As any surf ironman, ironwoman, triathlete, or regular ocean swimmer will tell you, swimming in the sea is very different to swimming in a pool.
For one thing, viewing and sighting in open water is significantly more difficult. As an ocean swimmer, you must regularly lift your head to ‘sight’ marker buoys or landmarks, in order to correctly orientate yourself and stay on course during a triathlon or ocean swim event.
But glare can be a major issue when swimming in open water on a bright day, especially when you’re swimming directly towards the sun. And the clear lenses on normal goggles are designed for indoor use, offering no protection from the sun’s harsh rays.
So for ocean swimmers, a darker tint is preferable. Dark blues, reds, greens, or smoke colors excel in bright environments, reducing the amount of light absorbed by your eyes (similar to a pair of sunglasses). UV protection and metalised (mirrored) lenses are also a great idea if you’ll be swimming in strong sunlight.
And since the ocean is deeper, darker and murkier than a well-lit pool, you’ll want top quality lenses, with an anti-fog coating to reduce condensation during your swim.
Many brands produce goggles designed specifically to address the challenges faced by open water swimmers. These goggles boast superior peripheral vision, with high-quality anti-glare, polarised or mirrored wide-angle lenses, and comfortable gaskets and straps.
Ocean swimmers frequently practice or race for extended periods of time — often going for several hours without a break, so comfort is a vital consideration. It’s not easy to stop and adjust your straps in the open sea, especially when surface conditions are windy or choppy, so it's best to choose goggles constructed using soft silicone, with cushioned rubber seals and dual or split straps. These will remain in place and distribute pressure more evenly over a wide area for a gentle yet secure fit.
Some brands employ a design that resembles a snorkel mask, without the closed nose, offering a larger, more secure and more comfortable seal than traditional swimming goggles. This helps ensure your goggles stay firmly in place as you dolphin-dive through breakers, bodysurf waves back to shore, or jostle with other swimmers around the cans (because ocean swimming can be a contact sport at times!).
Ultimately, the best pair of goggles is the one that works for you, and it’s inevitable that you’ll need to try several models before you find a perfect fit. Clarity and comfort, rather than appearance, should always be your priority when selecting ocean swimming goggles. Fortunately, goggles aren’t an overly expensive item of equipment, and if (like most serious ocean swimmers) it takes you a while to find your ideal pair, then at least you’ll have plenty of spares to lend to fellow swimmers.
The guide below presents the top five ocean swimming goggles for 2016. These goggles are all designed to minimise glare, enhance visibility in turbid waters, remain securely and comfortably in place, and hopefully help you on your way to a new personal best.
All selected models may be purchased through Amazon and can be delivered to the USA, Australia and most other countries (with free shipping in many cases). And of course, these goggles are also perfectly suitable for river, lake, and even pool swimming, as well as ocean use.
For one thing, viewing and sighting in open water is significantly more difficult. As an ocean swimmer, you must regularly lift your head to ‘sight’ marker buoys or landmarks, in order to correctly orientate yourself and stay on course during a triathlon or ocean swim event.
But glare can be a major issue when swimming in open water on a bright day, especially when you’re swimming directly towards the sun. And the clear lenses on normal goggles are designed for indoor use, offering no protection from the sun’s harsh rays.
So for ocean swimmers, a darker tint is preferable. Dark blues, reds, greens, or smoke colors excel in bright environments, reducing the amount of light absorbed by your eyes (similar to a pair of sunglasses). UV protection and metalised (mirrored) lenses are also a great idea if you’ll be swimming in strong sunlight.
And since the ocean is deeper, darker and murkier than a well-lit pool, you’ll want top quality lenses, with an anti-fog coating to reduce condensation during your swim.
Many brands produce goggles designed specifically to address the challenges faced by open water swimmers. These goggles boast superior peripheral vision, with high-quality anti-glare, polarised or mirrored wide-angle lenses, and comfortable gaskets and straps.
Ocean swimmers frequently practice or race for extended periods of time — often going for several hours without a break, so comfort is a vital consideration. It’s not easy to stop and adjust your straps in the open sea, especially when surface conditions are windy or choppy, so it's best to choose goggles constructed using soft silicone, with cushioned rubber seals and dual or split straps. These will remain in place and distribute pressure more evenly over a wide area for a gentle yet secure fit.
Some brands employ a design that resembles a snorkel mask, without the closed nose, offering a larger, more secure and more comfortable seal than traditional swimming goggles. This helps ensure your goggles stay firmly in place as you dolphin-dive through breakers, bodysurf waves back to shore, or jostle with other swimmers around the cans (because ocean swimming can be a contact sport at times!).
