Swimming develops the human body and brings a lot of pleasure. To make it as comfortable as possible, it is advisable to use glasses for swimming. Firstly, they protect the eyes from the aggressive effects of water: chlorinated in the pool; saturated salt - in the sea; not very clean - in ponds and rivers. Secondly, glasses allow you to see well under water. Thirdly, they improve the streamlining of the athlete, helping him to develop higher speeds.
However, the range of models is so wide and varied that it becomes problematic to choose the best glasses for swimming in the pool without prior information preparation. You need to clearly understand what types of glasses exist, how they differ and what nuances you need to pay attention to when buying.
Types of Points
Simplified swimming goggles can be divided into:
- training;
- starting;
- half masks;
- glasses with diopters.
Training
Ideal for everyday use. The soft seal and wide, large lenses are ideal for training an athlete, or for lovers of a healthy lifestyle who slowly swim in the pool or do water aerobics. Training goggles for swimming fit snugly enough to the skin, although from active movements in the water or jumping from the side of the pool can fall down. Lens seals practically do not leave marks on the face, glasses do not cause discomfort even with prolonged use.
Starting
An option for professional swimmers who need maximum body streamlining. Starting glasses for swimming in the pool have small lenses, a rigid mount on the bridge of the nose and a thin layer of gasket, and sometimes it is not at all. They are very tight to the skin and do not fly off the face even after a ski jump, but are very uncomfortable for everyday swimming, because they put too much pressure on the skin and leave marks on it.
Half masks
They are a combination of a solution between a full mask and glasses. Advantages of a half mask: large visibility, lack of marks on the skin, reliable design, comfort. Disadvantages: cumbersomeness, which reduces the speed and mobility of the swimmer, with sudden movements, the half mask easily moves to the side. But then it is perfect for those who like to carefully study the underwater world.
Diopter glasses for swimming
Visually impaired people have the opportunity to fully enjoy trips to the pool, acquiring glasses with diopters. In fact, they are analogues of contact lenses or traditional glasses, only adapted for swimming. Depending on the individual characteristics of the vision, the swimmer can pick up glasses with the same non-replaceable lenses for both eyes or a model into which you can insert lenses with the necessary diopters, and then change them if necessary.
Criteria for choosing swimming goggles
In order not to unnecessarily complicate the choice of glasses, you can limit yourself to six main criteria:
- destination;
- design;
- mount design of two lenses;
- type of sealant;
- lens color and the presence of diopters;
- anti-fog protection.
Destination
Before the final choice, you need to be aware of who will use the glasses and in what conditions. After all, it is irrational to buy a child glasses designed for Olympic champions. It is also ridiculous for a professional who dreams about records to acquire a bulky half mask. And for a poorly seeing person, it is logical to choose models with diopters.
Glasses for the athlete should hold well, be extremely tight and streamlined. Models for the average person who likes to visit the pool periodically should be stylish, as comfortable as possible, with a fairly soft seal. For children, it is better to choose glasses that will not put much pressure on the skin, will not cause allergies, will not break immediately in children's hands and will not constantly fly off. Here, cast non-separable glasses with a reliable lens mount design are best suited.
Design
As for design, his choice is very rich and ready to satisfy the most demanding and original taste. Each buyer is guided by their own subjective reasons, choosing the shape of the lenses, the color of the straps and glass. Another thing is the design of glasses for swimming. There are a number of general recommendations that will help you get good points. The best way to buy a good model is to try it on first. This can be done in a store where there are many options at hand, and a consultant will help with advice.
Lens mount design
The most important structural part responsible for the convenience of glasses is the fastening of the lenses on the bridge of the nose. It is of three types:
- Unregulated. Tightly connects the lenses, it is durable, but glasses of this design must be chosen with great care: because if they do not sit well, then this can not be fixed.
- Adjustable. A small flagellum with hooks allows you to change the distance between the lenses step by step. Such glasses can be worn by several people, adjusting the distance for themselves, but the mount is not very reliable and convenient, over time the hooks are worn and unfastened even by light effort.
