Do you often swim outdoors or in a brightly lit pool? Mirrored lenses can be a comfortable choice. They reduce bright light and glare, giving your eyes a little more rest while you swim.
In a dark indoor pool, the situation is different. A transparent or lighter lens may be more comfortable, as it allows more light through. So do not just consider what swimming goggles look like, but mainly where you will use them.
Would you like to view suitable models straight away? Then take a look at the swimming goggles with mirrored lenses. If you would first like to compare different types, take a look at all swimming goggles.
When are mirrored lenses a good choice?
The most important question is simple: how much light is around you while you swim?
Do you swim outdoors in the sun, in open water or in a pool with plenty of daylight? Then mirrored lenses can be comfortable. The lens blocks some of the bright light, so you are less affected by brightness and reflections.
In a darker pool, they are less useful. A mirrored lens may then block more light than you would like.
You also see many swimming goggles with mirrored lenses at competitions. This makes particular sense in brightly lit pools or at outdoor competitions. But do not focus only on the lens. Competition goggles should mainly fit well and stay securely in place when you swim fast.
Looking specifically for goggles for competitions? You can also view the competition goggles.
Mirrored or transparent?
Are you unsure whether to choose a mirrored or transparent lens? Start by looking at the lighting conditions.
A transparent lens allows plenty of light through. This is useful in dark or moderately lit indoor pools. A mirrored lens reduces light and is therefore better suited to bright conditions.
There is no need to make the choice more complicated than necessary:
Do you mainly swim indoors in a dark pool? Choose a light or transparent lens.
Do you often swim outdoors or in a bright pool? Then mirrored lenses are worth considering.
If you swim at different locations, there is not always one lens that is ideal everywhere. In that case, use the environment where you swim most often as your starting point.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of mirrored lenses?
You notice the greatest advantage in bright conditions. A mirrored lens makes bright sunlight or strong pool lighting less intense. This can be comfortable outdoors, as well as in a brightly lit indoor pool.
Mirrored lenses are not just for competitions, either. You can also use them during training. If you train often and comfort and fit are more important to you than having the most compact competition goggles possible, also take a look at the training goggles.
The downside is that a dark lens is not equally comfortable in every environment. In a pool with little light, your vision may feel darker than with a transparent lens.
Also note that a mirrored lens is just one feature of swimming goggles. For example, a mirrored lens is not automatically polarised and does not indicate whether the goggles have an anti-fog treatment. This varies by model.
And perhaps more importantly: do not choose a lens first and the goggles afterwards. Swimming goggles that fit well and feel comfortable ultimately make more difference than the colour or finish of the lens.
Which situations are suitable for mirrored lenses?
Swimming in a bright indoor pool
Plenty of daylight or strong lighting above the pool? Mirrored lenses can be comfortable. They reduce the amount of bright light that passes through the lens.
If you swim here several times a week, also pay attention to how the goggles feel during longer training sessions. Comfort and a good fit are at least as important as the type of lens.
Swimming in a dark indoor pool
In a dark pool, you want to retain as much useful light as possible. A transparent or lighter lens is usually the more suitable option.
That does not mean a mirrored lens is intended only for outdoor use. Some indoor pools are much brighter than others. Consider the conditions in the pool where you actually swim.
Outdoor and open-water swimming
Outdoors, you often notice the difference between lenses most clearly. On a sunny day, a great deal of light can reach the water and its surroundings. Mirrored lenses help reduce this light.
If you swim outdoors often, you may also come across polarised lenses. This is not the same as a mirrored lens. Polarisation is intended to reduce certain reflections, such as those from the surface of the water. Therefore, check which features the lens actually has for each pair of goggles.
Competitions
For competitions, a mirrored lens can be a good choice if you swim in a bright pool or outdoors. However, this should not be the first factor you consider when selecting competition goggles.
Start with the fit. The goggles should fit well and stay securely in place. You can then consider which type of lens best suits the conditions in which you usually compete.
A mirrored design is therefore not automatically better simply because the goggles are designed for competition.
Conclusion: when should you choose mirrored lenses?
Mirrored lenses are particularly suitable for swimmers who often encounter bright light. This includes outdoor swimming, open-water swimming or a brightly lit pool.
If you usually swim in a dark indoor pool, a transparent or lighter lens is often more comfortable.
Make your choice based mainly on practical considerations. First consider where you swim, then the type of lens, and do not forget the fit. Goggles that fit well will ultimately remain more important than the finish of the lens.
Frequently asked questions about mirrored lenses
What is the difference between mirrored and tinted lenses?
A tinted lens reduces the amount of light through the colour of the lens. A mirrored lens also has a reflective finish that reflects some of the incoming light.
Both can be comfortable in bright conditions. The best option mainly depends on where you swim and how much light you encounter there.
Are mirrored lenses the same as polarised lenses?
No. They are two different features.
A mirrored coating helps reflect bright light. Polarisation is intended to reduce certain reflections and glare, for example from the surface of the water.
Some swimming goggles combine both features, but this does not apply to every model. Therefore, always check the product specifications.
Do swimming goggles with mirrored lenses always have an anti-fog coating?
No. Mirrored lenses and anti-fog are two different features.
The mirrored coating relates to the amount of light that passes through the lens. An anti-fog treatment is intended to limit the lens from fogging up.
Whether swimming goggles have anti-fog varies by model. Therefore, check the product specifications.