Open water gear
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If you’ve ever experienced an open water or triathlon event up close, you might have noticed the design of the swimming goggles used. Because yes, they’re quite different from the traditional type.
The goggles specially designed for use in open water are known as triathlon swimming goggles. And they bring plenty of benefits when it comes to functionality out in open water.
In this guide, I’ll cover their special features, what you should look out for when buying a pair yourself, and which models we recommend as the best based on our experience and reviews.
Specifically, this guide covers:
With these points, I hope to get you well prepared for when you’re buying goggles for triathlon and open water swimming.
The best swimming goggles for open water/triathlon swimming with smoke lenses for the price 
The best swimming goggles for open water/triathlon swimming regardless of price 
The best, most comfortable fitness swimming goggles for many purposes 
Best dive mask for adults with clear glass 
So let’s kick off with the first point on the agenda: what makes these swimming goggles unique and what they need to do.
The first thing that immediately catches your eye when looking at a pair of triathlon goggles is their size. They seem really big at first glance. And in fairness, they are. But there’s good method to the madness.
When swimming in open water, having a wide field of vision is crucial. Thanks to their larger size, you get a much wider viewing angle with these goggles compared to the traditional models swimmers use indoors.
At triathlon and open water events, there are often several buoys you need to sight. A wide field of vision gives you better visibility, making it much easier to spot these buoys. At the same time, it’ll also be much easier to spot any landmarks on shore to navigate by instead of the buoys.
A few triathletes still use smaller, more traditional swimming goggles. Whether that’s a mistake or not, I’ll leave up to you to decide. All I’m saying is that they’d really benefit from the wider field of vision that dedicated triathlon goggles provide.
If you’re taking part in an event with a mass start (where everyone starts at the same time), there’s also a high risk of getting kicked in the head during the first few hundred metres. With a pair of traditional goggles, that often results in two black eyes. A pair of triathlon goggles, on the other hand, will absorb much of the impact, so you’ll still look normal when you get out of the water.
In addition, open water goggles also have UV-protected lenses that shield the skin behind your goggles from the sun’s rays.
With the previous section in mind, there’s no doubt that proper triathlon goggles are the best and most sensible choice when swimming in open water. But what should you consider before getting a pair for yourself?
Let’s take a closer look at that now.
The first thing you need to decide on is the colour of the lenses. Basically, there are five different colours, each with its own advantages.
Goggles with a blue lens let light through while the blue tint reduces glare from, for example, sunlight on the water. However, the lens doesn’t completely block strong glare. On the other hand, they provide a relatively natural field of vision.
They’re therefore great for days when the sun might not be at its brightest. But you can also use them in pools with low to moderate lighting.
Goggles with a blue lens let light through while the blue tint reduces glare from, for example, sunlight on the water. This makes them ideal for indoor use in low to moderate light conditions, but also suitable for outdoor swimming.
I recommend blue lenses for…
An example of triathlon goggles with a blue lens is this Watery Wade Active.
Goggles with a clear lens give you completely natural vision in the water. The lens is clear, and your vision is too. However, there is a small drawback.
A clear lens gives you no protection against glare from the water or the sun. This means you can get dazzled relatively easily with this lens colour.
On the other hand, they’re great for darker conditions, like early in the morning or late in the evening. This lens is also well suited for swimming pools, where the lighting is often soft and subdued.
I recommend clear lenses for…
An example of a pair of triathlon goggles with a clear lens is these Watery Raven Active
Swimming goggles with a polarised lens are designed to let light through while filtering out the harshest glare. This makes them ideal for open water swimming, as reflections off the water’s surface are greatly reduced without compromising your vision.
A polarised lens can also be used indoors, though I mainly recommend it in pools with relatively bright lighting.
I recommend polarised lenses for…
An example of triathlon swimming goggles with a polarised lens is these Watery Raven Active
A mirrored lens creates a reflective surface on your goggles, bouncing glare away from your eyes. It’s a great feature, as you won’t be blinded by bright sunlight or reflections off the water.
