Swim Goggles | Front Snorkel | Fins

Frequently asked questions

How do I choose between clear and tinted swim goggle lenses?

Clear lenses are the standard choice for indoor pool swimming — they perform well under artificial lighting and do not reduce visibility in lower-light indoor environments. Tinted or mirrored lenses suit outdoor swimming and open water, where sunlight reflecting off the water surface causes glare and eye strain. The Cressi Flash and Cobra goggles are available in both clear and tinted versions. If you swim both indoors and outdoors, a pair with clear lenses for pool training and a tinted pair for outdoor use is the practical solution. Anti-fog treatment on the lens is more impactful for swim performance than lens tint — look for goggles with factory anti-fog coating, and apply anti-fog solution when the factory coating begins to diminish with use.

What size swim goggles do I need — standard or compact?

Standard swim goggles like the Cressi Flash suit average to larger adult face profiles. The Cressi Flash Compact (also called the Flash Lady) is designed specifically for smaller faces — women or youth with a narrower eye socket spacing and smaller face width. The key fit indicator is the nose bridge: if the nose bridge on a standard goggle makes the lenses sit too far apart and gap at the inner eye corner, a compact goggle with a narrower nose bridge will fit significantly better. Cressi Kids Swim Goggles are designed for children ages 2 to 7 with proportionally smaller face dimensions — they should not be used for adult faces.

How does a front swim snorkel attach and is it comfortable?

The Aropec front snorkel uses a head bracket that sits flat against the forehead, secured by a silicone strap that runs around the back of the head — similar to how a pair of goggles sits on the face. The snorkel tube rises from the centre of your forehead and curves back over your head, keeping it out of the water line during normal face-down swimming. The bracket is flexible and dampens vibration from the water passing over it during the stroke. Most swimmers find it comfortable within one to two sessions — the main adjustment period is learning to breathe at the top of the stroke without the head turn cue. It is compatible with most standard swim goggles and works with any pool cap. A standard snorkel tends to bend toward the water as swimming speed increases, allowing water to enter the tube during lap swimming.

Can I use short swim fins for open water swimming or snorkeling?

Short swim training fins can be used for casual surface snorkeling in calm conditions as an alternative to a dedicated snorkeling fin — they provide some propulsion with less drag and packing bulk than a full snorkeling fin. However, for any extended snorkeling session or in conditions with current or chop, the shorter blade provides significantly less thrust and will cause more leg fatigue than a purpose-built snorkeling fin. For open water swimming without a snorkel — triathlon training, distance swimming — short fins are appropriate and commonly used. For scuba diving, training fins are completely unsuitable — the blade is too small to move a diver with full gear effectively.