Deep Dive: Speedo Vanquisher 2.0 Swim Goggles

On first glance, these goggles don’t appear to be anything extraordinary, but it’s only after you’ve used them time and again (and again) that you really acknowledge how durable, versatile, and performance-oriented they truly are. We loved them for their ease of fit (you can get a very secure yet comfortable inner eye fit) as well as their sleek low profile. And even though they feel like goggles for a competitive pool swimmer, they actually do surprisingly well in tri/open water.

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The Good

Before we dive into any of the features, we should really highlight the price tag of these goggles. For $22, they offer as much (if not more) than many goggles on the market that come at double the price. During side-by-side testing with goggles such as TYR’s Edge-X and Zone3’s Volare Streamline (both of which retail for $45), the Speedo Vanquisher 2.0 didn’t just hold their own: they outperformed these competitors in almost all aspects. 

The Vanquishers are extremely comfortable and the snug inner-eye fit really allows you to just throw these on, dive into the pool, and not give another thought to your eyewear while swimming, which is exactly how it should be! They come with four interchangeable nose bridges, so for those who can’t get the perfect fit right away (we realize everyone’s faces are unique, of course!) then a simple switch here can make all the difference. 

The mirrored lens version not only look badass, but also do a great job of reducing glare and are fine to use even if you’re not swimming outdoors in bright conditions. And we understand how frustrating it is when you find a pair of goggles you like but all they do is fog or steam up. Speedo has done its homework here and we’ve never had a single issue with the Vanquishers fogging up. It’s great when you find a piece of equipment that is simple, works well, is reliable, and does all you ask of it workout after workout. The Vanquishers definitely tick these boxes. 

The Alright

These goggles definitely look and feel like those that a competitive swimmer might use in the pool—and only the pool. It’s understandable that for open-water swimming, some athletes prefer a much wider field of vision than these goggles provide. As far as performance-oriented swimming goggles go, these do offer a decent panoramic view and we never had any issues while testing in open water, but it is a commonly heard complaint from others. If this is something that’s super important to you and your swimming, then you might want to try the previously mentioned Tyr Edge-X or the Zone3 Volare Streamline as they definitely offer a wider field of vision, but don’t have the same snug fit or comfort level, especially around the eye socket.  

Conclusion

For those on a budget or those looking for a simple no-frills pair of performance goggles you really won’t find much better than the Speedo Vanquisher 2.0. Having trained and raced in goggles for 30 years+, they are some of the best out there in my opinion, and you’ll be throwing them in your swim bag for months (maybe even years?) to come—and how many pieces of gear that cost $20 can you say that about?