Outdoor Fitness The Best Swimming Goggles, According to a Former Competitive Swimmer The Speedo Mirrored Vanquisher 2.0 goggles are a good value By Alex Battaglia Alex Battaglia Twitter Alex Battaglia is a public health researcher based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was formerly a competitive swimmer and swim coach, and she currently runs her own blog where she empowers people to live a healthy lifestyle. Learn about our editorial process Updated on April 06, 2022 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Tara Laferrara, CPT Reviewed by Tara Laferrara, CPT Tara Laferrara is a certified NASM personal trainer, yoga teacher, and fitness coach. She also created her own online training program, the TL Method. 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Whether you’re training for a race, swimming laps for cardio, or preparing for a triathlon, it is important to have the right goggles while you’re in the water. You may require different features like sun protection or peripheral visibility depending on whether you're swimming indoors or outdoors. We reviewed the goggles in our roundup for features like value and affordability, sun protection, overall visibility, comfort, and how leakproof they are. All of the products on this list were vetted and selected by a former competitive swimmer who knows the value of a quality pair when she sees it. We also had a NASM-certified personal trainer from our Review Board review the contents of this article for accuracy surrounding swimming goggles and the best way to evaluate them. Here, our picks for the best swimming goggles on the market. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Speedo Mirrored Vanquisher 2.0 Swim Goggles at Amazon Jump to Review Best Budget: Aegend Anti-Fog Swim Goggles at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Open Water Swimming: Aqua Sphere Kayenne Swim Goggle at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Swimming Laps: Zionor Anti-Fog G1 Swim Goggles at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Competitions: Speedo Unisex Speed Socket 2.0 Swim Goggles at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Triathlon: TYR Sport Special Ops 2.0 Polarized Swimming Goggle at Amazon Jump to Review Best with Prescription: TYR Corrective Optical Adult Goggles at Walmart Jump to Review Best Anti-Fog: Arena Cobra Ultra Competitive Swim Goggles at Amazon Jump to Review Best Splurge: MP Michael Phelps XCEED Swimming Goggles at Amazon Jump to Review Best Adjustable: Resurge Sports Anti-Fog Goggles with Bungee Straps at Amazon Jump to Review In This Article Expand Our Picks What to Look For FAQ Why Trust Verywell Fit Best Overall Speedo Mirrored Vanquisher 2.0 Swim Goggles 4.6 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Dick's The Speedo Vanquisher goggles have all the features of a quality swimming goggle and are our best overall pick. They are equipped with anti-fog protection, UV protection, a wide panoramic lens, silicon seals around the eyes, and four separate nosepiece options for a custom fit. Speedo is a top, trusted brand among competitive swimmers, and this product is low cost but made of quality, durable material that's built to last. Price at time of publication: $25 Best Budget Aegend Anti-Fog Swim Goggles Amazon View On Amazon At an affordable price, these Aegend goggles are a great value pick. The inner lenses are coated with top-notch treatment technology. They are suitable for almost everyone—men, women, and children—and come in 15 different colors. They have also been improved to include a higher nosepiece so that it won't press on your face as you swim, giving it a more comfortable feel compared to a typical nosepiece. Due to the ergonomic design, these goggles are known to be fairly leakproof—which is an added bonus, especially considering the price. Price at time of publication: $14 Best for Open Water Swimming Aqua Sphere Kayenne Swim Goggle Amazon View On Amazon View On Dick's The 180-degree visibility on these goggles is essential for open water swimming because when you’re in open waters, you will need to be able to use your peripheral vision to see where you’re going and to spot buoys. This can also help with swimming in a straighter line, which can improve race times. When it comes to open water swimming, clear lenses (like the ones found on these goggles) are superior to tinted lenses, since swimming in already potentially murky wanters can prove more difficult with a tinted view. Plus, the goggles built with 100% UVA and UVB protection, ensuring that the sunlight won't hurt your eyes, even through a clear lens. Price at time of publication: $65 The 12 Best Swim Caps of 2023 Best for Swimming Laps Zionor Anti-Fog G1 Swim Goggles Amazon View On Amazon If you’re simply looking to swim some laps and call it day, and