The best swimming goggles 2024 | Tom's Guide

Dive into our tried and tested guide on the best swimming goggles

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Swimming is a sport for everyone, and no matter your skill level, a high-quality pair of swimming goggles can greatly enhance your experience in the water.

Whether you're a seasoned swimmer, training for your first triathlon, rehabilitating an injury in the pool, or just learning how to swim, the right goggles can protect your eyes and improve your underwater vision.

While you can easily grab a random pair of goggles, it's worth investing in the right ones. To save you time, we tested a range of swimming goggles and rounded up our top picks below.

Our current favorite is the Zone3 Volare Streamline Racing Goggle, which we rated highly after testing for its low-profile and hydrodynamic design that reduces drag in the water. Read on to discover the other models that made our list.

Best overall

Best overall

If you’re looking for a high-performance pair of goggles — that work both for training and racing, then you can’t get much better than Zone3’s award-winning Volare goggles.

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Best performance

Best performance

Featuring small frames, the low profile hydrodynamic shape does offer increased peripheral vision on race day. Plus, the double-head strap pretty much guarantees a secure fit.

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Best open water

Best open water

For open-water swimmers plunging into salty oceans, lakes or rivers, Zone3’s Vapour Goggles are the ones you need. With larger lenses, these are some of the most comfortable goggles.

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Best smart

Best smart

The FORM Smart Swim 2 combine high-quality, comfortable goggles with fitness tracking sensors and an augmented in-goggle display to help you track your performance and essential metrics while you're in the water.

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Best outdoor pools

Best for outdoor pools

If you’re planning on swim training when on holiday or you’re lucky enough to live somewhere warm, these are the goggles for you (and cannot be beaten on price).

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Our expert review:

If you’re looking for a high-performance pair of goggles — that work both for training and racing, then you can’t get much better than Zone3’s award-winning Volare goggles. Zone3 was founded by elite triathlete James Lock back in 2004 while at Loughborough University — he aimed to create swim products to help improve his race speed.

The Volare goggles, with a low-profile, hydrodynamic design, do just that. Aiming to eliminate drag through the water wearing these — these goggles are designed to be fast and streamlined. We found that even with a low profile, you still get excellent vision due to the horizon wide-angle lenses.

The polarized mirror lenses (which are a must for outdoor training) are available in three different colorways — green and black, black and red, and white and lime. And there’s a clear black and red version, too. We really rate the polarised lenses here — in fact, we love these goggles so much that we have purchased multiple pairs to match different swimwear.

There are a couple of interchangeable nose bridges that come with these goggles — which are always handy when a box says “one size fits all”. The adjustable nose bridge allows you to tweak the goggles for a more secure fit.

Although, it’s worth noting that this feature isn’t a ‘must have’ for kids, beginners, and more casual pool-goers, but adjustable nose-bridge pieces do tend to come as standard for intermediate and advanced swimming goggles.

These lightweight goggles are a favorite among both competitive swimmers and triathletes alike — partly thanks to their sleek shape and the fact that they won’t fall off if you’re doing a tumble turn or diving off the blocks, but also because of their soft silicone seals which add comfort to any seriously long pool sets.

Our expert review:

Anyone who has ever swum competitively will have, at some point, worn a pair of Speedo Speedsockets. Club swimmers will understand exactly what we mean when we say that these goggles are the ultimate staple to any swimming kit bag. They are the OG of race day goggles.

Featuring small frames, you don’t want to be wearing lashes of waterproof mascara in these — trust us when we say your make-up will end up on the entire lens, and then you really won’t be able to see much. Casual swimmers may find the lens shape too small, but the low profile hydrodynamic shape does offer increased peripheral vision.

The double head strap also pretty much guarantees a secure fit (meaning they won’t fly off upon diving into the water) while the interchangeable nose bridges mean they cater to different-sized faces.

Ideal for racing, we particularly like the Speedsockets with smoked mirror lens — not only do they provide protection from sunshine, reduce glare and brightness (so they’re great for outdoor swimming) but they make you look like you mean business, and you’re stepping up to the racing block ready to win your heat or final. In three words, these goggles are classic, reliable, and secure. They’re also approved by FINA.

Our expert review:

For open water swimmers plunging into salty oceans, shimmering lakes or fresh-water rivers, Zone3’s Vapour Goggles are the ones you need. With larger lenses, these are some of the most comfortable goggles on our list — and they suit both male and female faces.

The polarized version is available in three different colorways — metallic gold, blue, and silver — plus, you can also get your hands on a swanky exclusive Tim Don inspired pair in navy and neon orange. If polarized mirrored lenses aren’t your thing, fear not, they also come in photochromatic and clear pale blue.

The silicone gaskets on the Vapour goggles are actually pretty soft in comparison to some of the smaller-sized designs — which helps to reduce any pressure around your eye sockets (and reduce any hideous suction marks around the eyes after swimming).

They’re fairly easy to tighten too, you just push down on the small side button and lock them into place. The strap is chunkier in design to, say, Speedo Speedsockets or Zone3’s Volare goggles — it doesn’t have two separate straps, instead, there’s one slightly wider one that then splits into a loop (perfect for putting your ponytail through, if you have one).

Some may find that not only are the wider lenses more comfortable but that the curved style also gives a slightly wider vision — which is helpful for spotting buoys and other swimmers when swimming in the wild. Plus, with full UVA/UVB protection and anti-fog coating, there’s really not much to dislike about these. Our favorites are the white and silver pair.

Our expert review:

The FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles are designed to be a comprehensive in-water training companion, with an in-goggle heads-up display for workout metrics, a heart rate monitor, and fitness tracking sensors to measure your swim performance.

