Swim Bag: Racing Goggles

Swim Bag: Racing Goggles
Product manufacturers and retailers provide the products reviewed in Swim Bag to SWIMMER at no cost.
Medium Profile
Our testers selected these models as good
crossover goggles for practice and competing.
They have slightly larger profiles than the lowprofile models, and usually offer a bit more
comfort and fit a wider range of face and eye
shapes.
1. Barracuda Hydrobat | $17 |
barracudausa.com
The Hydrobat was a tester favorite the
last time we tested goggles (Jan.-Feb. 2010)
and that hasn’t changed. Testers usually look
askance at the design, but end up loving the
way the goggles feel. The best feature is the
flange that juts out over the cheekbone. Ostensibly to reduce the drag caused by the contours
of the face, the flange actually seats the goggles
firmly on your face when entering the water
during the start, preventing flooding or, worse,
the dreaded goggle mustache. A hard-shell
storage case is included.
By Laura Hamel
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Testing photos by Laura Hamel
S
electing racing goggles is kind of like choosing underwear—you want something that’s sleek and streamlined, yet doesn’t bind or pinch. You also want
something that looks good. And fitting is very personal: you want a pair that
will conform to your individual features.
All the goggles we tested come with extra nose bridges and adjustable straps;
however, not every model will fit every face. We recommend that you don’t give
up easily: Spend some time making sure the fit is exactly right—swapping out the
nose bridge can make all the difference. (For many Masters swimmers, this will require reading glasses, considerable hand strength, or an age-group coach, but it’s
worth it.) Start with the strap at a comfortable length, and then tighten as needed
to keep water out.
Some swimmers prefer to practice and race in the same pair of goggles—that
way there are no surprises when it’s time to step up on the blocks. This is an excellent strategy providing you can find a pair that is comfortable enough to wear for a
90-minute practice, yet low-profile enough to be secure when diving and streamlining off walls.
Other swimmers prefer to wear a larger model for practice and race in something smaller and more secure—even if it’s part of a mental strategy to get in the
zone. If you’re a sprinter, comfort may be negotiable if you’re wearing them for 60
seconds or less.
Most brands come in an array of color options, including some with mirrored
coating for bright conditions. If you swim indoors or before the sun comes up, get
clear or light. If you swim in bright, sunny conditions, you’ll need dark or mirrored
lenses to cut glare.
The majority of goggles come with antifog coating, which many swimmers
quickly destroy with improper storing and washing procedures—i.e., shoving them
in a gear bag then spitting in them and sticking their thumbs in the eyecups to
clean them out. Even using liquid soap isn’t necessary in the beginning. When the
goggles start to get older and the coating wears off, then liquid soap or antifog
drops can help. But in the beginning, just use fresh water, no thumbs. Fogging can
also be caused by sunblock, sweat, and cosmetics, so rating the goggles by their
antifog coatings is outside the scope of this testing.
All goggles were tested in racing conditions—front and back starts, strong underwaters, and fast turns.
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2. Barracuda Fenix | $30 |
barracudausa.com
A new model since the last time we tested, the
Fenix manages to be both extremely comfortable and fairly low profile. The rounder shape of
the eyecups means more comfort for swimmers
who don’t want that bulging feeling from wearing small oval cups. The cups are fairly flat, so
not a lot of drag there, and the peripheral view
is great. The large head strap and quick-release
buckles make the Fenix easy to adjust, but
they’re somewhat thick and cumbersome for racing, so you may want to replace the strap with a
bungee. A hard-shell storage case is included.
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» » » Tested
FOR Masters
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Swimmers
BY Masters
Swimmers
3. Finis Bolt | $16–$18 | finisinc.com
A slightly larger model than Finis’s Lightning (which we also tested), the Bolt sits a bit higher over the
eye, which means more comfort and a wider range of fit. The Bolt’s head strap comes with plastic clips
that help keep the two bands from getting tangled or slipping. A hard-shell storage case is included.
4. Nike Remora | $17–$18 | nikeswim.com
The Remora is a comfortable model with a great peripheral view. Testers liked the generous-inlength combination flat and round silicone head strap with a large and easy-to-adjust buckle. The
buckle uses the same layered-loop adjustment method as many models; it’s just bigger and easier to
see and hold onto. Packaging appears to be changing from a throwaway plastic box to a reusable
soft-sided plastic snapcase, as our samples arrived in both.
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5. Nike Remora Fem | $14 | nikeswim.com
The Remora Fem features a soft foam gasket around the eyecups, instead of silicone, making it
very comfortable. Although the foam puts less pressure on the face, the Fems had to be tightened
for diving and fast turns, as the foam is more likely to slide around than the silicone gasket. This
meant wearing it loose in practice and tightening it for race sets.
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Swim Bag: Racing Goggles
6. Speedo Vanquisher 2.0, 2.0 Plus | $20–$22 |
speedousa.com
Speedo keeps improving this familiar favorite. The 2.0s have
flatter sidewalls, allowing for a better peripheral view than the
original Vanquisher, and the Plus model comes with a metallic
coating that provides great protection from glare when swimming outside. Other improvements include an easier-to-swap
nose bridge and a larger buckle. Speedo also offers a plethora of
cool color combinations, including collegiate colors.
