fitting goggles

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3804

Seacoast, NH!

Subject: RE: fitting goggles

jimmyL - 2010-01-30 11:43 AM As long as I can remember, I've had trouble w/ swim goggles getting water in while I swim. Is there a secret to fiting goggles? I usually buy whatever is on the rack at the Y/Health Club

If you don't have a place to try them on, go to swimoutlet.com and pick up some nice ones. They really aren't that expensive. I have a pair of aquasphere's. They are great and very form fitting. Cheap goggles leak. If they are less than $10 I have never had good luck with them. Then again...I have a funny shaped face.

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Extreme Veteran

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Rio Rancho - where you can ride year round!

Subject: RE: fitting goggles

I've had a hard time finding goggles to fit right, or stay on throughout a swim. But, that changed when I paid a little more for the Aquasphere Seal XP goggles. they are built like a smaller mask and fit great. I've had them for a month and they work great and feel comfortable.

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549

Subject: RE: fitting goggles

I have always bought nice goggles for many years but noticed I always had to tighten them extra tight to keep them from leaking. Always had to change them every few months because strap broke from the tension on them. Figured out finally the problem was they were too big! Apparently my face is smaller and I tried a junior size goggle. Wah la! They fit perfectly and never had a problem after that.

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55

Subject: RE: fitting goggles

I've been told I have a fat head, and a knucklehead, but never a little head

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St. Paul

Subject: RE: fitting goggles

The advice I was given is that they should seal to your eyes, without the strap. In the store I press them into place and if they stick while the strap is dangling, I figure it's a good fit.

I'm not sore if it's the correct method, or not, but it's worked well for me. Everybody's eye head is shaped different so it's a person preference.

Good luck!

Expert

774

Subject: RE: fitting goggles

When I first started tris, 3 years ago, I couldn't get comfortable with swim goggles (I had never used goggles but am a diver with hundreds of dives and am real comfortable in a mask) and went with the Aquasphere mask. Since then, I have had trouble with the Aquaspheres developing leaks between the silicone and glass and have had success and become comfortable with Aquasphere Kaimans and Speedo Vanquishers. I have a big head (7 5/8 hat size) so that may explain some of my issues.

Edited by greyg8r 2010-01-30 12:27 PM

Pro

4360

Baton Rouge area

Subject: RE: fitting goggles

jimmyL - 2010-01-30 10:43 AM I usually buy whatever is on the rack at the Y/Health Club

There's your issue. You need to try some on. I was having so-so luck with the TYR Technoflex (the newer models leaked more). Noticed the sizing chart on the packaging. Went with TYR Nest Pros. A little larger than the Technoflexes and they work fine for me.

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Elite

2998

Fishers, Indiana

Subject: RE: fitting goggles

Nathanm74 - 2010-01-30 12:02 PM The advice I was given is that they should seal to your eyes, without the strap. In the store I press them into place and if they stick while the strap is dangling, I figure it's a good fit. I'm not sore if it's the correct method, or not, but it's worked well for me. Everybody's eye head is shaped different so it's a person preference. Good luck!

YES! Do this--go to the store, try them on, but stick them to your face without straps. The ones that suction and stick for a bit are ones more likely to work for you in the pool. If they just fall right off, they are NOT the ones for your head!

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Elite

7783

PEI, Canada

Subject: RE: fitting goggles

jgerbodegrant - 2010-01-30 12:52 PM

jimmyL - 2010-01-30 11:43 AM As long as I can remember, I've had trouble w/ swim goggles getting water in while I swim. Is there a secret to fiting goggles? I usually buy whatever is on the rack at the Y/Health Club

If you don't have a place to try them on, go to swimoutlet.com and pick up some nice ones. They really aren't that expensive. I have a pair of aquasphere's. They are great and very form fitting. Cheap goggles leak. If they are less than $10 I have never had good luck with them. Then again...I have a funny shaped face.

Swedish Goggles - They violate the less than $10 rule above but they work great for me. I only replace them when the rubber strap starts to break down and it snaps. I use a piece of the strap for the nose piece and it makes them extremely adjustable. Also, one mistake some people make when goggles leak is to make the strap as tight as possible. As someone else said, they should stick to your face without the strap and sometimes tightening them makes the problem worse by allowing water in around the nose area.