And, if you take out the additional $15/month membership, you get access to a personalized digital swim coach. This gives you access to in-goggle coaching to help you get the most from your training, but also more in-depth data analysis for once you're out of the pool.

Despite all the tech packed into these goggles, they only weigh 65g and we were impressed how little you actually notice them once they're in place. Partly, this is thanks to the eye seals, which contour to your face for improved comfort.

But you wouldn't buy a pair of the Smart Swim 2 if you're just looking for a hassle-free swim, as they do cost $250. The main reason you'd want a set is to record your swims, track your progress, and boost your performance.

The goggles measure distance, time, heart rate, pace, stroke rate, split times, stroke count, distance per stroke, and calories as standard. And, if you take out the membership, you also get access to headpitch, peak head roll, time to neutral, interval pacing, and set pacing.

Our expert review:

Incredibly similar to Speedo’s Speedsocket goggles, these mirrored goggles from Italian swimming brand Arena (who produced their first competitive swimsuit more than 40 years ago) offer superior UV protection.

If you’re planning on swim training when on holiday or you’re lucky enough to live somewhere warm enough to lap swim in an outdoor pool year-round, these are the goggles for you (and cannot be beaten on price).

With tight, low-profile lenses that are curved to enable peripheral vision, Arena’s Tracks Mirror goggles will suit competitive swimmers more than casual drifters — so if you’re not aiming for speed, opt for a pair of goggles with wider and flatter lenses instead.

The elastic straps flatten towards the back, so they sit flush against your head — and do not budge, so they’re particularly great for sprinting. They also come with interchangeable nose bridges, and, in our personal opinion, look rather stylish for under $20/£20.

To test the best swimming goggles, we went swimming! We put all of the goggles through their paces in the pool and in open water to look at how well they fit, how good the seal was, and how well the lenses performed in different conditions.

Overall, the best swimming goggles for you are the ones that fit on your face most comfortably, so we looked at things like whether the goggles had adjustable nose bridges that help ensure a comfortable fit.

We also considered extras, like whether the swimming goggles came with a case, or handy travel bag, or multiple nose grips. The last thing you want is a scratch down your new goggles, so we looked out for this when testing.

When it comes to choosing the best swimming goggles for you, it's a good idea to think about where you'll be doing most of your swimming. If you'll be doing most of your laps in the pool, you probably won't need a pair of goggles with a polarized lens that offers UV protection. On the other hand, if you are planning on doing a lot of open-water swimming, you'll want to keep the sun out of your eyes between strokes.

If you're planning on wearing your goggles while racing, you'll want to look for a pair with curved lens to enable peripheral vision when you're swimming quickly. Casual swimmers don't need to worry as much and may find wider, flatter lenses more comfortable.

Finally, whatever level of swimmer you might be, it's a good idea to select a pair of swimming goggles that can easily be adjusted. Look for things like an adjustable nose bridge, which will help the goggles sit comfortably on the bridge of your nose, and prevent you from having to adjust them each length of the pool.

First and foremost, investing in a good quality pair of sunglasses should help to reduce the level of fog your goggles develop during a swim session. Plus, making sure they fit your head securely will make a big difference.

However, fogging can happen even with a pair of the best swimming goggles, so here are some extra precautions you can take to lower the risk of a foggy swim session occuring.

Wet your faceAs you swim your body temperature naturally begins to rise and goggle fog can occur as a result of the condensation caused. Meanwhile, the pool water remains cool. So, one hack is wetting your face and goggles with the pool water before putting them over your head to help prevent fogging.

SalivaWe know how gross spitting into your goggles may sound but it's a trick used by many professional swimmers (look out for it at this year's Olympic swimming events) and it's the au naturel option. You just need a small amount spread around the lens of your goggles and the moisture will act as a barrier against condensation.

Baby shampooStepping away from the au naturel options, this fog prevention hack lies in your bathroom cabinet. Shampoo can act as a barrier for condensation on your goggles but to avoid irritating your eyes, we recommend you stick to baby shampoo for this one. You'll want to add a small drop to your goggle lenses, spread around, leave for a few minutes and then rinse each lense leaving a small amount on them.

Some use toothpaste but remember to rinse away or else your sight may be tainted by a slight minty fresh sting.

If your swimming goggles keep leaking, despite you adjusting them to fit your nose, and around your head, it might be that they aren't the right pair for you. Despite these swimming goggles being the best on test, they might not be the best for your face shape or bone structure if they keep leaking.

It's also worth noting that if you're swimming quickly, diving into the pool, or doing tumble turns, your goggles might leak more than if you're just doing laps. If tightening and adjusting them doesn't solve your problem, it's worth shopping around for a different pair.

If you're looking to shop like an Olympian, Michael Phelps wore the Speedo Speed Socket goggles for the first four Olympics of his career. After his contract with Speedo ended, Phelps signed with Aqua Sphere, and released a line of MP swimming goggles. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Phelps could be seen wearing the MP Xceed swim goggles.

If you're doing a lot of swimming outside, it might be better to invest in a pair of mirrored swimming goggles. Mirrored swimming goggles can reflect light away from your eyes, and protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. That said, if you're doing most of your swimming in a pool, mirrored lenses can actually make the water a little dark, so you might prefer a colored, or clear lens.

Here at Tom’s Guide our expert editors are committed to bringing you the best news, reviews and guides to help you stay informed and ahead of the curve!

Alice Barraclough is a freelance lifestyle writer covering everything from fashion to fitness, travel, and interiors. She lives in Surrey and is currently training for her first-ever 70.3 IronMan. Her words have appeared in The Telegraph, The Independent, Stylist Magazine, Women's Health UK, Glamour UK, and lots more.

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