The 9 Best Swimming Goggles of 2023
Dotdash Meredith and Yahoo Inc. may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.
The Speedo Vanquisher 2.0 goggles are our overall pick due to their comfortable fit and amazing visibility underwater.
Health / Alli Waataja
Ouch! Just thinking about the eye irritation from salt or chlorine has us wincing. Not only does wearing goggles while swimming prevent pain and infection, but they allow you to see underwater in clear conditions. But with so many options available, it can be overwhelming to choose the best pair.
When shopping for a pair of swim goggles,the first question to ask is how you plan to use them, says physical therapist Steve Snider. For example, goggles intended for racing need to be tighter fitting, whereas goggles for a leisurely swim need to be less constrictive. Once you’ve determined your intended use, you should focus on getting a comfortable, secure fit over style or design.
To find the best goggles, we talked to experts about qualities to look for (and what to avoid). Based on their feedback and advice, we researched the top goggles for a wide variety of activities such as racing, open water swims, and recreational use.
Speedo Mirrored Vanquisher 2.0 Swim Goggles
Best Overall
Why We Like It: These goggles are comfortable and provide great visibility underwater, even in the dark.
It’s Worth Noting: The coating on the inner side of the lenses scratches and peels easily.
We put these goggles at the top of our list due to their comfortable fit and enhanced visibility. There are a number of different lens tints and colors available, so you can choose the right pair for you. The goggles are a great choice for both indoor and outdoor swimming. Because these goggles are mirrored, they also provide protection against the sun.
These goggles are popular among competitive swimmers, but simple enough to appeal to fitness and casual swimmers as well. Adjusting the goggles is easy, especially since there are several nose pieces that can be changed out so you can find the most comfortable fit. The coating on the inner side of these lenses scratches and peels easily, but that was the only downside, and it’s a minor one.
Price at time of publication: $21
Product Details:
Visibility: Mirrored antifog lenses
Adjustability: Adjustable headband and nosepiece
Use: Competitive, fitness, and casual swimmers
Sporti Antifog S2 Goggle
Best Budget
Why We Like It: These goggles include four adjustable nose pieces for a perfect fit, and the antifog coating on the inside of the lenses keeps vision clear.
It’s Worth Noting: These need to be adjusted tightly so they won’t slip during dives, and the antifog coating may begin to peel off if the goggles aren’t handled properly.
These goggles consistently receive rave reviews, due to their low price tag. But despite their low cost, they offer a comfortable, secure fit. They’re good for all types of swimmers regardless of experience level, and we love that the goggles are available in a variety of colors to suit your taste and style.
Although the antifog lenses work well, keep in mind the coating on the inside of the goggles rubs off easily. As long as you handle the goggles carefully when you clean them, though, it shouldn’t be an issue.
Price at time of publication: $14
Product Details:
Visibility: Antifog lenses
Adjustability: Headband and four nose pieces
Use: All types of swimmers
TYR Adult Blackhawk Racing Swim Goggles
Best for Racing
Why We Like It: The soft silicone gaskets provide a tight seal and comfortable fit, while the slim profile minimizes drag.
It’s Worth Noting: The nose bridge pieces are hard to change.
Racing goggles need to be slim, close-fitting, and lightweight, and these goggles check off all the boxes. They also provide full UVA and UVB protection, making them a good pair to use for outdoor swim races and workouts.
The goggles provide strong peripheral visibility to help you move with more certainty in the water and are designed to be watertight and to minimize drag during your races. They come with five interchangeable nose bridges, which is a great feature, but changing the bridges is harder than it looks on the packaging. TYR recommends these goggles for swimmers age 16 and up and we love that these are eight colors to choose from.
Price at time of publication: From $18
Product Details:
Visibility: Wide periphery
Adjustability: Silicone headband and five nosebridges
Use: Racing
TYR Swimple Kids Goggle
Best for Kids
Why We Like It: These goggles come in a number of cool tie-dye color patterns that kids love.
It’s Worth Noting: These goggles may not be as watertight as others.