For open water swimming, however, they have the drawback of being quite dark. Open water is darker than crystal-clear pool water, and with a mirrored lens, it will look even darker. This also makes it harder to spot any landmarks you’re sighting towards.
That makes them best suited for indoor pool swimming. However, they can be used in open water if the water is very clear and the sun is shining brightly from a cloudless sky.
I recommend mirrored lenses for…
An example of triathlon swimming goggles with a mirrored lens is these Watery Raven Mirror.
A tinted lens (also called a smoke lens) works just like classic sunglasses. It darkens your view, making bright light much easier on your eyes. That’s a great advantage when you’re swimming in open water on a proper sunny summer’s day.
Because the lens darkens your vision, it does have the downside of making it harder to see underwater, especially if the water isn’t particularly clear. If it’s heavily overcast or you’re swimming early in the morning or late in the evening, sighting landmarks will also be trickier.
But on a bright, sunny day, a smoke lens is brilliant for shielding your eyes from harsh glare.
I recommend smoke/tinted lenses for…
An example of triathlon swimming goggles with a smoke lens is the Speedo Rift Pro mask.
The next thing you need to decide on is whether you want a mask or swimming goggles. They each have their pros and cons, which I’ll go through here:
Basically, a mask is characterised by being relatively large and sitting right around your eyes. This makes it more comfortable and gives you a wider field of view. Goggles, on the other hand, sit closer around your eye sockets, but they’re more compact and therefore create less water resistance.
So as you can see, it quickly comes down to a choice between speed and comfort. To make it easier for you to choose the right type, I’ve listed the main pros and cons of both options below.
Pros and cons of a mask:
Pros and cons of swimming goggles:
If you’re a beginner or simply want the highest level of comfort in the water, I recommend going for a mask.
If, on the other hand, you’re more experienced in open water and want to get from A to B as fast as possible, I recommend choosing a pair of goggles.
The final point you should consider before buying a new pair of triathlon goggles is whether they’ll be used exclusively for race day or also for your training in the lead-up.
If you need a pair of triathlon goggles purely for race conditions, this Aqua Sphere Vista Pro Titanium Mirror is a great choice. As the name suggests, these goggles have mirrored lenses that reflect away all glare.
The Vista Pro Titanium is a mask that gives you a 180-degree field of view. Even though it’s a mask, it has a relatively slim profile to keep drag to a minimum.
On the other hand, the price is on the higher end. But when it comes to racing, only the best will do.
If you need a reliable partner for your daily training, the Watery Raven Active is a great buy. It has a polarised lens that gives you clear vision while protecting your eyes from strong glare.
At the same time, they give you a 180-degree field of view.
This makes it super easy to get your bearings. And best of all, the price won’t break the bank.
In Ireland, we’re not quite lucky enough to be able to swim in open water all year round. That’s why a lot of your training will also take place indoors, especially during the winter months.
And for indoor swimming, the Watery Poseidon Mirror is a great pair of goggles. They don’t take up much space on your head, are brilliant at keeping water out, and feature mirrored lenses that offer extra comfort in brightly lit pools.
These swimming goggles are a solid, reliable training buddy when you’re swimming indoors.
I hope that by now you’ve got a good idea of what triathlon swimming goggles are and what to consider before you reach for your wallet to pick up a pair.
So now I’ll jump straight into my recommendations for open water and triathlon swimming goggles. I’ve considered many different goggles and masks, and the ones I’m recommending are the absolute best across the following categories:
So let’s get started!
To give you the most genuine recommendations, we at Watery have tested a selection of the best-selling and most popular swimming goggles for open water and triathlon swimming available both in Ireland and internationally. We’ve assessed them based on factors like lens colour, quality, size, and how well they perform for both racing and training. These assessments form the basis for the recommendations below.
The models I’ve evaluated include:
Watery Raven Active
Aqua Sphere Vista – Clear lens
Speedo Rift Pro Mask – Smoke
Watery fitness swimming goggles – Wade Active
Aqua Sphere Vista Pro Titanium Mirror
Aqua Sphere Kayenne Junior Dark lens
TYR Special Ops 3.0 Polarized
TYR Nest Pro Nano Mirror
The triathlon and open water swimming goggles have been evaluated based on factors like lens colour, quality, size, and how well they perform for both racing and training. Ultimately, my overall personal experience with each pair forms the foundation for the recommendations below.