racing or training isn’t on your radar, these goggles are a good fit for you. When swimming laps, comfort becomes more of a priority than other goggle features, especially if you are new to swimming. It is not uncommon to walk away from the pool with “raccoon eyes” after a swim session because your goggles were too tight—but this Zionor model uses optimized cushioning within the google frames to prevent that from happening. Price at time of publication: $30 The 10 Best Women's Water Shoes of 2023 Best for Competitions Speedo Unisex Speed Socket 2.0 Swim Goggles Amazon View On Amazon View On Speedousa.com The Speedo Speed Sockets are ideal for competitions due to their curved hydrodynamic lenses, anti-glare coating and custom inner eye fit. Especially beneficial for outdoor competitions, these goggles are equipped with UVA and UVB sun protection and mirrored lenses to keep the eyes safe. The hydrodynamic lenses provide a panoramic view, which gives swimmers a competitive edge in a race as they offer greater peripheral visibility while underwater. Price at time of publication: $40 The 4 Best Waterproof Fitness Trackers of 2023 Best for Triathlon TYR Sport Special Ops 2.0 Polarized Swimming Goggle Amazon View On Amazon These goggles may not be the most durable or last forever, but if you just need a pair of comfortable, low-cost goggles that will provide good UV protection and last you long enough to train for your triathlon, this TYR model is your best bet. Though they are designed for swimmers who plan to train outdoors (whether in an outdoor pool or the open water) they can also be used in indoor pools while maintaining clear visibility. Finally, they include a wide peripheral view, which is very beneficial to outdoor swimming competitions, especially in the ocean. Price at time of publication: $20 The 8 Best Triathlon Watches Best with Prescription TYR Corrective Optical Adult Goggles Dickssportinggoods View On Walmart View On Dick's View On Scuba.com These prescriptive goggles are a bargain without compromising on quality. They come in 11 different corrective diopters, ranging from -2.0 to -8.0. TYR, also a trusted brand among swimmers, took care to design these prescription goggles with features that any swimmer would look for in a goggle—including both an adjustable nose bridge and a universal eye socket frame for maximum comfort when wearing. Price at time of publication: $33 Best Anti-Fog Arena Cobra Ultra Competitive Swim Goggles Amazon View On Amazon While the Arena Cobra Ultras are on the pricier side, they might be worth it if you’re looking for a slick style of goggles that prevent fogging. These goggles are built with a unique anti-fog swipe technology, which allows you to literally use your finger to swipe and re-activate the anti-fog protection within the goggle frame when things get a little blurry. Available in 22 different styles, there is bound to be a pair that matches your taste. Price at time of publication: $70 9 Best Running Headphones of 2023, Tested by a Running Coach Best Splurge MP Michael Phelps XCEED Swimming Goggles Amazon View On Amazon This should go without saying, but any pair of goggles being put on the market by Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps himself must be high quality, but of course, it all comes at a price. You can expect these goggles to be extremely leakproof, durable, and comfortable. The rigid exoskeleton keeps the goggle stable on your face, and the soft Softeril gasket on the goggle frame ensures comfort and a tight seal around the eyes to keep the water out. Price at time of publication: $45 Best Adjustable Resurge Sports Anti-Fog Goggles with Bungee Straps Amazon View On Amazon By far, bungee straps are the best workaround to the inevitable challenge of adjusting your goggle straps. As a former swim coach, I’ve spent countless hours not just coaching, but adjusting goggle straps for my swimmers—which is why as a swimmer, I switched to using a bungee strap to adjust my goggles early on in my swim career and never looked back. Considering this Resurge design is already a decent option for goggles (especially if your goal is to swim laps with comfort around the eyes), the fact that they already come equipped with the bungee strap is a huge selling point. Bungees on their own normally sell for the price of these goggles, so this option is a great bang for your buck. Price at time of publication: $15 Best for Kids Speedo Junior Hyper Flyer Swim Goggles Amazon View On Amazon View On Speedousa.com Speedo is also a reliable brand for kids’ goggles. This pair has all of the basics that a kid would need in a pair of goggles—straps that are easily adjustable, goggle seals that keep the lenses leakproof, and not to mention ten different unique designs and colors to choose from. When sporting these goggles, your kid