A good pair of goggles goes a long way in helping kids learn to swim. Putting your face in the water is a major part of swimming, but kids are often afraid to fully submerge their faces, says Dene Ehrhart, a physical education teacher and swim coach at Chico High School in Chico, California. Goggles help kids see better underwater, which will help them feel more comfortable putting their face under. The TYR Swimple Tie Dye youth goggles are a great choice for kids of all swimming abilities.
These swimming goggles are designed to fit smaller faces, but they are also fully adjustable. They have a double headband for added security and durability. Some of the goggles may have issues with leaking, so make sure you help your child adjust the goggles to get a watertight fit.
Price at time of publication: From $15
Product Details:
Visibility: Clear vision underwater
Adjustability: Double headband
Use: Children ages three to 10
Speedo Hydrospex Swim Goggles
Most Versatile
Why We Like It: These are a solid, simple pair of goggles that can be used by competitors and fitness swimmers alike.
It’s Worth Noting: The antifog coating is easily damaged.
If you spend a lot of time in the pool, you need a good pair (or two) of multipurpose goggles to throw in your swim bag. Look no further than the Speedo Unisex Hydrospex Classic goggles. These popular goggles are available in several design types, including minimalist clear lenses with clear gaskets and a clear strap. They can accompany any skin tone and blend in with any color of swimsuit or cap. You can buy the clear goggles by themselves or bundle them with a black Speedo swim cap.
We love that the antifog lenses also offer UV protection, which makes them well-suited for swimming outdoors. One minor downside is that the antifog coating seems to be susceptible to damage, so handle the goggles with care.
Price at time of publication: From $16
Product Details:
Visibility: 95% UV protection and antifog lenses
Adjustability: Double headstraps
Use: Professional and casual swimmers
Aqua Sphere Kayenne Swim Goggles With Polarized Lens
Best for Open Water
Why We Like It: The polarized lenses cut glare from the sun, and the 180-degree visibility is hard to beat.
It’s Worth Noting: These are comfortable and secure, but they can feel a bit bulky.
Your eyes need extra protection when swimming in open water, and the Aqua Sphere Kayenne goggles are designed just for that. The lenses are designed to provide clear visibility in the water, and the polarized lenses protect against the sun while also minimizing glare and improving depth perception.
The head straps are easy to adjust and are made of high-quality silicon. In addition to polarization, the lenses also have antifog coating. They’re bulkier than typical recreational swim goggles, so they might take some getting used to if you usually use more lightweight goggles.
Price at time of publication: $51
Product Details:
Visibility: Polarized, antifog, 180-degree visibility
Adjustability: Double head straps
Use: Open water swimming
FINIS Bolt Swimming Goggles
For Beginners
Why We Like It: These goggles offer a comfortable and secure fit.
It’s Worth Noting: The nose pieces are a bit flimsy.
FINIS Bolt goggles are a perfect choice for new swimmers due to their low-profile, hydrodynamic design (meaning you can glide through the water without extra resistance from the goggles). The lenses are curved to fit closely to your face.
These swimming goggles come with three different sizes of interchangeable nose pieces to improve their overall fit. The polycarbonate lenses have anti-fog and UV protection and offer a wide field of vision in the water. A wide sense of peripheral vision helps you see what is on each side of you as you swim, such as other swimmers. One downside to this pair is that the nose pieces are not the best quality, so handle them carefully.
Price at time of publication: From $21
Product Details:
Visibility: Antifog, UV protection, wide visibility
Adjustability: Adjustable headstrap and 3 nose pieces
Use: Beginners and racers
Arena Cobra Ultra-swipe Swim Goggles
Best Antigfog
Why We Like It: These swimming goggles allow you to clear foggy vision with just a few gentle swipes of your finger.
It’s Worth Noting: Because they were made for racing, these goggles have a tighter fit that may not be comfortable for everyone, especially recreational swimmers.
These goggles top our list for best antifog lenses due to their unique technology. While touching or wiping the inside of the lenses can cause many antifog goggles to deteriorate, these goggles are the opposite. Touching the inside of the lenses helps activate the antifog coating. When your vision starts to get distorted due to foggy lenses, you can clear it up by swiping it with your finger.
At just 0.5” thick, these goggles are some of the thinnest available, and this low profile prevents slipping during dives. This makes them ideal for racing in pools or open water. These goggles provide great upward peripheral visibility, which makes it easier to see the pool walls and have better timed flip turns.
