Which type of goggle lens is best for open water swimming?
For when you are taking a leisurely dip which colour bobble hat is probably the only burning question.
However when you want to take a longer swim a decent set of goggles, with specific lenses, are going to be high up that list. Here we will run through the different lenses you want to look out for and then give the reasons why we stock the models that we do.
When swimming in a pool, whether they leak and whether they are comfortable will be the main factors, however in the open water you need to take into account other factors.
You can either watch the video below where I will take you through all the factors about the goggles I wear and why, or read on.
Before I dive in I'd just like to make it clear, rather than trying to just push the ones we are selling, it is through years of trial and error that we have chosen to stock the ones that we believe in.
What's the difference between Photochromatic and Polarised Lenses
The lens you choose is going to be extremely important when swimming outdoors. The weather in the open water can change very quickly and those brief moments, in between freestyle strokes, when you get to sight, mean that you need to be able to see through any glare from the sun reflecting off the water. There are two options here:
- Photochromatic Lenses: Although slightly more pricey than their polarised counter parts, we here at The Wild Swim Store swear by them. No matter the weather conditions you know these will work for you. Photochromatic lenses start out clear, but darken depending on the sunlight, therefore they work in both low light and overcast conditions as well as in bright sunshine. They will also work if you mix in some indoor pool sessions, meaning you don't have to shell out on another pair.
- Polarised Lenses: Having a pair of these in your goggle collection is great if you plan on having different goggles for different scenarios. When wild swimming even on slightly cloudy days you will get some glare off the water. Polarised lenses are tinted to ensure that you are not dazzled by those reflections.
So in conclusion, unless you already have a decent pair of open water specific goggles with clear lenses, what will save you money in the long run is opting for a pair of Photochromatic goggles such as the Vapour Photochromatic or the Attack Photochromatic. If you do not, then you will be fine with something like the Attack Polarised.
We hope that this helps with your choices but if you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask here!