How to Wear Swim Goggles

Co-authored by Brad Hurvitz

Last Updated: June 18, 2022 References

Swim goggles protect your eyes and allow you to see underwater, so knowing how to put them on correctly is important. Start by pressing the eyecups to your face until you feel light suction. Once you’ve got the eyecups in place, pull the stretchy backstrap up over your head and adjust it to the appropriate length so it secures the goggles but doesn’t squeeze too tight. The goggles should form a comfortable seal, keeping water out without pinching your skin.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Putting on and Taking off Swim Goggles

1
Grip the goggles by the edges of the eyecups. Hold the goggles so that the inside of the lenses are facing towards you. Place your thumbs at the bottom of the eyecups, then wrap your pointer fingers around the tops of the frames. Your right thumb should be resting on the right cup, with your left thumb on the left cup.^{[1]
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- Flip the backstrap over to the front side of the goggles to keep it out of the way while you put them on.
- Alternatively, you can start with the backstrap around your neck and the goggles dangling in front of you.
2
Press the goggles against your eyes. Bring the goggles up to your face, guiding the eyecups over your eyes. Press your fingers gently into the edges of the frames. You should feel a light suction as they form a seal on the skin around your eyes.^{[2]
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- Only the soft rubber around the inside of the eyecups should come into contact with your face.
- Make sure the eyecups don’t pinch or tug at your skin. If they do, you may need to remove and reposition them until they feel comfortable.
- Avoid touching the lenses themselves. Doing so could leave behind smudges and obstruct your vision underwater.
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3
Guide the backstrap up and over your head. Keeping the goggles pressed to your eyes with one hand, use your other hand to position the strap until it rests against the back of your head at around eye level. When viewed from the side, the strap and the eyepieces should form a straight horizontal line.^{[3]
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- If the strap doesn’t feel comfortable where it is, slide it up rather than down. The lower it is, the more likely your goggles will be to slip while you’re swimming.
4
Adjust the backstrap to get a comfortable and secure fit. Pull the loose end of the rubber strap through the buckle slot on the side of the frame to tighten your goggles. If you want to loosen them instead, lift up on the buckle lever and pull the strap out to put a little slack in it. Your goggles should be snug, but not tight.^{[4]
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- Before you dive in, double-check that the goggles fit securely all the way around your eye sockets and that you can see clearly out of both lenses.
5
Pull the backstrap over your head from the back to remove the goggles. When you’re ready to take off your goggles, simply reverse the motion you used to put them on. Reach behind your ears and slide your thumbs underneath the sides of the backstrap, then lift it over your crown until the goggles come free.
- Don’t try to remove your goggles by pulling on the eyecups. If you’re not careful, they could snap back and hit you in the face!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Testing Goggles for Fit

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Select a pair of goggles that fits comfortably around your eyes. When shopping for a new pair of goggles, try on a few different pairs to compare the shapes of the lenses and the feel of the eyecups. The right pair of goggles should conform to your face to the point where they’re hardly noticeable. If the eyepieces pinch, pull, or restrict your field of vision, it’s best to go with another pair.^{[5]
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- If you have rounded eye sockets, for example, you’ll probably be most comfortable in goggles with smooth, rounded eyepieces. If your eyes are more almond shaped, look for a pair with contoured rubber around the eyecups.
- Taking the time to pick out goggles that fit properly can mean the difference between swimming freely and being in constant discomfort.
2
Press the eyecups to your face to test out the suction. Put the eyepieces into position around your eyes, then apply gentle pressure to the edges. If the goggles are a good fit, they should stick to your skin for a few seconds before popping off.^{[6]
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- You don’t need to actually slip the backstrap over your head at this point—you’re just testing how well the eyecups fit on their own.
- Goggles that fall off immediately are most likely the wrong shape for your face.^{[7]
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- If only one of the eyecups stays put, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the goggles are a poor fit. Try on a couple of other pairs and note the differences between them before making a decision.
3
Pull on the backstrap to get a feel for how the goggles wear. Once you’re satisfied with how the eyepieces fit, finish putting the goggles on the way you normally would. Guide the backstrap over your head so that it’s level with the eyecups. With minimal adjusting, it should fit snugly without squeezing.^{[8]
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- If you start to get a headache or experience cloudy vision after wearing the goggles for a couple of minutes, pass them up and look for a more suitable pair.
- The rubber backstrap may pull on your hair during your test fitting. This can be uncomfortable, but it doesn’t necessarily mean a bad pair of goggles. You shouldn’t have the same problem once you’re in the pool or wearing a swim cap.
4
Adjust the nose strap by changing the distance between the eyepieces. Some more expensive types of swim goggles feature adjustable nose straps. These can be tightened by unclipping the strap where it meets the eyepiece and reattaching it for a better fit around the bridge of the nose. To loosen the nose strap instead, move the eyepieces further apart.^{[9]
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- Like the eyepieces, it’s important that the nose strap fit comfortably if you’re going to be wearing your goggles for an extended period of time.
- Not all goggles have adjustable nose straps. As long as the pair you’re trying on fit properly around the eyes, adjustable straps aren’t a necessity.
5
Look for goggles with deep eyepieces if your eyelashes brush the lenses. Brushing eyelashes can be a major distraction when you’re trying to concentrate on swimming. To make sure you don’t have this problem, try blinking a few times once you’ve got the goggles on your face. If you feel your lashes scraping the backside of the lenses, consider buying a pair that offers more space.^{[10]
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- Goggles with roomier eyepieces sit further away from the eyes, giving long eyelashes more freedom to move while blinking.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Finding the Right Pair of Goggles for You