Ultimately, the best pair of goggles is the one that works for you, and it’s inevitable that you’ll need to try several models before you find a perfect fit. Clarity and comfort, rather than appearance, should always be your priority when selecting ocean swimming goggles. Fortunately, goggles aren’t an overly expensive item of equipment, and if (like most serious ocean swimmers) it takes you a while to find your ideal pair, then at least you’ll have plenty of spares to lend to fellow swimmers.
The guide below presents the top five ocean swimming goggles for 2016. These goggles are all designed to minimise glare, enhance visibility in turbid waters, remain securely and comfortably in place, and hopefully help you on your way to a new personal best.
All selected models may be purchased through Amazon and can be delivered to the USA, Australia and most other countries (with free shipping in many cases). And of course, these goggles are also perfectly suitable for river, lake, and even pool swimming, as well as ocean use.
1. Vorgee Missile Rainbow Mirror
Vorgee is one of Australia's most trusted aquatic accessories brands. They manufacture exceptional swim products for everyone from beginners to the elite competitor. The Missile is Vorgee's top selling race goggle, with an ultra-light, low profile design and soft slimline liquid silicone eye seals for a watertight finish.
The Missile boasts four interchangeable nosebridges for a custom fit, as well as shatter-resistant anti-fog lenses with UV protection and a mirrored finish to reflect light in bright outdoor environments. They look great, and they won’t come off when bodysurfing and diving through waves.
The Missile boasts four interchangeable nosebridges for a custom fit, as well as shatter-resistant anti-fog lenses with UV protection and a mirrored finish to reflect light in bright outdoor environments. They look great, and they won’t come off when bodysurfing and diving through waves.
2. Vorgee Vortech Smoke Lens
Based on Vorgee’s popular Voyager model, the Vortech boasts additional features that make this the perfect goggle for ocean swimming. The Ultra Vision wide-angle curved lens offers unbeatable clarity, while the innovative injection of anti-fog solution directly into the premium lens ensures superb visual definition at all times.
Designed with a soft frame unibody for added comfort, and a quick fitting strap adjustment, it’s no wonder the Vortech has developed a cult following among Australian surf sports participants.
Designed with a soft frame unibody for added comfort, and a quick fitting strap adjustment, it’s no wonder the Vortech has developed a cult following among Australian surf sports participants.
3. TYR Nest Pro Metallized
The Nest Pro Metallized is TYRs fastest growing goggle. Soft gaskets ensure a water-tight fit and reduce the dreaded ‘raccoon eye’ effect. The remarkable wide-angle (180 degree range of vision) peripheral cellulose propionate lenses feature an embedded anti-fog solution and UV protection.
With a metallized coating that provides protection from the sun's glare, these low-profile goggles offer great vision and comfort, ideal for triathletes and ocean swimmers. Women and children might prefer the slightly smaller TYR Nest Pro Nano model.
With a metallized coating that provides protection from the sun's glare, these low-profile goggles offer great vision and comfort, ideal for triathletes and ocean swimmers. Women and children might prefer the slightly smaller TYR Nest Pro Nano model.
4. Maru Groove Polarized
A high performance goggle designed for triathletes, the Maru Groove’s wide-angle polarised lenses filter out any glare reflected from the ocean surface. The deep curved lenses ensure unrivalled visibility, and they also look amazing, with a wasp-like black and yellow frame design that’s guaranteed to intimidate the opposition.
The fittings and seals are soft, comfortable and water-tight, and the strong chunky straps ensure the goggles always remain exactly where you want them, even when swimming through strong surf.
The fittings and seals are soft, comfortable and water-tight, and the strong chunky straps ensure the goggles always remain exactly where you want them, even when swimming through strong surf.
5. Zoggs Predator Flex and Flex Reactor
Zoggs' innovative four-flex frame technology lets each eye-cup move independently. This, along with the hypoallergenic silicone gasket, makes the Predator Flex one of the best fitting and most comfortable goggles on the market. The ultra-bronze polarized lenses reduce glare, and are curved to enable 180-degree vision, making these goggles a great option for ocean swimming. The lenses are also coated with a permanent fogbuster anti-fog solution.
And if money if no object, then consider the Predator's big brother, the Flex Reactor.
And if money if no object, then consider the Predator's big brother, the Flex Reactor.
This is Zoggs' top-of-the-line model, and it's an amazing piece of gear. The design is very similar to the standard Predator Flex, but the killer feature is the inclusion of a brilliant photochromatic lens. Designed to transition from clear to dark depending upon the sunlight, they’re the world's first goggle to automatically adjust to the perfect tint for all swimming conditions. Highly recommended.
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