Zone3 Vapour goggles review

This tester isn’t known for being understated when it comes to swim kit… So maybe that’s why British tri brand Zone3 opted to send me the brightest colourway in their new Vapour goggles range (£45/$70).

Love ‘em or loathe ‘em though, those teal frames with copper accents have some key benefits. They’re easy to find in your kit bag, so no more rummaging around for them among all your other kit.

Plus on a personal note, they make it much easier for my other half to spot me when I’m coming out in the melée of an open-water swim finish. Wetsuit? Check. Neon orange Garmin strap? Check. Insanely bling goggles? Check. Good stuff, that’s Helen…

Luckily for the less-extroverted out there there are other versions available – five in fact – encompassing black/gold, clear/blue, white/silver, navy/blue and black/neon orange which also features photochromatic lenses and a slightly more expensive price tag at £52.50.

Lens clarity

In the teal/copper version I tested here, the lenses are polarised, which meant great clarity and detail in the water. The large lenses with curved edges gave a good range of vision.

The lenses are large and have a gradually increasing curve along the surface which makes it easier to see around you in the water.

Polarised lenses are a good choice too for open water, as much as your polarised sunglasses make everything much brighter and allow you to see detail you may otherwise not be able to, these do the same but while swimming.

Greater clarity is handy in a race to see what is around you and also to be able to identify course markers and identifying features.

However, if you’re racing somewhere memorable and want to really see every detail in the water, they’re a great option too. Just don’t get so distracted you forget to race!

Goggle comfort

The large gaskets are comfy and attach firmly, while the wide split strap feels secure. Two small buttons make adjustment easy. It’s not often I feel the need to adjust my goggles mid-race, but if that’s your thing, it’s certainly possible here.

I do wonder how necessary this is, though. A simple buckle would do the job and avoid including a complex component.

Over long swims these started to feel a bit heavy, which would be our only caveat. They’re a weighty goggle compared to others on the market and felt a teeny bit cumbersome after long periods in the water.

That said, I’m a female tester with relatively small facial features, so there’s likely an element of personal preference here.

The strap is reassuringly chunky, with a split design keeping the goggles in place easily and allowing them to be fitted around a bun if you have longer hair.

As an aside, these goggles are pretty similar to the Huub Aphotics (£49.99-£54.99) although the selection of colours is very different and Zone3 offers a wider choice of lens options.

As a final point that price point makes these a considered purchase – and with no case included (which seems a bit mean at that level of spend, even if we are in two minds about the sustainability of plastic cases), you’d want to make sure you looked after them to avoid damaging the lenses or anti-fog coating.

Conclusion

These are a bright and unusual set of goggles, but that’s a positive in many ways. The lenses are superb and the chunky, flexible straps and soft gaskets make them easy to get on with.

They’re a little bit heavy on longer swims though for this tester and we’d like a case for the high price point.

Still looking for the perfect set of open-water swimming goggles for you? Check out our best swimming goggles for pool, open water and triathlon.

Zone3 Vapour goggles specs

Price:	£45/$70
Available from:	Zone3
Lenses:	Wide, curved
Colour options:	Six available
Photochromatic:	Option available
Case included:	No