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Xtri Swim Tested: Aqua Sphere Seal XP Ladies' and Kaiman Ladies’Goggles
By Betsy Delcour
7/10/2008 |
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As triathletes, we have the privilege of having more gear to purchase than most other single sports; since we swim, bike AND run, we are tasked with buying three times the number of toys that our single sporting counterparts get to buy. But with all the gear and our different requirements for training versus racing, wouldn’t it be nice to know that what we buy is going to actually fit and work, both on and off the course? If you’re a woman, chances are this task might be even harder for you…especially in the goggle department. With our smaller features, we’re sometimes forced to get a one-size-fits-all goggle and strap those suckers so tight onto our heads (so they don’t leak) that we have the ever-so-attractive raccoon eye effect for the rest of the day.
Ladies, our goggle issues can now be safely put behind us with the addition of the women-specific Kaiman and Seal XP Goggles by Aqua Sphere. I recently had the chance to try both models out over the course of a few weeks at my masters swim workouts and a small sprint tri held in a very murky lake (yuck!).
Kaiman Lady Goggles
These are the more traditionally-shaped goggles of the two pairs. Like the Seal, they offer 180 degree vision, just through a smaller window. These goggles are comfortable and offer a good seal. The Kaiman is constructed of Softeril, a technology developed by Aqua Sphere. According to their site, “Softeril® is a synthetic material that is hypoallergenic, soft and comfortable. It does not age and it keeps these features stable over time. It is shape-retaining, and it is not affected by temperature changes. It does not contain harmful material.” What this translates to for you and me is an exceptionally soft material cushioning around the edge of the goggles, which molds nicely to your face.
Another Aqua Sphere specific material used is Plexisol, of which the lenses are comprised. Plexisol promises to outperform other lenses with superior transparency, 20 times the resilience, 100% UV protection, increased scratch and fog resistance, all while being one tenth the weight of a typical lense. OK, so I don’t have a lab where I can test to see if these claims are true, but at no point did my goggles ever fog up during my workouts. And I swim in an outdoor pool. In Texas. With other goggles, I’d find that if I dared put them on, swim, move them up on my forehead (if I was talking to someone or had to jump out of the pool for a moment) and then put them back on to finish swimming, it was guaranteed I’d have major leakage (of the goggle, that is). Not so with the Kaiman’s. I’ve taught myself from past experiences to never take my goggles off if I still had more swimming to do, just because I’ve had such annoying experiences once I put them back on. But for the sake of testing them out, I took them on and off repeatedly during practice to see what would happen – no leaks!
So there you have it. I’m a big fan of the Kaimans, to the point that I chose to wear these during my tri (which went swimmingly, despite the quality…or lack thereof…of the lake).
The Kaiman Lady goggles retail for $17.95.
Seal XP Lady Swimming Mask
For those of us who do lots of open water swimming, or who just like having a bigger window into the underwater world, there’s the Seal XP Lady swimming mask. Like it’s smaller sister, the Seal has 180 degree panoramic vision, offers 100% UVA/UVB protection, and features the Plexisol and Softeril materials in its construction.
As a triathlete, I’ve become well familiar with these masks at masters practice and the races, but I’ve never worn one myself. I was excited to see what these were like!
At first, I put them on, adjusted them, jumped in the pool and by 75 yards I thought I felt a little drop of water hit me in the right eye. Uh oh. Maybe it’s just a wayward drop of water that made its way to my eyelid before I put the mask on? But that little drop turned into a trickle and quickly turned into a gush. Aargh! I stopped at the wall, readjusted, and same thing. Before my workout was over, I was rummaging through my gear bag looking for the Kaimans.
I got in touch with my contact at Aqua Sphere – wasn’t sure if this was a defective item? I know these are a popular product, and I loved the Kaimans, so surely this couldn’t be…she assured me that all Aqua Sphere products come with a 100% guarantee, but that it’s extremely rare that any of their products have issues. With that, I got advice from a friend who wears the Seal mask to try placing it a smidge lower on my face than where I’d typically put it. With that, I tried it again at the next practice. Adjusted a few millimeters lower than where I put them before. Doing this, I heard the classic Tupperware “burp” sound of the vacuum being created. I knew this would be a different experience this time. And it was: No Leaks!!
Once I got over this hurdle, swimming with the Seal XP Lady was a joy. It was comfortable around my eyes and it afforded a bigger view of what was around me while I swam (like the unwelcome arm of the swimmer going by in the next lane!).
The Seal XP Lady swimming mask retails for $19.95.
Conclusion
Regardless of what style you choose, the Kaiman Lady or the Seal XP Lady, these are comfortable goggles that you won’t be thinking about while getting your swim sets in, or more importantly, while you’re racing. I appreciated the fit and attention to detail put into these women-specific goggles. Oh yeah – and they come with turquoise or purple sparkly accents (or clear if you don’t want to be too girly!). When worn properly, these are great goggles you can trust.
Photos
1. Kaiman Lady front view
2. Kaiman Lady three quarters view
3. Seal XP Lady front view
4. Seal XP Lady three quarters view
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