These goggles include five interchangeable nose bridges for added fit and comfort, along with the double head strap for security.
Price at time of publication: $50
Product Details:
Visibility: Upward peripheral visibility
Adjustability: Double head strap and five nose pieces
Use: Racing, competing
FINIS Smart Goggle
Best Smart
Why We Like It: These goggles feature a digital display to allow users to track workouts. The included smartphone app allows you to organize and edit data.
It’s Worth Noting: These are the most expensive goggles on our list.
If you swim for fitness, you want to maximize your results, and the FINIS Smart Goggles are designed with that end in mind. The in-goggle real-time display gives you an overview of your personal swim data, such as lap time and rest time.
We also love the app that accompanies these goggles. It lays out all the information in an appealing, easy-to-understand way that will help you get the most out of your practice.
The goggles come with five interchangeable nose bridges for added comfort and fit. If you need to replace the goggles, you can remove the heads-up display (HUD) and insert it into the new pair, making them easily replaceable. Overall, the smart features and personalized data make these a no-brainer for the serious swimmer.
Price at time of publication: $200
Product Details:
Visibility: Antifog and in-lens screen
Adjustability: Adjustable head strap and five nose pieces
Use: Racing and competing
How We Selected the Best Goggles of 2023
To find the best goggles of 2023, we consulted with experts including opticians, physical therapists, and physical education teachers. We asked for their insights into who should use swimming goggles, what materials and designs to look for, and what factors should play into their product choices.
Experts we spoke with included:
Trenton Titus, DPT, a physical therapist in Austin, Texas
Jennifer Yang, an optician in Chico, California
Dene Ehrhart, a physical education teacher and swim coach at Chico High School in Chico, California
Based on their advice, we researched the highest rated products to learn more about the the types of swimming goggles available and how much you can expect to pay.
What to Know About Swimming Goggles
Who Should Use Swimming Goggles
Almost anyone can swim to improve their health, and wearing goggles can help make swimming more comfortable and accessible. Snider notes that when fully submerged in water, you are at one-sixth of your body weight, which reduces compressive force on weight-bearing joints like your knees and hips. This is why swimming is recommended for people of all ages and abilities.
None of the experts we spoke with have any reservations about using swimming goggles. In fact, they all emphasize that not using goggles can be harmful. Jenny Yang, an optician in Chico, California, notes that swimming without goggles can lead to dry eyes, exposure to ultraviolet rays, and burning from chlorine and other chemicals.
If you wear contacts, Yang also says there are prescription goggles available. This is important because swimming in contact lenses without goggles can damage your vision.
What Material and Shape to Look for in Swimming Goggles
For the most part, goggles that are good for competitive swimming can also be used for recreational swims. “Every once in a while you'll get a person that will come out with a flattened mask,” says Ehrhart. “While those are good for triathlon swimming, which is in the ocean or open water, [other] goggles are all very similar in terms of the style, whether it's a fitness thing or a competitive thing.”
Ehrhart suggests low-profile goggles for racing. He says that reflective goggles are helpful if you frequently swim in the dark or when the sun is going down, so keep these features in mind if you swim competitively or in open water.
How Much You Can Expect to Pay for Swimming Goggles
You can expect to pay anything from under $20 for a simple pair of goggles (best for recreational swimmers) or up to $200 for a smart goggle kit (for competitive or open water swimmers).
Your Questions, Answered
Is it good to wear goggles while swimming?
Yes, goggles are a great addition to your swim bag, regardless of level.
Goggles protect your eyes from glare, chlorine, salt, and harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun, making them a good choice for all types of swimming.
Goggles also enhance your vision underwater and make swimming a more pleasant and accessible experience for beginners and children, who might lack confidence in the water.
What are the best swimming goggles?
Ehrhart says that swimmers should prioritize fit, comfort, and functionality when shopping for swimming goggles. There is no single best pair or brand, since fit and comfort vary based on your face shape.
Who We Are
Kelsey Ogle is a fitness swimmer in Chico, California, who writes regularly about health and wellness products.
For more Health news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on Health.