- Replaceable. The glasses are equipped with a set of mounts that have different lengths. They are reliable and easy to replace, but such a complicated design is hardly suitable for children who can break or lose their fasteners in excitement.
Seal type
Equally important is the correct choice of goggles for swimming. There are models without a seal, the so-called "glass", but they are used by professionals in competitions, for everyday swimming in the pool they are uncomfortable. The tightness of the lenses, pressure on the skin and tightness are regulated by the tension of the strap and depends on the material of the seal. The most common three materials:
- thermoplastic rubber;
- silicone;
- neoprene.
Thermoplastic rubber is very strong and tough, with proper tension of the strap, such a seal provides the swimmer with excellent tightness, the glasses are firmly attached to the skin and do not fall off the face. Among the starting glasses with rubber seals, the Speedo Speedsocket, Arena Cobra, Speedo Fastskin3 Elite models are a success. Among the training points for swimming - Speedo Aquapulse Max.
Silicone is much softer than thermoplastic rubber. High-quality silicone sealant is comfortable, does not cause allergies, does not rub the skin, leaves barely noticeable traces that quickly disappear. With such glasses you can swim for hours without experiencing any inconvenience. Therefore, silicone is an excellent choice for children's swimming goggles. After all, children are ready to flounder in water for hours, and their skin is very tender, so it is important that the glasses do not press hard on the face at the same time and keep well on the child, protecting his eyes from bleach in the pool or sea salt.
Sponge neoprene seals are the softest, but because of this they provide the least tightness and more easily fall off the face during swimming and jumping from the sides. Neoprene becomes a real salvation for people with increased skin irritability. It practically does not leave marks on the face and does not cause allergies. According to customer reviews, one of the most successful models with neoprene seals are the swimming goggles “Arena” Zoom Neoprene.
Lens selection
Pool lighting is usually moderate and does not hurt the eyes. Therefore, the lenses of swimming goggles can be colorless or with a light blue tint. Through the glass, the swimmer sees an almost undistorted image. However, many swimming enthusiasts prefer shaded or mirrored lenses that not only close their eyes and protect their light, but also look very stylish. In addition, they are useful in outdoor pools or on days when the daylight shines brightly through the windows.
In such cases, it is better to choose glasses with UV protection with mirrored or polarized lenses. Mirror glasses completely hide their eyes from prying eyes, perfectly eliminate glare on the water, but noticeably darken the image. Polarized lenses reduce eye strain, eliminate glare, while preserving natural color reproduction. In addition, they are more durable than mirror analogues.
For swimmers who have vision problems, the first place, of course, is the selection of glasses with the necessary diopters. And only then they think about the design and shades of the lenses. For poorly seeing swimmers, do not buy models with dark or smoky glasses that slightly blur the image. It is better to choose transparent glasses or lenses with an orange, bluish or yellow coating, they increase the clarity and contrast of the visible image.
Anti-fog
Cheap models made by little-known firms often become a source of inconvenience and irritation for their owners. The lenses in these swimming goggles fog up after a few minutes in the water. The swimmer's ability to see is significantly limited; moisture droplets on the glasses partially or completely close the view.
The products of reputable manufacturers have factory protection against fogging. It reliably protects the lenses, not allowing moisture to linger on them. But after several months of constant use of glasses, the protective layer is worn away, and fogging is beginning to appear. In this case, you should independently treat the lenses with a special tool - an antifrog.
It is available in the form of a gel, solution or spray. The easiest way to work with a spray, it is enough to spray cleaned glass. Bottles with a solution of antifogging come with a dropper and applicator, which help to gently apply the substance to the lenses.
But it is worth remembering that even the most expensive glasses or lenses that have just been treated with an antifrog need careful operation. To keep the glasses longer protected against fogging, you need to minimize your fingers touching the inner surface of the glasses, do not throw them with other clothes, the best place for swimming glasses is a special cover.