💦 Supreme comfort and vision for swimmers 💦

Get 20% off the ZONE3 Venator-X range

If you're looking for a reliable and comfortable pair of goggles you can throw on with minimal faff for a long training session in the open water, then you're going to love ZONE3's awesome range of Venator-X goggles – available with four different lenses to choose from!

Read on to hear more about the technology behind these supremely comfortable goggles and how I got on trying them out on a sunny river training swim.

Plus, ZONE3 is offering Outdoor Swimmer readers an exclusive 20% off with code OSGOG20 – so what are you waiting for? Give them a go and let us know how you get on! 

Abi Whyte

Digital Editor, Outdoor Swimmer

💙 It’s all about faff-free swimming! 💙

I'm in the midst of a 12-week charity swim challenge while also training for a sea swim from Albania to Corfu in September. This means I'm spending a lot of time training in the open water, practising my sighting and other open water skills.

For this I need a faff-free, reliable pair of goggles that feel comfortable on long training swims, have no leakage issues and give me wide vision in the water. Due to the increased time outdoors in sunny weather, my eyes also need protection from surface glare and harmful UV rays. 

🤔 How do I choose goggle lenses for open water swimming? 🤔

Swimming goggle lenses filter the light in different ways to enhance your experience in the water and each lens type is suited to different environments and conditions.

CLEAR LENSES let in the maximum amount of light, giving excellent clarity of vision even in low-light conditions. They’re a good all-rounder lens that works well for indoor training sessions. Although some do include UV protection, they won’t block the sun’s glare. 

TINTED LENSES provide a range of different benefits. Blue lenses are a good all-rounder, reducing surface glare. Tinted lenses also soften harsh artificial lighting, making them perfect for indoor pool training and racing. 

PHOTOCHROMATIC LENSES, much like reaction lenses on sunglasses, adapt to the light conditions you’re swimming in – lightening when it’s darker and darkening when you’re swimming in bright conditions. They’re particularly well suited to swimming at sunrise or sunset. 

POLARIZED LENSES filter intense glare caused by sunlight reflecting off flat surfaces such as lakes and the seas. They’re ideal for swimming in bright outdoor conditions but are just as good on overcast days.

 ☀️ A sunny river swim with Venator-X ☀️

For one my outdoor training sessions, I tested out the Venator-X Swim Goggles with polarized lenses. This was a 2-mile river swim on a very sunny afternoon. 

Having previously suffered with irritated and achey eyes after wearing goggles for long durations, I was encouraged by the Venator-X packaging that declared these to be "supremely comfortable goggles". They came with a handy 'Quick fitting guide' that was easy to follow, and putting the goggles on and adjusting the straps to my desired fit was quick and simple.

Throughout the swim (I was in the water 1.5 hours) the goggles didn't leak at all and required no readjusting. The lenses kept my eyes protected, and I was amazed by how soft the silicon gaskets felt on my face. I can safely say these are the most comfortable goggles I've ever worn. My friend was so impressed when trying them on, she said she was going to buy a pair as soon as she got home! 

I also tested the polarized lenses my local pool, which is a very bright environment with floor-to-ceiling glazing, and they performed very well. Sometimes, when pushing off from the pool edge, my goggles can dislodge and leak but these goggles stayed secure throughout! 

Overall I was impressed by the versatility and glare protection of these goggles, but it's got to be the COMFORT that's the major selling point for the Venator-X. Super soft and faff-free, these will definitely be my go-to goggles for reliable and comfortable eye protection in the open water.

“I was amazed by how soft the goggles felt on my face. I can safely say these are the most comfortable goggles I've ever worn!"

Abi Whyte, Digital Editor, Outdoor Swimmer