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Pick up some Swedish goggles for affordable comfort. Swedish goggles are an older style of water eyewear that are still popular with many swimmers. They feature eye cups molded out of hard plastic, with lenses that offer UV protection for outdoor swimming. Most pairs also have an adjustable nose strap that joins the eyecups together.^{[11]
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- A 2-pack of Swedish goggles only costs about $15 USD on average, making them a more economical option if you’re not set on using top-of-the-line equipment.
- Swedish goggles have to be assembled prior to their first use. For this reason, they may be a little too complicated for small children.^{[12]
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- One downside of Swedish goggles is that the hard plastic used in their construction makes them slightly less comfortable for prolonged wear.
2
Shell out for racing goggles for optimum comfort and performance. Racing goggles are made from lightweight, hydrodynamic materials and offer a perfect watertight seal every time. This emphasis on comfort will allow you to focus solely on swimming. As an added bonus, they come in an array shapes and sizes, so you’ll always be able to find a pair to fit your face.^{[13]
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- A good pair of racing goggles can run you up to $50 USD, but keep in mind that when it comes to specialty sports equipment, you get what you pay for.
- Since they’re smaller than ordinary goggles, racing goggles may put more pressure on the eye sockets when used for long swimming sessions.^{[14]
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Use tinted lenses to cut down on glare. Goggles with darkened lenses are the swimmer’s equivalent of sunglasses. Since they typically offer UV protection and an anti-fog coating, they’re useful for blocking out sunlight on bright days. If you tend to most of your swimming outdoors in the morning or afternoon, tinted lenses may be a smart choice.^{[15]
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- You should be able to buy goggles with tinted lenses anywhere that swimming equipment and accessories are sold.
- Like sunglasses, darkened goggles aren’t meant for indoor use. Wearing them inside may make it harder to see your mark, the lane dividers, or other swimmers.
4
Try out a pair with colored lenses to improve visibility indoors. Colored lenses let in varying amounts of light, which makes them well-suited for a wide range of conditions. Amber and yellow lenses, for example, are effective for making pools appear brighter underwater. Similarly, blue lenses provide optimum clarity for open water swimming.^{[16]
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- Swim goggle lenses come in a variety of different colors. The color that works best for you will depend largely on the depth, color, and water chemistry of the pool you do most of your swimming in.
- When swimming in a poorly-lit environment, it’s best to stick with ordinary clear lenses to avoid any additional distortion that could interfere with your vision.
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Order prescription goggles if you have special vision requirements. Visit your eye care specialist to have a pair made to your exact specifications. Prescription goggles use the same corrective lenses as glasses or contacts, which means you can enjoy crystal clear vision underwater and save room in your gear bag.^{[17]
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- You may also be able to find premade versions in common prescriptions at some swim shops.
- As a general rule, you shouldn’t wear contact lenses in the water due to the risk of bacterial contamination. If you’re unable to track down prescription goggles, however, you can put in some disposable contacts and throw them away at the end of your session.^{[18]
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EXPERT TIP

Brad Hurvitz
Certified Swimming Instructor
Brad Hurvitz is a Certified Swimming Instructor for My Baby Swims, an adolescent swimming school based in La Jolla, California. Brad is trained as an Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) instructor with ISR's Self-Rescue® program. He specializes in training children aged six months to six years of age survival skills like floating on their back to breathe and swimming back to the wall, while also educating parents on how to better keep their kids safe. He has a Master of Business Administration from Oregon State University.

Brad Hurvitz
Certified Swimming Instructor

Expert Warning: It's best not to use goggles for children until they're at least 4 years old. It's much easier to teach them to swim without goggles first, then to add the goggles later. That way, if anything ever happens and they fall in the water, they won't panic because they can't see.

Warnings

Ensuring a proper fit is especially important if the goggles are being worn by small children. A poor fit may result in leaking and eye irritation.

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