Aug 22, 2005 9:12 AM
FLOOD (In My Eyes): Leaky Goggles
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I have been training for about 6 months for an Olympic Distance Triathlon and I swim 1600M 4 to 5 days a week as part of my training.
I recently started to experience something very strange.
I can no longer keep my goggles from leaking water. I have tried several different brands of goggles, all of which used to work great. (I have had the best luck with Tyr in the past)
I have lost some weight as the result of my training and my face is much less fleshy. That is the only thing I can think of that would cause this.
Any ideas on how to solve this problem? (Some sort of product to use or a goggle recommendation)
Keep trying new brands. There are goggles made for faces of all sizes and shapes. Keep experimenting and one of them is bound to work.
When I want to make sure that absolutely no water gets in my goggles I use Aquasphere Caiman goggles. They have big silicone seals that seal tightly. Also, if you've lost weight, you may need a different size goggle, or at least a different size nose bridge.
i know how you feel... speed sockets by speedo are my favourite for training and racing. speedo is a great brand for all swim gear. try them and let me know they are the bomb
agreed - speed sockets by speedo after many tries and dollars..
I coach swimmers of all ages and train triathletes. Most goggles need to be worn the right way. Be sure that the strap is straight around the back of your head not on your neck. The black foam around the goggles are much better than the plastic too. Do not split straps if you happen to get split straps. The nose piece can be adjusted on most goggles too.
The foamless goggles dig in to most people and give a headache especially if you are a novice swimmer and get kicked in the head in a race.
Tighter for races and ocean swims helps too.
Try a little water in your goggles to keep them from fogging up. Put your head down and youwon't have the water in your eyes and your stroke will be a whole lot more efficient. That's a 500 dollar tip. B from swimkids
Speed sockets work great both in the pool and in the ocean.
I think that the problem I was having had more to do with leaky seals in the goggles rather than a problem with fit.
I had been buying the style of goggles with solid molded frames and I found that every pair I own now have leaky lense seals.
I suspect that the problem is caused by the excessive clorine levels in the gym pool where I swim. My swim suits and hair do not fair much better.
I think that the speed sockets work mostly because they are one piece and not have any glue or soft rubber seals to fall prey to the clorine.
Thanks for the tips
I train regularly at 2,000 meters, and have found Aqua Sphere (an Italian-made brand) nearly foolproof. Each end of the strap has a serrated edge, with a ratchet device on the left and right to hold any particular adjustment in place once it is made. I found them at a local bicycle store that caters to triathletes. The left and right ratchets make them superior to other brands that have only the serrated strap edge. I must wear contact lenses (soft in one eye, hard in the other to correct a corneal deformity), and have experienced no trouble with these goggles so far in four competitions.
I use the Aqua Sphere's for tri's. Fit is great and vision is better than goggles. I have a slender face and accidently found that Speedo "Kids" goggles work perfectly. Others who have tried the Kids version have had similar results.
TYR Rocket Sockets are the ONLY ones I have found that don't leak in the pool (and bonus-don't leave a huge ring around your eyes) strangely enough, they are also one of the cheapest to buy- make sure you get the mirrored ones if you're swimming outdoors or else you'll be blind! I have tried EVERY brand of goggle out there (I have a full box!) and it actually seems like the ones with the least "padding" are the best for not leaking. Open water (ocean) I would probably want a bigger field of vision so something like a Seal Mask is really good. Thats never leaked for me in all the races I have done in open water. You can order them online for like $9.
Have you tried swedish goggles? I am positive they are the best thing since Gu. They are cheaper than buying a meal at Carl's Jr. and can be adjusted to anyone. I would also suggest buying the optional bungee strap as the included latex strap will wear out after a few months and is harder to adjust. No padding can be uncomfortable at first but, if you tough it out for a week or so you get to the point you can wear them for hours and feel no discomfort. Plus the whole pick your own color thing is great! I have clear ones for inside and black ones for outside. Very versital. Good luck!
I just started swimming about 3 months ago to train for a triathlon and tried several goggles. The ones that absolutely DO NOT leak are the speedo air seal. I purchased them at Copeland's Sport for around $22. They are comfortable and I can do my entire workout and open water swims without having to adjust them at all.
I have used the same pair of Barracuda goggles for over ten years with great success. Recently when they started leaking I discovered that they were leaking between the lens and the frame. I removed the lens and reglued it with platic glue and the problem was solved. Barracuda has a superior seal of soft good quality foam rubber that fits around the eye socket and the frame has adjustments that can be made for the fit of the lenses.Hopr this helps you.
I agree with the swedish goggles. I have been swimming competitively since I was 8 years old and am now 32 and swear by those. I also like the versatility that the different colors provide for indoor and outdoor swimming. The price makes it extremely convenient to own several pairs. You can find them at Keifers.com. Usually under $4 a pair. You put them together yourself and you adjust everything to fit your face perfectly. Great in the ocean. I just swam the San Francisco Bay with no problems whatsoever.
I swim 2700M 5 days a week. I second the Barracuda recommendation. They are expensive (around $35) but worth it. They are the closed-cell foam type. Besides being leak-proof, they are comfortable...no red goggle prints on your face! My last pair lasted over 10-years before I bought a replacement. They are available in different lense shapes that fit faces differently, so you should try on the different shapes at the store for the best fit.
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