Racing goggles are used to create less drag, be more streamlined compared to training goggles with the aim of assisting the swimmer to move faster through the water. 

Racing swimming goggles will ideally have a smaller lens size having a more lower profile lens compared to training goggles to be more streamlined allowing the swimmer to move faster through the water. Therefore, you see most competitive swimmers wear small goggles in training and racing to have less drag and be more streamlined. It’s also a good idea for a competitive swimmer to use racing goggles during training so they are used to smaller racing goggles before they use them on their race days and during important swim competitions or swim meets. With Racing goggles the water will flow over the goggles easier than bulky goggles that will not fit as snug into your eye sockets. Racing goggles can be mirrored or un mirrored and depending on your training and racing environmental conditions and personal preference you will select your lens type and color. Tinted lens will assist in outdoor settings clear and non-mirrored are often better for in-doors swimming providing more clarity. 

Mirrored lens will assist with sunlight pool set environments especially if you are swimming right in the middle of the day and the sun is shining at its brightest.  If you are racing at night, lighter lens colors or clear goggles are best if you need as much vision as possible. If vision does not bother you then normal mirrored goggles are fine at all times. If you need a bit of extra comfort for your racing goggles, choose ones with a bit of silicone padding these will give your eyes a bit more comfort compared to goggles with no silicone padding around the lens.  

Racing goggle selection is very important so you do not have to think about your goggles while you are racing and know they will stay in place and ensure you don’t get water in your eyes,or fall off. So always test your racing goggles during training, use them during test sets to ensure you are used to the way they feel and confident with them being the best goggle for you to swim at your best.  If you require expert assistance, please contact our product specialists on 1300 132 852 or visit an Aqua Shop store for a professional goggle fitting.

Currently our most popular racing goggles are the TYR Tracer-X RZR racing goggle, the Original Tracer X goggle and the TYR Racer X-Elite Goggle. Also noted is the TYR Blackhawk goggle and for those requiring more comfort the TYR blacktops 140 EV goggle
Yes, there is no difference between racing and competition goggles, and you will pay the same as Olympic swimmers do between $40 and $100 dollars depending on which ones you choose. But know the more you spend does not necessarily mean the better the goggle, the best advice is to find a good swimming brand, we like TYR and a goggle that fits your face shape. If you need help selecting your racing goggle, please call into an Aqua Shop store to get professionally fitted or phone 1300 132 852 and a product specialist can assist you. Aqua Shop has been fitting goggles for 25years.
Some swimmers like to wear their racing goggles under their caps, this is personal preference as they believe it makes them more streamlined and less chance of them falling off. This may be true but please practice wearing your goggles under your cap during swimming training so you can test it out and be ready for race day with no surprises and be confident this option works for you. To the goggle on your face put the lens on your eyes and then move the strap over the top of your head and then adjust the lens once more to put it into place on your eyes so the silicone suctions properly. Ensure your cap is not in your lens at all and your strap is in the middle of your head at the back, not too high or too low as this often will cause the goggle to come down or flip off when you dive or turn.
Some swimmers like to wear their racing goggles under their caps, this is personal preference as they believe it makes them more streamlined and less chance of them falling off. This may be true but please practice wearing your goggles under your cap during swimming training so you can test it out and be ready for race day with no surprises and be confident this option works for you.
The best way to care for racing goggles is to have a goggle case. This will provide a special hard cover protection for your lens when you are not wearing them which will prevent scratches and damage to your lens. To get the chlorine off your goggles rinse them under water but do not touch or rub the inside of the goggle lens as this will take off the anti-fog coating, you can use a soft towel or cloth to dry the outside of your lens like a sunglass cloth. Also please do not leave goggles in the sunlight after use as this has a negative impact on the silicone and the lens coating and will damage your goggles and lessen the life of your goggles substantially.
Only use anti fog on your goggles if you feel like they are misting up or very foggy. This may mean the ani-fog coating on your goggles has come off and you need to re-coat your goggles. A Good brand of Anti fog is TYR or View. They come with instructions on how to use but we tell customers to coat before they go to bed so it dries over night and then rinse in the morning in case of any excess as you don’t want this to go into your eye. Then repeat for a few nights in a row initially to ensure you have coated enough and then only once a week there after unless you feel you need more.
No matter if sea water or chlorinated, 4-6 months is about when you will need a new pair of goggles, 2-4 months is normally when you start thinking about it and from around 2 months you may need to start using anti-fog protector and sometimes replace the strap to get more life out of your goggles. Depending on how long and how many times a week you swim, the conditions and environmental factors will change how long goggles last. Of course, the better you take care of your goggles like everything the longer they may last and feel good for use.
Sprint events for this question are thought to be 50m and 100m, 200m we will classify as middle distance and 400m, 800m and 1500m and longer we will classify as long-distance events. Thus, often a person who is in goggles for longer times may want a more comfortable goggle than a swimmer who is only racing one or two laps. Thus, we often would say yes, we believe you can go something more intense over shorter distances, thus a goggle sitting more in your eye socket then a goggle with more silicone padding which will sit more outside your eye but provide you with more comfort over longer distances and time. Also swimming over shorter distance will be at greater speeds thus the faster you go the more streamlined you want to be to have less drag and be more slip streamed, so the more conventional racing goggles will be more beneficial for sprint events too and because of the short nature of the event, bearable on the eye socket. Eg Cate Campbell always raced in a goggle similar to the TYR rocket socket or TYR Tracer – X elite Goggle. For longer distances you are not swimming at the same speeds thus a racing google with more silicone paddling like the TYR Black ops or the original TYR tracer X or TYR Blackhawk is a very wise choice for distance swimmers.