equipment.
It enables you to see the walls, backstroke flags, and other swimmers correctly, while also preventing your eyes from being red and irritated.
Based on my 25+ years in the pool, the following are the best swimming goggles available for competitive swimmers.
They are divided into two categories: training and competition, but these are only recommendations based on price, as competition goggles can rapidly become prohibitively expensive.
Additionally, there is a comprehensive guide at the conclusion that details all of the critical factors to consider when selecting the best swim goggles for you.
Let us immediately begin.
The Best Training Swim Goggles
There are hundreds of different styles of goggles designed specifically for lap swimming. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and throughout the course of my years whirling about the black line, I’ve had the opportunity to sample nearly all of them.
My top selections for the best goggles for swimming laps and training are listed below.
Swedish goggles, or Swedes, are extremely popular among competitive swimmers, and with cause.
The advantages of these eyewear are numerous: They are quite adaptable. They have an excellent field of vision. They are among the most affordable swim goggles available. They are rather comfy if you become accustomed to the plastic eye socket. Additionally, they make you appear to be a badass in the water.
On the negative, they are not plug-and-play like some other goggles (some assembly necessary), and the latex straps degrade very quickly in comparison to silicone strapped goggles.
Speedo sells a two-pack of the Swedish goggle that contains a pair of mirrored goggles and a pair of clear blue lenses for less than $20.
- Speedo Vanquisher 2.0 Swim Goggles
Speedo is a swimming equipment superpower. They’ve sponsored a slew of Olympic and World champions throughout the years, including Michael Phelps (his very first sponsorship), Nathan Adrian, Missy Franklin, and Florent Manaudou.
The Speedo Vanquisher 2.0 is their most popular mid-range goggle, and it’s easy to see why. The rubberized gasket ensures a snug fit. Silicone straps are virtually impenetrable. Furthermore, the adjustable nose bridge ensures a leak-proof fit.
Additionally, these Speedo goggles are pre-fitted. Simply slip them over your head, adjust the strap, and you’re ready to go.
The two flaws I have with these goggles are as follows: the mirrored tint edition of the Vanquishers is extremely dark. This becomes an issue once the anti-fog begins to wear off, which is more likely to happen if you go for a dark lens and swim indoors. The second difficulty is that the Swedes have superior peripheral vision.
Having said that, the Vanquishers are among the most popular swimming goggles in the pool due to their durability, comfort, and the fact that they have never leaked on me while I was swimming.
- TYR Socket Rocket Goggles
The TYR Socket Rocket goggles won a spot in my rotation of goggles by combining some of the greatest features of the Swedes and Vanquisher.
They have a svelte appearance reminiscent of the Swedes. There is an adjustable nose piece that can be used in conjunction with the provided string and silicone tube, or the goggles can be used “as-is” with a piece of strap for the nose bridge.
Additionally, the goggles, like the Vanquishers 2.0, include a lightly rubberized gasket, which makes them more comfortable and leak-proof.
- The Speedo Speed Socket 2.0 Swim Goggles
There aren’t many really hybrid goggles on our list, but one of them is the Speedo Speed Socket 2.0 (whole review here). It is equally at home in training as it is on the field.
The Speed Socket 2.0 goggle has seen extensive use in international competition, most notably by sprint sensation Caeleb Dressel at the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest, where he won seven gold medals. Michael Phelps previously wore this goggle in competition before switching to his own brand of goggles.
The goggle has a low profile, but unlike the Vanquishers, it offers a wider field of vision. The Speed Socket and Vanquisher share a number of features that I adore, including silicone straps, adjustable nose bridges, and a rubberized gasket that aids in suctioning the goggles to your face for a leak-proof fit.
The Speed Sockets are rugged goggles that are perfect for extended practice sessions but still have a small profile that makes them ideal for race day.
Speed Sockets are also quite reasonably priced (particularly in comparison to some of the more expensive high-end racing goggles), coming in at half the price of their more expensive older brother, the Speedo Fastskin Hyper Elite Goggles.
- FINIS Smart Goggles
Best smart swimming goggles
Swimming pool technology has advanced significantly in recent years, and nowhere is this more evident than with the first generation of smart swimming goggles.
The FINIS Smart Goggle is a game changer for swimmers, including a heads-up display in the corner of your swim goggle that measures time, intervals, rest time, lap count, splits (per lap and per repetition), and more.
There are a few reasons why the FINIS Smart Goggle is the greatest swim goggle on the market right now.
To begin, as the goggles wear out, you just need to replace the goggles (FINIS sells them for $35), not the HUD unit, which can be disconnected from the old set and dropped into the new set.
The HUD unit is mounted on the inside of the left goggle lens.
This is a significant advantage over its primary competitor, the FORM Swim Goggles, which were the first smart goggles to hit the pool and require you to repurchase the entire set (for roughly $200).
Additionally — and this is a matter of personal opinion — the HUD does not take up the entirety of the goggle lens. Unlike the FORM goggles, which always have a digital display on the goggle lens, the FINIS Smart Goggles allow you to see the digital display by merely looking to the left with your left eye.
