Swim cap/goggle fit

In the shop, stick the goggles on your face without pulling the straps on your head - you should be able to get a good seal.

For your first pair, any reasonably-priced goggle from a major brand (TYR, Speedo, etc) should be just fine, if your face structure is pretty normal.  You can start getting fancy with your goggle selection after getting some personal experience.

Straps can go over or under the cap - up to you.  Some of us prefer to at least race with the straps under the cap, since it help prevent the gogs from getting knocked off in the washing machine at the start of a race. 

Have fun!

Cheers, Chris

Um...that's really the definition of a "good goggle fit" (no leaks). 

At the store, don't be afraid to take them out of the package and try them on. 
Step 1:  Fit the left eyepiece over the left eye socket and gently press.  If suction holds it in place for several seconds, try the right eyepiece and the right eye socket.  (You may try several different styles of goggles with different sizes of eyepieces.)  Make sure you don't trap hair under the goggle or it won't seal well. 
Step 2:  Try to press both eyepieces over both eye sockets and see if they hold without the strap.  You may need to adjust the bridge (nosepiece) inward to get even a couple of seconds. 
Step 3:  Wiggle your jaw to make sure the goggles aren't sealing against your temples.  If the goggles pop off as soon as you move your jaw, the goggles are probably trying to seal against your temple rather than eye socket. 
Step 4:  Adjust the strap until the goggles stay in place.  (The strap shouldn't be overly "tight" or give you a headache. ) 

You'll find 4 different constructions for goggles. 
Aquasphere Seal (almost like a scuba mask, with a huge silicone gasket, about $20)
"Swedish" goggles with no gasket at all, the hard plastic seals against your skin (many swimmers swear by them, about $5 mail order)
goggles with latex or silicone gaskets (price range $5-25)
goggles with foam rubber gaskets (price range $3-7) 

Personally, I avoid the ones with foam rubber gaskets because the glue often fails and they leak between the rubber and plastic.  With the latex/silicone gaskets, make sure the gasket is fully seated around the eyepiece, or it too will leak. 

Tint?  Will you be swimming inside or outside most of the time?  In a clear-water pool or murky open water?  Some people say that blue tints make it hard to see yellow or orange swim bouys (I find pointing in the wrong direction makes seeing the bouys hard).  It's mostly a matter of preference, but it isn't too expensive to buy 3 pairs, one clear, one lightly tinted (yellow or orange), and one dark (smoke or dark blue). 

If you're 120 miles from shopping, definitely buy 2-3 different pairs until you find a pair that work really well for you.  (At 30 mpg, you're looking at $10+ just in gas if you have to go buy another $8 pair of goggles.  It's even worse if you miss a swim workout...or three...because you broke the strap on your only pair.) 

Another fit issue - nose piece.  I am blessed with a high bridge on my nose and cannot wear goggles with hard plastic nose pieces.  So, I prefer the Swedish Goggle variety (TYR Socket Rockets are what I wear usually) because they have a flexible piece of strap for the nose.  I didn't notice at first that my first pair of googles were pressing into the top of my nose.

Try something like the socket rockets or swedish goggles first.  You will save yourself a ton of money if you like them. 

Edited by BikerGrrrl 2010-06-01 5:19 PM