When it comes to swimming in the open water sighting is one of the most important things you can learn to ensure that you keep on course. This will save you time and energy by preventing you from covering excess distance.
Obviously in order to sight effectively you need to ensure that you have clear vision and this is where having good quality anti-fogging goggles is a must. There is nothing more frustrating than having to stop and clear your goggles constantly when you are in the middle of an ocean swim.
We’ve got some great tips to help keep you on track and prevent any of these problems becoming a reality for you. The video below by Coach Leslie Thomas of Swim Art has some fantastic information on sighting and following that are some basic things you can do to keep your goggles nice and clear so that you can put that advice into practise.
Video link… www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0-lP3exIfc
Top tips to keep your goggles clear
1. Dip your goggles into the water and leave them submerged for about 15 seconds before immediately placing them on your face. This will help to regulate the temperature of your goggles to the water before you put them on and can prevent immediate fogging.
2. Spit into your goggles. By spitting or licking the inside lens of your goggles, you will create a barrier that prevents condensation. This is usually a temporary solution but is widely used.
3. Clean goggles with dish washing liquid which will help to create a barrier and slow the fogging effect. If you do use a cleaning solution, avoid wetting goggles before you put them on, because the water will mix with solution, seep into your eyes and sting.
4. Use an anti-fog spray or serum available at a number of sporting outlets.
5. Place a drop of water – about the amount of one eyedrop – into each lens, and do not empty it. This is a bit more tricky than the other remedies, but if you use just the right amount, you will create a goggle wiper with the water. When you turn your head to breathe, the water will slide down the lens and wipe away the foggy moisture. Since your head is down for all strokes but backstroke the water will never be dumped into your eyes.
6. If fogging is a serious problem for you one of the best ways to prevent it is to invest in a good pair of goggles from a leading goggle maker such as blueseventy (www.blueseventy.co.nz) Advancements in goggle design have all but eliminated goggle fogging in many goggle brands and even though these goggles will be slightly more expensive it can be well worth the investment!
We recommend that you try any of these tips in a training swim before putting them into practice during a big event to give you time to perfect your techniques and find what works best for you.
You can purchase a new pair of goggles from the State Ocean Swim Series Store here.