The first category I want to tackle is ‘best value for money’. It’s no secret that swimming goggles – especially those for open water swimming – can be pricey. But the model that performs best in this price range really delivers great results without costing a fortune.
The recommendation goes to the Watery Raven Active, which features a polarised lens. This means they shield exceptionally well against glare from the water’s surface, without compromising on visibility.
And visibility in particular was something I really appreciated about these goggles. Even though they have a relatively slim design, they still offer a 180-degree field of vision, so I could really see everything around me and had no trouble navigating.
On top of that, they’re incredibly comfortable to wear. I could barely feel I had them on once I’d swum a hundred metres with them.
Adjusting the head strap was super easy too. I just had to press the buttons on the side of the goggles and pull the strap – it honestly couldn’t be simpler!
And you get all of this for about half the price of the most expensive models. That’s why the Watery Raven Active is definitely our top pick in this category.
Watery Raven Active is available in 3 colours – black, black/blue, black/red
If you just want the best of the best, you simply can’t look past the Aqua Sphere Vista Pro Mirror. This model is simply the best open water swimming goggle I’ve ever used.
It’s actually shaped like a mask, but designed much sleeker. So you get low water resistance alongside all the benefits of a mask. That includes fantastic comfort and a 180-degree field of vision!
The mirrored lens reflects all glare away from your eyes. This was a real advantage when I was swimming under the midday sun, as it meant I could easily find my bearings in the water, even with the sun shining right at me.
Plus, I think the gold-tinted mirror lens looks really slick and premium. And that definitely counts for something too!
There’s just no doubt that the Aqua Sphere Vista Pro Mirror is the absolute best swimming goggle for triathlon and open water!
There can be many reasons why you might prefer swimming goggles with a clear lens. And if that’s what you’re after, the Aqua Sphere Vista is the one to get!
This model looks a lot like its bigger brother, the Vista Pro Mirror, which we consider one of the best triathlon goggles based on our experience and testing. The main difference between the two is that the pro version has a mirrored lens, while this model has a clear lens.
That means the Aqua Sphere Vista gives you a 180-degree view along with incredible comfort. And even though it’s a mask, it still has very low water resistance.
The clear lens also makes it ideal for indoor pool swimming.
Now that you’ve spent money on new gear for yourself, you’ll probably want to get the most out of it for as long as possible. That’s certainly how I feel.
So, I’m going to share my two best tips to help extend the life of your swimming goggles.
One of the best things I’ve done to make my swimming goggles last longer is getting a dedicated goggle case. That’s where I keep my goggles when I’m not using them, which gives me two clear advantages:
It’s really worth investing in a case, as it ensures your swimming goggles are stored much more safely. The case we offer under our Watery brand is this one.
If you have more than a couple of weeks of swimming experience, you’ve probably had your goggles start to fog up. It’s incredibly annoying because it just makes it so much harder to see where you’re going.
Many people choose to spit on the lens and rub it around with their fingers. But that’s not a great idea, as greasy fingers are bad for the lens.
Instead, treat them regularly with an anti-fog spray, because it really makes a difference. About every ten times I’ve used my goggles, I give the lens two squirts and spread the liquid around by swirling the goggles in a circular motion.
Then I just rinse the remaining liquid off with clean water. So no touching the lens with your fingers!
The anti-fog spray I use is this one from our Watery brand. And it lasts for around 50 treatments, so it’s super easy to manage.
If you just need ordinary swimming goggles, you can find them in almost any sports shop. But when you’re looking for specialised goggles for triathlon and open water swimming, the options are immediately much more limited.
At Watery.ie, we sell swimming goggles ourselves, along with most of my other swimming gear.
We offer fast delivery, and our customer support team is always ready to help if you have any questions. On top of that, our prices are among the very lowest on the market. That’s why we recommend shopping for your gear with us at Watery.ie.
