Finding the right pair of goggles has always been a daunting task with so many options out there. I know the Zoggs brand well, having previously used their swimwear, though had not tried any of their swim googles before. Spending the summer in Germany, with lots of opportunities for outdoor swimming, provided a great opportunity to try and test out the Zoggs Fusion Air Titanium.
Summary of Review
Trivelo Score – 3 / 5
Comfort wise, bearing in mind the close fit to my eyes and the marks around them, I can only give them a score of 2/5 but taking into account that they not once leaked, a 3/5 might be more appropriate. As the lenses are not mirrored, they’re really only suitable outdoors on overcast days, as the tint didn’t really stop the glare from the sun or water. My preference would always be mirrored goggles as they work in any weather conditions.
Pros
- They were very easy to fit and didn’t leak at all during my swim sessions, so therefore a good, reliable pair for shorter swims.
Cons
- Comfort during long swims was a real problem and personally I found the air cushioning that was touted on the packaging did nothing to reduce pressure marks around the eyes.
- It was a pity no case or bag was provided for safely storing your goggles in your swim bag.
- Tinted, rather than mirrored lenses made them better suited for indoor, rather than outdoor swimming.
- And finally, and most disappointingly, was that the anti-fog didn’t last long at all.
First impressions:
They arrived in the standard single use packaging, but did not come with any kind of reusable protective bag or case to avoid scratching the lenses, which would have been useful. The detailed instructions on how to care for and fit the googles properly were clear and easy to understand. I know they’re kind of obvious, but there will always be someone taking up swimming for the first time and will find the
visual instructions were helpful.
The goggles come with 2 interchangeable nose-bridge sizes, to allow a perfect fit and are easy to replace. The double strap adjustment is easy to use and stayed put without becoming loose during a swim. Again, there are detailed instructions on how to adjust the strap which were really good. Until you actually wear them, most goggles appear the same. This pair looks great and feels good quality material, which I’d expect from my previous experience with Zoggs products. The goggles have light red tinted lenses
instead of mirrored ones, something I wouldn’t have chosen myself.
Swimming with the goggles:
I tried the goggles both indoors and outdoors and they fitted quickly and comfortably with little fuss. The seal around the goggles was particular impressive and did not leak at all or needed re-adjusting. My swim sessions are typically around an hour and did find that they started to feel very tight around the eye socket and especially under the eye. I didn’t seem to be able to fully open my eyes, feeling that pressure from the seal. Due to the narrower shape of the goggles compared to my regular ones, it felt like my eyes were constricted. I think this isn’t so much a problem for shorter swims but for an hour or more, it started to get irritating.
Anti-Fog durability:
These goggles did start fogging up around 30min into my first swim. At first foggy patches started to appear and then by the hour mark were almost completely fogged up. During subsequent swims the anti-fog only lasted about 10min which was very disappointing. I know anti-fog doesn’t last forever but would have expected to last more than a couple of swim sessions.
The cushioned seal around the eyes, though great at keeping water out, really left marks around my eyes, which took a good few hours to disappear (not a great look). If you would wanted to head straight to work after your swim, I’m afraid, I wouldn’t recommend this pair.
Would I buy them?
To be honest, no I wouldn’t. The fit wasn’t comfortable during my long swims and they didn’t really work for me in open water. However, for shorter pool swims, or for sprint triathlons, they’d work fine and
certainly stop water leaking in behind the lenses (which is one of my peeves). My go-to goggles are by American brand ‘NewWave’, which specialises in open water swimming and safety. I have been using them for years and can’t fault them, so doubt I will be switching anytime soon.
For some fully featured tech goggles read our review of the Form Smart Swim 2 goggles with head up display functionality.
Or read our review of 15 swim goggles for competitive swimmers.
Video Review of Zoggs Fusion Air Titanium Goggles
Hear from Yvonne as she talks about the Zoggs goggles with her YouTube review on our channel.
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