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New ProductTYR One-Eighty Max Metallized Goggle  - Billed as the first goggle ever produced that has four-way contoured lenses. Makes open water swimming easier and more efficient than ever before.
- Designed by triathletes, who desired a goggle with a wider field of vision without the loss of a hydrodynamic fit.
- The aspheric lens design, which features a four-way bend construction, makes the transition from water to air smooth and easy on the eyes.
- Other features include anti-fog, anti-scratch and UV-protected lenses, which also happen to be hypoallergenic.
- Tentatively scheduled for release in January 2007.
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Swim Goggles
All year long you've yearned for this moment. Little Jimmy, your one and only son is finally ready to join the middle school swim team. He's been ranting and raving about his 100-meter backstroke all fall and he just can't wait to jump in that pool and get his feet wet. Before school, you make sure that he's equipped with his trunks, towel and swimcap. With a feeling of satisfaction and a smile, you walk him to the bus stop. Right before he hops on, he turns to you and says "Hey Dad, what about my swim goggles? " In a frenzy, you can't help but think to yourself, "I don't know the first thing about goggles." Rather than panicking, take a deep breath, relax and pay close attention to the next few paragraphs -- they could save a swimming career.
Like any modern sporting good, swim goggles are constantly changing for one reason or another. Sometimes they may be altered for cosmetic purposes, other times for tactical purposes. They are sized for both adults and children and designed for oval as well as round shaped eye sockets. Goggles can be tinted or clear, hypoallergenic, prescription or anti-fog. In the end, figuring out the best make of goggle for yourself might require some trial and error. If you have access to a few fellow swimmers' goggles, ask to try them on. Adjust them to see if you like the fit. If permitted, jump in the water with them and see how they treat your eyes. Just like a baseball mitt or a football helmet, swim goggles need to fit the unique shape of whomever is wearing them.
Goggle Construction- Gaskets are essentially what is attached to the back of the goggle lens. It is the part of the goggle that comes into contact with your face. For a long time, all goggles had foam gasketing.
- Recently a curved rubber gasket has become quite popular. This new gasket appeals to many because it is hypoallergenic and over time it will not detach from the rest of the goggle. The foam gasket has a tendency to do this.
- Straps
- Originally, all goggles came with a single rubber strap that ran across the back of the head. This strap was functional, but there was clearly room for improvement. Often it failed to hold the lens in contact with the face and water would enter a swimmer's line of vision.
- Most of the new makes use a double strap that provides more balance. It reduces movement and helps prevent leakage.
- Lenses
- Simply put, lenses are what you see through. They allow your vision underwater to be clear and they keep you safe from chlorine and infection-producing bacteria that could potentially enter your eyes.
- Most goggle companies produce a variety of lenses that cater to any swimming experience. They make sport-specific goggles for games like water polo and race-specific goggles for competitive swimming. They also design indoor and outdoor goggles that differ in tint.
- If you wear glasses, you need to make sure that the goggles you purchase can be fitted with a prescription. It is important to note that many goggle companies do not offer this feature.
Goggle Styles
There are hundreds of different makes of goggles, and no one type is necessarily better than another. Here are a few of the more conventional and popular frames that you may want to check out.
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Swedish Style - Have no gaskets.
- Easily adjustable.
- Can be of high quality, yet they are generally very inexpensive.
- May require a short adjustment period since the edge of the goggles comes in direct contact with the skin around your eye.
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Foam Gasket Style - Foam gaskets can often make a pair of goggles fit more securely than goggles that have no foam.
- Mold and shape to your face with less stress.
- Maintenance is important for this type of goggle.
- With age, the foam can separate from the goggle, rendering them useless.
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Hard Rubber or Silicone Gasket Style - Contain a side portion which is constructed from a soft plastic.
- Plastic tends to be more comfortable than foam and, for many, it feels almost as though there is no gasket at all.
- Tend to cost more than most makes, but generally you get what you pay for.
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Children's Goggles- Some goggles are specifically designed for kids. They are smaller in diameter and they may have neat design on the trim, such as shark or a dolphin.
- Children will frequently damage or lose their goggles. Spending an inordinate amount of money on your child's swim gear might not necessarily be a terrific idea. Swimming at a young age is generally for recreation and less expensive goggles that do not burn a whole in your pocket are probably a wise investment.
- When searching for a pair of adequate goggles, make sure the main elements are intact. The strap on the goggles must be stable, and the nose piece should have little or no stretch to it.
- If the goggles come with a foam gasket, make sure that it is secured. Check to see if there are any gaps between the lens material and the foam. If there are gaps, chances are the goggles are poorly made.
Adult Goggles - Make sure that the goggles fit properly. You will know this once you have used them in the water. They may feel secure on your face at first, but if they leak underwater, they become virtually useless.
- Once you have adjusted the center piece of the goggles to your face, make sure that it does not cut the skin on your nose. It must feel comfortable and secure at the same time.
- If the goggles use foam, make sure that it is sufficient enough to provide both a seal and a cushion at the sharp edges. Otherwise, you may get significant leakage.
- Make sure that the goggles are appropriate for the environment you are swimming in. For bright or well-lit areas, you will need a darker lens; for dark or indoor areas, you will need a lighter lens.
- When testing the durability of a strap, you are looking for an elasticity that matches that of a strong rubber band. Too stiff means little flexibility, and too elastic means that it will break easily.
- Find out whether the lenses are shatter-resistant. If they are not, it may create a potential health hazard.
Major Manufacturers
Related Products
External Links- Swimnews.com: Gives breaking news, event calendars, and world rankings for competitive swimming and other water sports.
- SwimmingWorldMagazine.com: Daily headlines and up to the minute updates.
- Clubswim.com: Anything you can imagine for any level of swim junkie.
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