When it comes to exercise, nothing compares to swimming. One hour of swimming, in fact, burns as many as 700 calories, according to experts. To last that long, though, swimmers need the best swimming goggles, keeping them comfortable and their vision clear.
In this ranking, we break down the five best goggles for swimming, with low profiles, UV and anti-fog protection, and the most comfortable head straps available. By the time you’re finished reading, you’ll have the goggles you need to swim like an Olympian, or just enjoy an afternoon at the pool.
Our Top Picks
Splash around with a quick look at the five best goggles for swimming.
  | Best Swim Goggles: ROKA X1 Swim Goggles An American brand, ROKA X1 swim goggles feature a low-drag profile without any latex or PVC. |
  | Best Budget Swim Goggles: Aegend Swim Goggles Turn to Aegend swim goggles for comfort, style, and performance at a price you can afford. |
  | Best Goggles for Swimming Laps: TYR Socket Rocket Goggles TYR’s Socket Rocket goggles will make you feel like a rocket the next time you’re swimming laps. |
  | Best Goggles for Open Water Swimming: Zoggs Predator Flex 2.0 The best goggles for open water swimming are the Zoggs Predator Flex 2.0, offering polarized ultra lenses exclusive to the brand. |
  | Best Swim Goggles for Beginning Swimmers: Arena Tracks Swimming Goggles Arena Tracks swimming goggles are by far the most comfortable choice for those who are just learning to swim. |
A Closer Look: Best Swim Goggles
Dive deep with a closer look at each pair of goggles in our ranking.
1. ROKA X1 Swim Goggles
The best swim goggles overall
Brand: ROKA | Frame: Polyvinyl Chloride | Lens: Polycarbonate | Lens Coating: Anti-Fog | Price: 💰💰💰
An American-based and direct-to-consumer company, ROKA X1s are the best swim goggles in our ranking. With polyvinyl chloride frames, polycarbonate lenses, and anti-fog coating, the X1s offer maximum forward visibility, an integrated unibody flexible nose bridge for comfort, and a flat silicone head strap that once adjusted locks securely in place.
With plenty of UV protection, eliminating 100% of all UVA, UVB, UVC and blue light, these goggles also come in a nice variety of colors. The seal is perfect, we learned, with no fogging, and a wide field of vision. Otherwise, these comfortable goggles are a good choice for both indoor and outdoor swimming, and they work particularly well on extra-large faces.
Reviewers Like
- No fogging
- Unimpaired peripheral vision
- Crystal clear, good field of vision
Reviewers Dislike
- Large, might create drag
- The look is a little “bold” for some swimmers
2. Aegend Swim Goggles
The best budget swim goggles
Brand: Aegend | Frame: Thermoplastic Polyurethane | Lens: Polycarbonate | Lens Coating: UV-Coated Anti-Fog | Price: 💰
The goggles for swimming don’t have to cost a fortune, and the Aegend swim goggles are one such example. Constructed from thermoplastic polyurethane with polycarbonate lenses offering both anti-fog coating and UV protection. The nosepiece is a bit higher than normal for extra comfort, and all coating on the lenses comply with the most up-to-date environmental treatment technologies, minimizing any possible allergic reaction and remaining safe on the skin.
Other things we liked about Aegend include the broad range of color and style options, the case included with purchase, and the unique clasp system cutting down on pulled hair when taking the goggles on and off. After 45 minutes in the water, they never fogged or leaked, and vision remained crystal clear the entire time.
Reviewers Like
- Look great
- Stay put and seal well
- Good for both kids and grownups
Reviewers Dislike
- Not for large heads
- Some find them blurry
- Best for serious swimmers
3. TYR Socket Rocket Goggles
The best swim goggles for swimming laps
Brand: TYR | Frame: Silicone | Lens: Polycarbonate | Lens Coating: Anti-Fog | Price: 💰💰
Low-profile goggles are best for lap swimming, and for this purpose we recommend the highly compact TYR socket rockets. These affordable goggles are made from a silicone frame with polycarbonate lenses protected by an anti-fog coating. There’s a Swedish-style adjustable nose bridge, and the gaskets are made from durable and hypoallergenic durafit silicone.
But even though they’re very low profile, these goggles offer an exceptional field of vision, we learned, with a watertight seal, maintaining their shape well over time. The lenses aren’t mirrored, but overall, the Socket Rockets are easy to adjust and stay firmly in place. The Swedish-style design even helps some with sensitive eyes that are easily irritated by other goggles.
