We've been comparing goggles at SwimTrek Towers, and no surprise we all have different views. One size doesn't fit all so we asked Simon, Kate, Yves and Laura C at SwimTrek HQ what goggles they wear and why they like them.
Simon – Founder of SwimTrek and Wearer of Cressi Planet (…at the moment)
Like our holidays I don’t have a favourite pair of goggles. I think that different goggles suit different swims, conditions and how you even feel yourself! At the moment I’m using Cressi’s, Planet goggle. It’s a comfortable to wear and gives you a good angle of vision. The advantage for long swims is that they offer less irritation, however they do also can give a little more drag. They come into their own when there is underwater scenery worth looking at! !
Kate – Corporate Director and Wearer of Swans SR2M
Swans SR2M – I took these goggles away with me to the BVI and Mallorca in the hope that they’d handle some heavy-duty sea swimming over a couple of weeks. They did! I have quite a small face (a dainty one I like to think!), and I found the silicone padding extremely comfortable fitting nicely around my eyes. The mirrored lens also helped to reflect the glaring sunlight, and the goggles didn’t leak at all. They’re not specifically designed for open water, and can be used both indoors and outdoors so for me, they’re a good all-rounder. Also available in a wide range of colours which appeals to me.
Yves – Operations Manager and Wearer of Aqua Sphere Vista (Clear lens)
They are my favourite goggles as they provide wide, clear vision, pretty much like a snorkelling mask, which make them perfect for open water swimming. Furthermore, everyone’s head/face shape is different and these goggles fit to mine just perfectly. Finally, I used these exact goggles on my English Channel swim and they didn’t leak once over 12 hours. I would recommend these to any open water swimmer!
Laura – Operations Coordinator and Wearer of Zogg Predator Flex (Polarized)
The main reason I like them is because they’re really comfortable. I prefer a soft, padded goggle, and these are nice and flexible with good suction and a strong seal to prevent leaking. They are easy to adjust which is handy because I will generally have them quite loose for training and tighten them up for a race – in triathlons it can get a bit choppy and scrappy at the start, with arms and legs flying everywhere, so having them a tighter means they’re more likely to stay where I want them! For open water in sunny conditions polarised lenses are really important – they cut out glare rather than just reducing the light coming through, which is what mirroring does. These are mirrored as well though, which is mostly for aesthetic reasons – it means I can glare at my competitors on the start line without them knowing (not that I do this of course!).