Low Profile
These models are all designed for serious racing—with sleek,
drag-reducing design and good peripheral view for eyeballing the
competition. Many of our experienced testers also wore them for
extended practices.
9. Aqua Sphere | K180 ($25) K180+ ($30) |
aquasphereswim.com
None of our testers had ever tried these goggles and most
loved them, citing comfort, snazzy looks, and great peripheral
views. The difference between the K180 and the K180+ is in the
gasket, with a more compact and rounded gasket on the K180+;
both are comfortable. Both models provide a great peripheral
view. Tension buckles allow for adjustment while being worn. A
hard-shell storage case is included.
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7. Sporti S2 | $6–$7 | swimoutlet.com
The S2 is an excellent basic set of goggles at a great price, based
on the original Vanquisher, based on the original Vanquisher. The
Sporti S2 will fit many faces comfortably. As with many Sporti
products, custom USMS logo models are available. A soft plastic
and mesh storage case is included.
10. Blueseventy Nero Race | $18–$23 |
blueseventy.com
The Neros are similar to the Speedo Speed Sockets, and have a
tension buckle that allows for adjustment on the fly. A hard-shell
storage case is included.
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11. Finis Lightning | $12–$16 | finisinc.com
The Lightning features button-touch strap adjustment, and
swapping out the nose piece is easier than with other brands.
The Lightning sits close to the eyes, so anyone with deep eye
sockets or protuberant eyes may feel their eyelashes scraping the
inside of the lens. A hard-shell storage case is included.
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8. TYR Stealth | $17–$20 | tyr.com
The Stealth features a large, comfortable, extra-soft gasket,
which makes for a good fit on wider faces. Off the blocks, the
pliable gasket has a tendency to slip unless the strap is tightened.
The strap is a combination round and flat, and features a tension
buckle that allows for adjustment while wearing. The Stealth is
fully customizable on TYR’s website—so clubs looking to fly their
colors can go wild. A soft cloth storage bag is included.
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12. Nike Resolute Max | $28 | nikeswim.com
Flanged like the Barracuda Hydrobat, the Resolute Max seats
firmly on your face when you hit the water. Another great feature is the plastic tabs that extend from the sides of the eyecups
and attach the straps to the goggles. These tabs are designed to
fit under a second swim cap to secure the goggles in racing conditions. If the tabs are not tucked under a cap, they can have the
opposite effect—catching water and pulling the goggles off—so
double-capping is required (or putting the goggles underneath
a single cap, but for anyone with longer hair, it’s just easier to
double cap). The flange sits closer to the face than the Barracuda
Hydrobat, making this model not quite as comfortable as the
Hydrobat, and testers with deep-set eyes or prominent cheekbones could not wear them at all.
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13. Speedo Fastskin 3 Elite | $75 | speedousa.com
Testers loved the FS3 Elite, reporting extreme comfort and stability (we would hope so, given the extreme price). The strap is
designed with a numerical scale so the goggles can be adjusted to
a particular number. This is a great feature if you plan on wearing them for both practice and racing, as you can adjust them to
a different number for each. The FS3s are surprisingly comfortable for their low-profile design, and mold to the face. The field
of view is excellent as well. Goggles for serious racers. A soft
cloth storage bag is included.
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14. Speedo Speed Socket | $25–$65 |
speedousa.com
Speed Sockets take some getting used to, like swedes (reviewed
on page 48), as they sit small and tight around the eyes. But
many swimmers swear by them and consider them a reliable
go-to model for racing and training. Our open water testers
loved the polarized lenses in bright sunlight and found that
buoys were much easier to see. A hard-shell storage case is included for regular models. A hard shell case or soft cloth bag
is included with most models.
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Swim Bag: Racing Goggles
Swedes
Swedes are an acquired fit—most swimmers either love them
or hate them. Traditionally, they have no rubber gasket—the
hard plastic eyecup sits right on your skin. Testers who have
always used swedes say that this takes some getting used to, but
that comfort is possible.
One of the best features is the exact custom fit made
possible by the string-and-tube nose bridge assemblies. Our testers universally preferred the strings
over the optional rubber strap pieces, which tend to
stretch out and pull on the eyes. The string-and-tube
assembly takes a bit longer to set up, but is worth it
for the fit.
15. Nike Resolute | $14 | nikeswim.com
Our swede testers gave the Resolute high marks. Nike includes
an extra-long string, with pre-burnt ends, and the nose bridge
tube is soft and pliable. However, the holes on the eyecups are
very small, and tweezers are required to thread them, even with
the pre-burnt ends.
16. Sporti Swedish | $3–$5 | swimoutlet.com
Sporti includes a lot of features with this model, especially for
the low cost. Testers were delighted to find an optional bungee
in the bag, along with standard rubber head straps. The string
is long, and the ends need burning prior to threading the nose
bridge and eyecups together. The holes in the eyecups are larger
and much easier to thread than the Nikes are. The Sportis are a
great value for swede lovers.
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17. TYR Swedish Lo-Pro | $20–$23 | tyr.com
The TYR Lo-Pro is the only swede model we tested that includes a rubber gasket around the eyecups, making it a good
gateway model for anyone wanting to experiment with minimalist goggles. The string holes in the eyecups are larger, making
them a bit easier to thread, but the nose bridge tube is a little
shorter, although this was not a problem for our testers. Anyone
with wide-set eyes or a wide nose may prefer another model.
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