Reviewers Like
- They look cool
- Once on, they’re not coming off
- Rubber on the edges for added comfort
Reviewers Dislike
- Easily scratched lenses, some say
- Get a little uncomfortable over time
- Better for sprinters than casual swimmers
4. Zoggs Predator Flex 2.0
The best swim goggles for open water swimming
Brand: Zoggs | Frame: Silicone | Lens: Polycarbonate | Lens Coating: Polarized Anti-Fog | Price: 💰💰💰💰
Unlike lap swimming, a wider field of vision is best when it comes to open-water swimming goggles. With this in mind, the Zoggs Predator Flex 2.0 is just the solution. Other notable features include an improved nose bridge and flex points for added comfort, as well as new-and-improved gaskets relieving eye pressure. We also like the patented frame, allowing each eyecup to move on its own for an even better fit.
Fans of the Flex 2.0’s call them comfortable, and even though they’re a bit spendier than other brands, they’re well worth the price. Also particularly important for open water, outdoor swimming, is that the lenses automatically adjust to sunlight (no more blinding yourself when you come up for air).
Some do say, however, that Zoggs do tend to fog a bit after about 20 minutes of strenuous swimming, but that’s not uncommon.
Reviewers Like
- Expensive but work well
- Open box, adjust band, swim
- Improvement over older versions
Reviewers Dislike
- Some leaking reported
- No good for extra-small faces
- Bungee straps a little tough to thread
5. Arena Tracks Swimming Goggles
The best swim goggles for beginning swimmers
Brand: Arena | Frame: Silicone | Lens: Polycarbonate | Lens Coating: UV-Coated Anti-Fog | Price: 💰💰
For children, or for anyone who is just learning to swim, Arena Tracks makes the best swim goggles for beginners who still want to swim like a pro. Recommended for water doggies as young as nine, these goggles have a silicone frame with polycarbonate lenses that are both UV-protected and anti-fog. And the unique, extra-wide design offers an even wider field of vision.
Very affordable, the Arena Tracks goggles come in a wide variety of colors and designs, but the lenses are non-mirrored. Don’t miss the silicone seals and easily-adjustable strap that both effectively minimize pressure on the face. According to reports, they fit great and stay in place throughout a swim, and they work well for both indoor and outdoor swimming.
Reviewers Like
- Streamlined feel
- Good go-to goggles
- Great for swim team
Reviewers Dislike
- Left some eye marks
- Nose piece durability issues reported
- The “feel” takes a little getting used to
How to Choose the Right Goggles for Swimming
Need some help choosing the best swimming goggles for you? Before making your purchase, consider the following factors:
1
Type of Goggles
Goggles typically come in four different styles: competition, practice, recreational, and swim masks. Competition goggles are the most low profile, attaching as closely to the eye socket as possible. For this reason, some don’t like to swim in competition goggles every day.
Swim masks, on the other hand, are large and bulky. Each type of goggle between the two offers different levels of profile, and different kinds of fit. So, no matter how you like to swim, there are goggles for you.
2
Lenses
Once you’ve settled on a type of goggle, the next thing to decide on are the kind of lenses. Here are your options:
- Dark-tinted metallic lenses are best suited for competitive swimming or frequent outdoor swimming
- Clear or light-colored lenses, on the other hand, are best for swimming indoors, enhancing your vision at an indoor pool, but possibly making things too bright while swimming outdoors.
- And finally, versatile dark-colored lenses are the best of both worlds, acting a bit little like sunglasses outdoors, but not as dark as metallic lenses while swimming indoors.
3
Fit
It’s also, of course, important to find goggles that fit. Most will form a suction seal around your eye socket, while some, like Swedish-style goggles, seal to your face with rubber gaskets. Either way, it’s crucially important the seal is strong, and if at first you don’t succeed, adjust the strap for the best fit possible.
And there you have it! Not only are you now up to speed on the five best goggles for swimming, you have the information you need to find the best fit possible. Enjoy your goggles, and we’ll see you at the pool.
Our Process
For this guide on the best swim goggles, our team spent 5 hours researching the most popular options from over 25 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about thirty user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each pair of swim goggles. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 5 swim goggles on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.
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Further Reading