can show up to swim practice in style. Price at time of publication: $15 Final Verdict Affordable and complete with a variety of features, the Speedo Vanquisher 2.0 is an obvious choice. With its anti-fog lenses and panoramic view, it manages common goggle complaints and is versatile enough to be used outdoors or indoors. If eye comfort is a priority, you can’t go wrong with Resurge Sports Anti-fog with Bungee Straps, which doubles as adjustable goggles and bungees all-in-one, proving a cost-effective pick. What to Look for in Swimming Goggles Sun Protection Most goggles are either non-mirrored, mirrored or polarized. Non-mirrored lenses are best for indoor swimming, since a tinted lens while inside might make it too dark to see. Mirrored and polarized lenses are best for outdoor swimming because they reflect and filter out the sunlight. Visibility Some goggles will have hydrodynamic lenses, which allow you to have a wider peripheral view. This isn’t necessary if you are planning to just swim laps, but for training and competitions, it increases your visibility while underwater (so you don’t swim into a lane line during your race). Comfort If you need goggles for swimming laps or for swim practice, you’ll want something that is comfortable and fits your face well. For competitions, you may want to pay more attention to the other features (such as visibility or sunlight protection), and whether they are anti-fog or leakproof, rather than comfort. On race day, you won’t be worried about how comfortable your goggles are if your lenses fog up and you can’t see where you’re going—so it's important to keep this in mind when choosing your goggles. Frequently Asked Questions How do you clean swimming goggles? Clean your swimming goggles after use by rinsing them in warm water and buffing with a gentle cloth, such as one made from soft cotton or microfiber. You can clean the straps with soap and water using your hands or the cloth. Be sure to rinse the soap residue off. Let your goggles air dry in a well ventilated area to prevent mold. How do you keep swim goggles from fogging? To keep swim goggles from fogging, consider using an anti-fog solution. A few drops of this solution applied to your goggles and then rinsed can prevent fog from forming while you use your goggles. Other products that may help prevent fog include shaving cream, baby shampoo, and saliva. Just be sure to clean them thoroughly after use. How do you remove scratches from swim goggles? Some swim goggle scratches can be removed using an abrasive paste found at a hardware store or very fine grit sandpaper. You can also try toothpaste for very light scratches. However, be aware that any method you take to remove scratches might further damage them. Instead, keep them inside a soft protective case to prevent damage. How long do swim goggles last? Swim goggles last approximately 3 to 6 months, depending on how often you use them, how you store and clean them, and the quality of the goggles. You can help your goggles last longer by storing them carefully and cleaning them after use to prevent scratches, mold and breakdown of the bands. How do I make sure my swim goggles fit? To make sure your swim goggles fit, place the eye cups over your eyes without stretching the straps over your head. Press the eye cups onto your eyes. They should seal and suction within a few seconds. If not, they are not a likely fit for your eyes. If they do not seal and come off easily, you may need a bigger size.Straps should not be tight or uncomfortable. Place the bottom strap around the back of your head at eye level and the touch strap slightly higher for a more secure fit. If you have an adjustable nose bridge, it can be tightened or loosened for a more custom fit. Can I wear contacts with swim goggles? You should not allow your contacts to be exposed to water of any kind. You can wear goggles with contacts as long as you are sure the goggles fit well and no water will leak into them and expose your contacts to water. Ideally, avoid wearing contacts when you are swimming. Why Trust Verywell Fit A former competitive swimmer and swim coach, Alex Battaglia understands the value of a quality pair of goggles, whether you’re strapping them on to swim some laps or you’re training for a race. Now a health researcher, she’s committed to thoroughly researching the best products for swimmers and other athletes, and finding products that are scientifically proven to work. 2 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Lee BA, Oh DJ. Effect of regular swimming exercise on the physical composition, strength, and blood lipid of middle-aged women. J Exerc Rehabil. 2015;11(5):266-271. doi:10.12965/jer.150242 University of Utah Health. 5 things you didn’t know about wearing contacts in the pool. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit