Swimming goggles

Start with how you will use them. For relaxed swimming, comfort and a clear view matter most. For regular training, the goggles need to stay put and stay comfortable for a long time, and for open water, triathlon and racing, shape, field of view and lenses matter more. Next, make sure the goggles fit your face and keep the water out, and finally choose a lens tint for the light where you swim most often. For children, start with the kids' swimming goggles page, and goggles for training, open water and racing are covered on the adult swimming goggles page.

Swimming goggles should sit snugly all the way around your eyes so no water gets in, without pressing hard into the eye socket. The seal should rest evenly on your skin, and the nose bridge should neither pinch your nose nor leave a gap. It is the seal that keeps the water out, and the strap should only hold the goggles in place. So if water leaks in, tightening the strap rarely helps, and the shape is probably not right for your face. On many models the nose bridge adjusts itself to your face, and on some you can swap in nose bridges of different sizes. Frames also vary in width, so it pays to try them on.

It depends on the light where you swim. Clear and light-tinted lenses let the most light through and work well when the light is low, for example in an indoor pool or in an outdoor pool during Iceland's dark winter months. Smoke and darker lenses cut the light and work best when it is bright, such as sunshine at an outdoor pool or open water swimming on a bright day, but less well when it is dark. Mirrored lenses reflect light and reduce glare, and they usually work best in strong light. Many models also have UV protection, which matters most when you swim outdoors on a bright day. The product pages show which lenses each model has, and some also show how much light the lenses let through.

A swim mask is larger than goggles and covers more of your face around the eyes, so you get a wider field of view. The seal rests on your face around the eyes, and some people find that more comfortable, especially if goggles feel tight around their eyes. Some swim masks work both in the pool and in open water, and kids' swim masks are designed for swim lessons and playing in the pool. Goggles are smaller and lighter and create less drag in the water, so they are better suited to training and racing. A swim mask is not a diving mask, as it does not cover your nose.

Fog forms when warm, moist air around your eyes meets a cooler lens. Most swimming goggles have an anti-fog coating on the inside, but it is thin and delicate and wears off over time. It lasts longest if you do not touch the inside of the lenses, with your fingers or a towel, unless the product description says otherwise. Rinse the goggles in clean water after swimming and let them dry without wiping the inside. Heat and sweat weaken the anti-fog coating, so avoid pushing your goggles up onto your forehead when you rest. If they fog a lot even with good care, the coating is probably wearing out, and an anti-fog spray made for swimming goggles can help.

Rinse your goggles in clean, cold tap water after every swim, because chlorine and salt wear down the anti-fog coating. Let them dry completely before you put them away, without touching the inside of the lenses, and keep them in a case so the lenses do not get scratched. Take the goggles off by moving the strap forward over your head rather than pulling on the frame.

Children need goggles that fit a smaller face and are easy to use. On the kids' swimming goggles page you will find the full range, plus advice on choosing and adjusting goggles for kids and on whether your child should get a swim mask or goggles.