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Champion

7547

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Bronze member

Subject: RE: fitting goggles

Check the nosepiece. Many people use a nosepiece that is too wide for their bridge and as a result, the goggles are too wide.

The gasket should seal against the eye socket bones, not against the temple. When too wide, the gasket seals against the temple and leaks when you move your jaw. It shouldn't take much pressure from the strap to hold them in place without leaking.

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Master

1929

Midlothian, VA

Subject: RE: fitting goggles

My goggles broke on me a couple months ago. I don't even remember what they were. Tyr maybe. I had a pair of Swedes in my bag from long long ago, but I didn't care for those outside of meets. At least that's what I remember.

One of the lifeguards at the 'Y loaned me her Vanquishers (Speedo), I went out the next day and picked up a pair. The anti-fog wore off in a few weeks, but other than that I am very happy. They fit well, the strap is comfortable and it plays nice with my H2O Interval.

Would you like some more reviews and opinions, here is just ONE of many threads on the subject out there already:

http://www.usms.org/forums/showthread.php?t=15635&highlight=goggles&page=1

Okay, so I decided to dig one up on ST too:

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=1739225;search_string=favorite%20goggles;#1739225

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Member

55

Subject: RE: fitting goggles

Thanks all, i used the 10 dollar rule, spent 14 on the highest end speedo goggles at the sporting good store, did a 1000 yd swim, worked fine

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Pro

6011

Camp Hill, Pennsylvania

Subject: RE: fitting goggles

axteraa - 2010-01-30 5:25 PM

jgerbodegrant - 2010-01-30 12:52 PM

jimmyL - 2010-01-30 11:43 AM As long as I can remember, I've had trouble w/ swim goggles getting water in while I swim. Is there a secret to fiting goggles? I usually buy whatever is on the rack at the Y/Health Club

If you don't have a place to try them on, go to swimoutlet.com and pick up some nice ones. They really aren't that expensive. I have a pair of aquasphere's. They are great and very form fitting. Cheap goggles leak. If they are less than $10 I have never had good luck with them. Then again...I have a funny shaped face.

Swedish Goggles - They violate the less than $10 rule above but they work great for me. I only replace them when the rubber strap starts to break down and it snaps. I use a piece of the strap for the nose piece and it makes them extremely adjustable. Also, one mistake some people make when goggles leak is to make the strap as tight as possible. As someone else said, they should stick to your face without the strap and sometimes tightening them makes the problem worse by allowing water in around the nose area.

Expensive goggles don't leak any less than cheap ones if neither fits you properly. The difference is that the cheaper ones tend to wear out quicker (Gasket separation from lense, nose piece breaks, or other such issues). Goggles are like bikes - fit is the most important part of the purchase decision. Axteraa illustrates this well with his description of customizing the fit of swedes. For me personally, I've never been able to get them to fit me well, even after a lot of fiddling with adjustments, but I've swam with a lot of people who swear by them, so it really does come down to finding the ones that fit your face the best. No matter what brand and style you ask people about, you will find people who they work great for, and others who hate them.

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Veteran

129

Chicago

Subject: RE: fitting goggles

axteraa - 2010-01-30 4:25 PM

jgerbodegrant - 2010-01-30 12:52 PM

jimmyL - 2010-01-30 11:43 AM As long as I can remember, I've had trouble w/ swim goggles getting water in while I swim. Is there a secret to fiting goggles? I usually buy whatever is on the rack at the Y/Health Club

If you don't have a place to try them on, go to swimoutlet.com and pick up some nice ones. They really aren't that expensive. I have a pair of aquasphere's. They are great and very form fitting. Cheap goggles leak. If they are less than $10 I have never had good luck with them. Then again...I have a funny shaped face.

Swedish Goggles - They violate the less than $10 rule above but they work great for me. I only replace them when the rubber strap starts to break down and it snaps. I use a piece of the strap for the nose piece and it makes them extremely adjustable. Also, one mistake some people make when goggles leak is to make the strap as tight as possible. As someone else said, they should stick to your face without the strap and sometimes tightening them makes the problem worse by allowing water in around the nose area.

X2 on the Swedes. I've been using them since my high school days and they are they only goggles I will wear, and I know many other swimmers that swear by them. They cost about $3/pair, are easy to assemble, and are very comfortable. A lot of people don't like the looks of them because there is no pad or seal, but they actually form a natural seal with your eyelid that is very effective.

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fitting goggles

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