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 bit more relief while swimming.
In a dark indoor pool, things are different. A clear or lighter lens may feel more comfortable, as it allows more light through. So don't just consider what swimming goggles look like; think mainly about where you will use them.
Would you like to view suitable models straight away? Take a look at the mirrored swimming goggles. If you would rather compare different types first, browse all swimming goggles.
When are mirrored lenses a good choice?
The main question is simple: how much light will you have around you while swimming?
Do you swim outdoors in the sun, in open water or in a pool with plenty of daylight? A mirrored lens can be a comfortable choice. It 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 actually block more light than you want.
You will also see plenty of swimming goggles with mirrored lenses at competitions. This makes particular sense in brightly lit pools or at outdoor competitions. But don't just focus on the lens. Competition goggles should mainly fit well and stay securely in place when you are swimming hard.
Looking for goggles specifically for competitions? You can also browse the competition goggles.
Mirrored or clear?
Not sure whether to choose a mirrored or clear lens? Start by considering the lighting.
A clear lens lets plenty of light through. This is useful in dark or moderately lit indoor pools. A mirrored lens reduces light, making it more suitable for bright conditions.
There is no need to make the choice more complicated than it needs to be:
Do you mainly swim indoors in a dark pool? Choose a light or clear lens instead.
Do you often swim outdoors or in a bright pool? A mirrored lens is worth considering.
If you swim in different locations, there may not be 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?
The main benefit is most noticeable in bright conditions. A mirrored lens makes strong sunlight or bright pool lighting less intense. This can be useful outdoors, as well as in a brightly lit indoor pool.
Mirrored swimming goggles are not just for competitions, either. You can also wear them during training. If you train often and comfort and fit matter more to you than having the most compact competition goggles possible, take a look at the training swimming 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 it would with a clear lens.
Also remember that a mirrored lens is just one feature of swimming goggles. For example, a mirrored lens is not automatically polarised, and it does not indicate whether the goggles have an anti-fog treatment. This varies by model.
And perhaps more importantly, don't choose a lens first and the goggles afterwards. Swimming goggles that fit well and feel comfortable will ultimately make more difference than the colour or finish of the lens.
Which situations are mirrored lenses suited to?
Swimming in a bright indoor pool
Plenty of daylight or strong lighting above the pool? Mirrored swimming goggles can be comfortable in these conditions. They reduce the amount of bright light coming through the lens.
If you swim here several times a week, also consider 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 clear or lighter lens is usually the more obvious choice.
That does not mean a mirrored lens is only intended for outdoor swimming. One indoor pool can be much brighter than another. Consider the conditions in the pool where you actually swim.
Outdoor and open-water swimming
Outdoors, the difference between lenses is often most noticeable. On a sunny day, plenty of light can reach the water and the area around it. Mirrored swimming goggles help to reduce that light.
If you swim outdoors often, you may also come across polarised lenses. This is not the same as a mirrored lens. Polarisation is designed to reduce certain reflections, such as those from the surface of the water. So check the features each pair of goggles actually has.
Competitions
For competitions, a mirrored lens can be a good choice if you swim in a bright pool or outdoors. Even so, it should not be the first thing you consider when choosing competition goggles.
Start with the fit. The goggles should fit securely and stay 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 competition goggles.
Conclusion: when should you choose mirrored lenses?
Mirrored swimming goggles are particularly suited to swimmers who often deal with bright light. This includes outdoor swimming, open-water swimming and brightly lit pools.
If you usually swim in a dark indoor pool, a clear or lighter lens will often feel more comfortable.
So make your choice based mainly on practical considerations. First think about where you swim, then consider the type of lens, and don't forget about the fit. Goggles that fit well will ultimately matter more 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 layer helps reflect bright light. Polarisation is designed to reduce certain reflections and glare, such as those from the surface of the water.
Some swimming goggles combine both features, but this does not apply to every model. Always check the product specifications.
Do swimming goggles with mirrored lenses always have an anti-fog coating?
No. A mirrored lens and anti-fog are two different features.
The mirrored layer relates to the amount of light coming through the lens. An anti-fog treatment is designed to help limit condensation on the lens.
Whether swimming goggles have anti-fog protection varies by model. Check the product specifications to be sure.