TheMagic5 swim goggles review

Setting themselves apart from other goggle manufacturers, Magic5 boast one very unique USP. Your goggles are made-to-measure.

How does this work? Well, you download the app, which scans your face and then feeds your dimensions back to the company.

A couple of weeks (or one week with express delivery!) and your goggles duly arrive, designed just for you.

We have to admit, as we’ve tested so much kit over the years we can be hard to impress at times.

That meant TheMagic5’s claim that these goggles deliver the perfect fit with no real suction needed to keep them in place was met dubiously by this tester. I have a near pathological hatred of leaky goggles. How very wrong I was, though…

First impressions

Taking the goggles out of the large, foam-lined and vented case, my first impressions were that they look a bit unlike anything I’ve used before.

In terms of the sleek, small lenses and double strap they resemble pairs I’ve used before from Swans. But here the lenses were tilted differently and were smaller.

The goggles are designed by using an app, which scans your face as it asks you to move it until it has a clear idea of the different angles needed.

Other brands do offer a face-scanning app, such as Zoggs. That is to help you choose from the standard range though, not so a pair can be designed just for you. In that way, TheMagic5 are doing things very differently.

Strange shape aside, I liked the gold and blue tint on the lenses. It’s very much like something I would choose for racing.

My preference is for lenses that keep colours quite ‘real’ (ie not a completely different colour) but which also enhance details and reduce glare on the water.

Most of my swimming and all of my racing is in open water, so I will generally choose a set of goggles that suit those conditions. I need better clarity in the water as well as for any buoys or course markers, usually yellow or orange, to be vivid and easily spotted.

Adjusting to fit

Pulling the goggles on after adjusting the twin straps, they instantly settled correctly into place. I didn’t have to wiggle them about or smoosh them into my eye sockets as I usually do before swimming.

The long plastic ‘arms’ on the side of the goggles are designed to wrap them more closely to the face and to give security, which they did very well.

Attached is a split strap with buckle adjuster which made getting a precise fit easy.

They wouldn’t be adjustable once in the water, but that’s not something I would usually do anyway. Get them right before swimming is my motto!

Swimming in TheMagic5 goggles

From the first use after adjusting the straps to fit, not a single drop of water entered the goggles. They were possibly the most comfortable ones we have ever tried. Despite the very minimal gasket, which is included as more of a cushion against the face than a seal.

Granted our pair were a bit strange looking, but that likely says more about our face shape than the goggles – and who cares once you’re in the water, anyway?

We were sent the indoor/outdoor bundle (£98), which saves you some money over buying separately.

Here we had the Blue Magic Mirror Gold (£75) designed for outdoors and the Blue Magic for indoors (£65 alone). The Magic5 also sent us the Clear Magic (£65) and the Black Magic Mirror (£75).

In the photos here, we’ve shown the Blue Magic Mirror Gold, the Clear Magic and the Black Magic Mirrored lenses along with one of the cases, though each pair will come with its own case.

It might be nice to have a case that can house more than one pair is my only comment here, in the hope of saving on materials and also making it easier to transport multiple pairs.

The lenses aren’t large, but the different planes within them allow superb peripheral vision in a small goggle.

They did take a little getting used to, as I did see the odd reflection on the edge, but that wasn’t noticeable after a few swims.

Different lens options

For the purposes of this test I focussed on the mirrored option as being most appropriate for outdoor use (as intended) and they instantly cut out glare, making visibility much easier in summer sunlight.

They do make everything very cool in tone, which is great for racing, but a note that if you prefer colours to stay ‘true’ then you may want to explore the other lens options.

I found the clear great for wintery swims when I didn’t want a tint (or the pool). The black mirrored were good for conditions where it was very bright and I needed a heavier tint.

For racing mirrored lenses will always be my preference though and one of the things with TheMagic5 is once they have your face scan on file in the app, you can quickly order new pairs as and when needed.

The pitfall here is I have found myself eyeing up new colours and limited editions when they come out. The limited edition Pink Mirror Gold (£75) has my heart at the moment, but I can’t justify another pair!

Interestingly for a set of goggles made to fit, you also get a choice of nose bridges should you want to adjust the fit a little (we didn’t need them) and it’s worth noting that Magic5 offers a guarantee that your goggles will fit, so if you have any problems you can go back to them.

I had a quick scan of the TheMagic5 Facebook group and most people are raving about the fit of their sets – for those who experienced leaking the problems seemed to be rectified quickly.

Value for money

Finally, there’s that price. No, they’re not cheap, but equally the RRP is pretty in-line with the rest of the top-end of the market – and for a pair of goggles that fit perfectly, don’t leak and don’t leave goggle marks we would happily order these time and time again.

Just make you look after them though – rinse them off after every swim and if you can’t leave them to safely air-dry before putting them away, pop them in the vented case to dry.

As with all goggles, never touch the lenses either, as this will damage the anti-fog coating. TheMagic5 do offer an anti-fog spray if you need to refurb your pair though (£15). The brand have also recently launched a wide range of swim accessories including pull buoy, hand paddles, snorkel and more.

Conclusion

I’ve tried a fair few sets of goggles in my time as a product tester for 220 Triathlon. Many have been fantastic, but none have instantly fitted and created a seal as quickly as the ones from TheMagic5. That in itself, will likely recommend them to anyone who has struggled to find a pair to suit them.

I first tried these about a year ago and since then the range of tints and lenses has expanded which makes them more accessible to swimmers, whether you are concerned about the colour, tint and coating on your lenses or just how well they match your kit!

My original set have served me well and the anti-fog coating has lasted equally as well, if not a little better, than most other goggles on the market.

It’s a daft thing to admit, but the premium case does remind me to put them away carefully and look after them too, which has likely prevented a few scratches!

For a decent set of open water goggles you’ll be spending around the £40-50 mark so at £75 these are an investment.

But I’d say on balance, they’re worth it if you’re serious about finding the best swim kit for race day. If you can avoid being tempted by every new colour too, one set of decent goggles will ultimately save you money on many sets of cheap ones!

• Buy now from TheMagic5

Price:	From £65
Buy from:	Buy now from TheMagic5
Tints:	Multiple options
Strap:	Twin with buckle
Case:	Yes
Fit options:	Nose bridges included