There is nothing worse than swimming with a pair of goggles that fit incorrectly or keep getting water in them. When you are choosing new goggles, there are a few factors that need to be considered, especially if you don’t want to be constantly fiddling with them throughout your swimming sessions.
1. Try before you buy
First of all, and I can’t stress this enough, it is really important for you to try on goggles before you buy them. You need to make sure that the goggles fit your face properly. There are many different shapes and sizes of goggles, so it’s important to try out the options before committing to a pair. A good opportunity to take advantage of is the “try before you buy” option offered by the Speedo Shop at AUT Millennium. This gives you the chance to not only try on the goggles in-store, but take them for a test swim in the pool to make sure they are the best fit for you before you purchase.
2. Comfort
The second thing to keep in mind when choosing goggles is comfort. A pair of comfortable goggles is important because you are going to be wearing them for long periods of time and you don’t want them to become irritating or distracting. When you are trying them on for the first time, think about how they feel, as there’s nothing worse than ending up with an uncomfortable pair of goggles.
3. Fit
The most important aspect when choosing the right pair of goggles is how the lens seal fits around your eye socket. When placed over your eyes, goggles should make a seal easily, even without the strap. If they don’t suction on they can leak, so make sure there aren’t any gaps where the goggles touch your face. Don’t forget to adjust the strap of the goggles to test the fit before you move on to the next pair.
4. Purpose
One other aspect to think about is what you are going to be using the goggles for. This can lead you to choosing a pair of goggles with a lower or higher profile. The profile of the goggles refers to how far they protrude from your face. From personal experience, goggles with a higher profile are more likely to leak or fall off when diving in. For these reasons, I personally prefer goggles that have a lower profile, but doing this can sacrifice comfort. Therefore it is important to think about what you are trying to achieve when using your goggles.
So just remember to come in to try on goggles and keep in mind how comfortable they feel, how well they fit, and what you are using them for. Follow this, and I’m sure you’ll find the correct pair!
If there are any swimming tips you’d like us to tackle, let us know by emailing [email protected]