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Home / Reviews / Zone3 Vapour goggles review

Zone3 Vapour goggles review

With several lens and colour options to choose from, is there a pair of Zone3 Vapour goggles to suit you?

Zone3 Vapour goggles on decking
Credit: Steve Sayers
Zone3 Vapour goggles on decking

This tester isn’t known for being understated when it comes to swim kit… So maybe that’s why British tri brand Zone3 opted to send me the brightest colourway in their new Vapour goggles range (£45/$70).

Love ‘em or loathe ‘em though, those teal frames with copper accents have some key benefits. They’re easy to find in your kit bag, so no more rummaging around for them among all your other kit.

Plus on a personal note, they make it much easier for my other half to spot me when I’m coming out in the melée of an open-water swim finish. Wetsuit? Check. Neon orange Garmin strap? Check. Insanely bling goggles? Check. Good stuff, that’s Helen…

Luckily for the less-extroverted out there there are other versions available – five in fact – encompassing black/gold, clear/blue, white/silver, navy/blue and black/neon orange which also features photochromatic lenses and a slightly more expensive price tag at £52.50.

How we tested

When trying to determine the best swimming goggles, we ensure the tester swims in the product numerous times in different conditions. This gives us the ability to test the goggles on both sunny and overcast days, and in calm or rough conditions. Our testing criteria includes comfort, value, resistance to fogging and leaking, field of view and quality.

Lens clarity

In the teal/copper version I tested here, the lenses are polarised, which meant great clarity and detail in the water. The large lenses with curved edges gave a good range of vision.

The lenses are large and have a gradually increasing curve along the surface which makes it easier to see around you in the water.

Polarised lenses are a good choice too for open water, as much as your polarised sunglasses make everything much brighter and allow you to see detail you may otherwise not be able to, these do the same but while swimming.

Greater clarity is handy in a race to see what is around you and also to be able to identify course markers and identifying features.

However, if you’re racing somewhere memorable and want to really see every detail in the water, they’re a great option too. Just don’t get so distracted you forget to race!

Goggle comfort

The large gaskets are comfy and attach firmly, while the wide split strap feels secure. Two small buttons make adjustment easy. It’s not often I feel the need to adjust my goggles mid-race, but if that’s your thing, it’s certainly possible here.

I do wonder how necessary this is, though. A simple buckle would do the job and avoid including a complex component.

Over long swims these started to feel a bit heavy, which would be our only caveat. They’re a weighty goggle compared to others on the market and felt a teeny bit cumbersome after long periods in the water.

That said, I’m a female tester with relatively small facial features, so there’s likely an element of personal preference here.

The strap is reassuringly chunky, with a split design keeping the goggles in place easily and allowing them to be fitted around a bun if you have longer hair.

As an aside, these goggles are pretty similar to the Huub Aphotics (£49.99-£54.99) although the selection of colours is very different and Zone3 offers a wider choice of lens options.

As a final point that price point makes these a considered purchase – and with no case included (which seems a bit mean at that level of spend, even if we are in two minds about the sustainability of plastic cases), you’d want to make sure you looked after them to avoid damaging the lenses or anti-fog coating.

Conclusion

These are a bright and unusual set of goggles, but that’s a positive in many ways. The lenses are superb and the chunky, flexible straps and soft gaskets make them easy to get on with.

They’re a little bit heavy on longer swims though for this tester and we’d like a case for the high price point.

Still looking for the perfect set of open-water swimming goggles for you? Check out our best swimming goggles for pool, open water and triathlon.

220 Triathlon Verdict

Solid goggle with a striking design that has appeared in 220 a few times previously. Great lenses. Score: 88%

Pros

  • Wide, curved lenses
  • Easy to adjust
  • Choice of colourways
  • Secure split strap

Cons

  • Feel a little cumbersome
  • Deisgn a bit marmite!
  • No case included
  • Relatively expensive

Zone3 Vapour goggles specs

Price:£45/$70
Available from:Zone3
Lenses:Wide, curved
Colour options:Six available
Photochromatic:Option available
Case included:No
Profile image of Helen Webster Helen Webster Editor, 220 Triathlon

About

Helen has been 220's Editor since July 2013, when she made the switch from marathons to multisport. She's usually found open-water swimming and has competed in several swimruns as well as the ÖtillÖ World Series. Helen is a qualified Level 2 Open-Water Swim Coach focusing on open-water confidence and runs regular workshops at the South West Maritime Academy near Bristol. She is also an RLSS UK Open Water Lifeguard trainer/assessor.