Spring 2021 Triathlete Buyer’s Guide: Goggles
We take a look at some of the best goggles for pool and open-water swimming.
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Magic5 | $65
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Basics
Using the Magic5 smartphone app, scan your face from all angles and get custom-built goggles in the mail designed specifically to fit you.
Pros
- Unique fit ensures extreme comfort with less pressure
- Very sleek and low-profile in the water
- Lightweight and easy to wear, while also staying in place
Cons
- Price—these goggles do not come cheap
- Smaller field of vision than other goggles on test
Tyr Edge-X | $25
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Basics
Simple, yet sleek, low-profile racing goggles. Competitively priced, well-designed, and perfect for pool swimming. Five different-sized nose bridge options are included.
Pros
- Great for those not wanting to break the bank on a pair of goggles
- Intelligently designed and well made
- Very comfortable with a watertight seal—no leaks or fogging during our testing
Cons
- Decent field of vision, but some might prefer wider for open-water swimming
Roka R1 | $38
Rating: ★ ★ ★
Basics
Roka’s open-water goggles have their patented Rapid Sight technology for a wider field of vision and a lens designed to work in all open-water conditions. A robust and durable pair of goggles that offer good visibility and don’t fog or leak.
Pros
- Great field of vision
- Good for use in pool or open water
- Performance-oriented feel
Cons
- No noticeable differences or benefits over the Tyr Edge-X or Speedo Vanquisher, but more expensive
- Not the most comfortable fit
- Post-swim suction marks
Speedo Vanquisher | $20
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Basics
Super simple but highly functional goggles, with a sleek, low profile, snug eye socket fit, and anti-fog lenses.
Pros
- No-frills pair of goggles that checks all the boxes for comfort, reliability, fit, and performance
- Best value for the price tag
- Can work well for beginners through to elites
Cons
- Good field of vision, but not as wide as others on test
FORM Smart Swim | $200
Rating: ★ ★ ★
Basics
FORM’s smart goggles are the first goggles to show real-time data, like pace, distance, and stroke rate, on a see-through display inside the lens as you swim. For open water, they can be paired with a compatible smartwatch to give pace and distance analytics.
Pros
- New and impressive level of innovation that could fundamentally change swim training
- Data display easy to adjust and alter in the lens
- Use the FORM app after your swim to analyze every split, distance per stroke, SWOLF, stroke count, and pace
Cons
- Real-time data in the lens might not be for everyone
- Metrics aside, our testers struggled to get a good eye socket fit
- High price tag
- Open-water functions not compatible with many watches yet
Zone3 Volare Streamline | $45
Rating: ★ ★ ★
Basics
A sturdy, well-made pair of goggles that offer a wide field of vision, plus anti-fog, polarized lenses. Comes with three different nose bridges.
Pros
- Good for use in the pool or open water
- Low profile, hydrodynamic fit, while still boasting clear forward and peripheral vision
Cons
- Not the most comfortable fit around the eye socket
- Similar to the Roka R1 goggles, it’s tough to truly see what extras you get for your money