Swimming goggles: how should they fit and how tight should they be?

Finding the right swimming goggles is about ticking a few boxes. However, as with any other piece of triathlon kit, the first thing to consider is fit.

After all, get this wrong and your goggles will leak and impede visibility – costing you time as well as being an annoyance you don’t need on race day.

There are loads of goggles on the market and you can find many to choose from in our guide to the best swimming goggles for triathlon.

Many triathletes favour a larger, mask-style goggle for racing as it feels more protective. However, there’s a downside too – the bigger your goggles, the more vulnerable they are to being knocked in the melée of an open-water swim. Plus the bigger the goggles are, the more chance of trapping your swim cap under them.

Choose something smaller and closer to the face and they will be less likely to get knocked out of place (and on this – always put your goggle strap under your swim hat to keep it safe!).

However the smaller the goggle the tougher it is to get the fit perfect. To test whether they’re tight enough, swim goggles should still stay in place within your eye socket once you remove the straps. If they are too tight, they will hurt and be uncomfortable.

Many brands divide their range into designs for open water and for pool, though of course there’s nothing to stop you using them for the purpose that suits you best. Read more about the difference between pool goggles and open-water goggles in this article.

Finding the right fit

So how do you know if your goggles fit? One thing you can do is the ‘suction test’. Push the goggles on and let the gaskets do the work (without using the straps). They should stay on for a second or two.

There’s a little trial and error in finding the correct fit, but with many brands offering a range of fits and sizes based on face shape, there are plenty of options out there.

Neil McConnochie, CPO of Zoggs, tells us: “Typically there are two key considerations, firstly the shape of your head and secondly the size. Swimmers with narrower faces or smaller heads are better suited to smaller or profile-fit frames compared to larger frames.

“The best way to determine which goggles suit your face is to try them on before you buy. If you get a second of suction and they’re comfortable around the nose and eye socket then they’re likely to be right for you.”

If you want a unique fit, though, then new company The Magic 5 will custom-make goggles to fit your face (from £48.78). First you scan your face using an app on your mobile phone, then that is sent to the lab where a pair of goggles are custom-made just for you.

Putting your goggles on

Many swimmers think their goggles are faulty when they leak. Sometimes though, correct application can help solve minor problems.

Make sure you take a little time to put your goggles on before you swim. Wetting the gaskets can help (though never touch the insides of the lenses, as this can damage the anti-fog coating).

Once you’ve put the gaskets against your face and adjusted the straps, run your fingers under the edge of your swim cap to make sure it isn’t sitting within the gaskets at any point. If you have longer hair, make sure a strand of hair hasn’t got under the gasket, too.

Make sure you care for your goggles, too. Always rinse them in fresh water and store them in a case. Damage to the gaskets or the attachment to the lenses can create leaks!