I prefer this “select when to view the information” method since it allows me to spend more time concentrating on my technique rather than on reading figures.
The FINIS Smart Goggles are not for everyone, especially at around $235, but for swimmers who train independently, want to track their progress (the goggles’ app is excellent), or want the added motivation that comes with seeing their pace, these swim goggles are an excellent long-term investment in their training.
The FINIS Smart Goggle is available in two tints (blue and smoky) and includes a carry bag, charging cord, and six interchangeable nose bridges for an unique fit.
The Best Competition Swim Goggles
- Speedo FastSkin Hyper Elite Goggles
One of the most common anxieties of professional swimmers is that their goggles would burst a large leak during a crucial race’s dive. It happened to Michael Phelps in the 200m butterfly at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, effectively blinding him for the final 150 meters of the race.
- Arena Cobra Ultra Goggles
I adore the way these goggles look and feel. They are extremely low-profile, providing you with a hydrodynamic advantage in the water. The lenses are composed of durable polycarbonate, and the straps are silicone, ensuring that they will last a long time while also offering a highly secure and comfortable fit on your head.
Due to the goggles’ low profile design, and this is a common issue with certain types of goggles, including the FastSkin goggle, swimmers with exceptionally long eyelashes may find them brushing against the inside of the lenses.
Adam Peaty, the man who has been rewriting the sprint breaststroke record books for years, has long used these goggles. They are available in a variety of hues and tints.
- MP Michael Phelps Xceed Goggles
When Michael Phelps and Speedo parted ways in 2014, it was inevitable that the GOAT would launch his own product line. The next year, he teamed up with Aquasphere to develop the MP range, which included a snorkel for swimmers, swim fins, and, yes, swim goggles!
The MP Michael Phelps Xceed Goggles are the MP brand’s high-performance goggles and were worn by Phelps during his final Olympic performance in Rio de Janeiro in the summer of 2016.
The goggles have an incredible field of vision, which comes in handy during those hectic meet warm-ups and for checking on the competition without turning your head. Additionally, they are available in a range of colors and lens options.
Suggestions for Selecting the Correct Pair of Swimming Goggles
Swim goggles are deceptively straightforward in terms of what we want them to be able to perform.
To enable us to see while we swim.
Sufficiently straightforward!
However, there are a surprising amount of variables to consider when selecting the ideal pair of swimming goggles.
The following are the major points:
Gasket vs no gasket.
The ocular lens of the majority of popular swim goggles is sealed with a rubber gasket. Vanquishers, Speed Sockets, and similar products all feature these silicone folds that act as a buffer between your eye socket and the goggle.
This is for two reasons.
To begin, rubber or silicone gaskets are softer on the face than hard plastic gaskets (old-school Swedish goggles have a hard plastic that can leave your face feeling a little sore).
Second, the gasket compresses slightly against the surface of your skin, providing a suction that prevents water from penetrating the lens.
Silicone vs Latex rubber.
Not long ago, the majority of swimming goggles switched to silicone head straps and, shortly thereafter, the goggle frames and gaskets.
Silicone is a hypoallergenic, soft, and exceptionally durable material. In comparison to latex rubber, silicone does not disintegrate or fade when exposed to chlorine and the sun on a frequent basis.
While the bulk of swimming goggles manufactured now are made mostly of silicone, there are a few exceptions, including my favorite training goggles, the old-school Swedes.
Head straps.
A dual-strap design is advantageous for ensuring a leak-free swimming experience, as it enables you to adjust the straps to a height and angle that securely holds your swim goggles in place.
Some head straps are divided in half at the rear of the head, while others have two straps running the length of the head.
Choose a head strap that is comfortable and tight for you to ensure that your goggles do not slide around and release a leak while you are swimming.
Nose pieces.
Because everyone of us has a unique face shape, goggles must be changeable!
Generally, popular swim goggles come with up to five different nose bridge options, while some include a string that allows you to customize the distance between the goggles’ lenses.
Swim masks and some open water swimming goggles feature a fixed frame that does not allow for this adjustment.
Lens tint.
A significant factor to consider is the hue of your swim goggles.
Swimmers who swim laps in a dark pool should opt for a lighter lens tint to enhance vision, which becomes even more critical when the interior of the goggle lens fogs up during heavy swim workouts.
Darker tints and mirrored lenses are preferable for outdoor pools since they shield your eyes from the sun and prevent you from squinting excessively due to the glare on the water’s surface.
Lens size.
The primary purpose of swim goggles is to aid in vision in the water! This seems self-evident, yet it’s easy to overlook in our pursuit of fashionable swim goggles.
Competitive swimmers will desire a goggle lens that is compact, low-profile, and provides great vision to the front and sides.
Open water swimmers, as well as more casual swimmers, may feel more at ease with a larger, wider lens that enlarges their field of view.
Cost.
Racing goggles, due to their compact profile, are on the pricey side, with top-tier goggles costing upwards of $70.
The majority of swimmers will benefit from a hybrid goggle such as the Speed Sockets 2.0, which strike an outstanding blend of low profile, comfort, and affordability.