More Than A YouTube Page: Effortless Swimming’s Venture into Goggles
You know how Paul Newman was an Oscar-nominated actor who decided to step outside the box and make great salad dressings? Effortless Swimming is kind of like that. The YouTube and social media page dedicated to fixing swimmers’ and triathletes’ form in the pool also happens to have designed some of the best goggles on the market.
OK, maybe that’s not as random as an actor turning to the salad game, but it’s close enough. Think about it like this: someone who knows everything about cars couldn’t necessarily design a great one, but the team at Effortless Swimming somehow managed a Newman-esque side quest that saw them go from great coaching service to top goggles seller.
Not convinced? Well, take it from someone who has always struggled to find good goggles: Effortless Swimming’s NanoClear goggles are the best I’ve ever tried, and I will not be switching back to any of the top brands for the foreseeable future.
Getting into Goggles
Australian swim coach Brenton Ford started Effortless Swimming in 2009. Over the next 17 years, he grew his YouTube and social media presence to what it is today, with close to 1 million subscribers across platforms. His foray into the world of goggles didn’t occur until recently, however, when he tried a game-changing anti-fog technology called NanoClear.
Ford says he was “so impressed” by the maintained clarity these goggles provided when he tried them.
“I was going to heaps of swim camps at locations with amazing sea life,” he says. “I could finally experience it properly.”
Prior to this, Ford had to put up with an annoyance that any swimmer or triathlete will be more than used to: fogged-up goggles that prevent you from seeing much of anything (other than maybe the line at the bottom of the pool or the next buoy on race day, if you’re lucky).
Of course, the goggles aren’t designed for sight-seeing (although that’s a bonus of using them if you’re swimming in an interesting location), but rather for open-water swimmers and triathletes.
“[These athletes] require larger lenses for visibility in open water and different types of tints and lenses for different swimming conditions,” he says. He adds that, while some goggles may lose their anti-fog feature over time, this won’t be an issue for the Effortless Swimming’s NanoClear line.
As the product page reads on the company’s website, “NanoClear isn’t a coating,” which is often how anti-fog goggles are designed. Instead, the team behind the design uses an “advanced nano-embedding process” that produces a “permanent, structural anti-fog — not a fragile film.”
Further, Ford says that the goggles will remain free of fog no matter how far you swim.
“We’ve had swimmers do 20-kilometre marathon swims using goggles that are months old and they don’t need to clear them,” he says. Seeing as Ford is the man behind Effortless Swimming, of course he is going to say his goggles are going to deliver on all fronts, but after using them myself, I can confirm they are unrivalled when it comes to both visibility and comfort.
Swimming with NanoClear Goggles
As I mentioned earlier, I have had bad luck with goggles in my decade and a half of swimming. I’ve worn some well-reviewed goggles from some of the best swim and triathlon companies out there, but in most cases, when I’ve strapped them on and hopped into the water, they have flooded within only a few strokes. This has more to do with me than the goggles (I must have deep eye sockets because the water always flows in by the bridge of my nose), but it can be quite frustrating, especially when some companies promise zero leaks no matter who wears them.
Because of my history of goggle struggles, I’m never too keen to try a new pair out. When I find some that I like, I wear them until they bust, then get a brand new identical pair. With that in mind, I really didn’t have too much hope for the NanoClear goggles. I was sure they were a fine product, but I figured it would be the same old story and that before I made it to my first turn in the pool I wouldn’t be able to see a thing.
That was not the case at all. These goggles fit perfectly right from my first swim. They were (and continue to be) so comfortable, lightly suctioning to my face to not allow leaks without leaving marks. I can only speak for myself when it comes to fit, but from my experience, any goggle that fits me well fits everyone else (but most that fit everyone else don’t fit me). The goggles are also adjustable with multiple nose bridges (which I find is lacking with many triathlon brands, as many opt for a one-size-fits all design), so odds are you’ll be able to find a size that works for you.
Effortless Swimming has three models: the Recon, the Strike and the Viper. Ford sent me the NanoClear Strike, and all he told me to do before my first swim was to give them a splash in water. I did that and didn’t have to touch them for the rest of my swim. (Ford notes that sometimes you may get some fog at the very start of your swim, but after clearing that with your thumb, it won’t return.)
There are few things worse in swimming than not being able to see clearly. It’s annoying enough in the pool when there is a solid black line to follow, but in open water and during races, not being able to sight effectively can seriously hinder your performance. Like many triathletes, I have had enough bad experiences in races with foggy or leaky goggles to realize just how important this pretty basic piece of equipment is. The NanoClear goggles can eliminate any of these problems from your future swims and races.
If Ford’s word wasn’t enough and my opinion on the goggles didn’t persuade you to give them a try, look to pros like IRONMAN world champion Kristian Blummenfelt, two-time 70.3 world champion Jelle Geens and multiple IRONMAN champion Kat Matthews. All three of these athletes have been wearing Effortless Swimming goggles this season, and although Geens has a business relationship with the company (Effortless Swimming sponsors his podcast), neither Matthews nor Blummenfelt have any official affiliation with Ford and his team — they just like and trust the goggles.
If nothing else convinces you to try these goggles for yourself, those endorsements should. The world’s best triathletes would not use any piece of equipment (let alone one so essential for a good race) that did not deliver on their needs 100 percent. We can’t guarantee you’ll swim like Matthews, Geens or Blummenfelt, but if you go for any of the NanoClear goggles, you’ll at least be seeing just as well as they would at your next race.
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I remember years ago a bunch of news articles about a type of material (plastic I think?) that was super hydrophobic, and the people developing it were talking about talking with food container companies for ketchup bottles and whatnot, and I kept thinking it sounded like it would work for goggles. I wonder if it’s the same technology.
you been done hook line and sinker.
there is a goggle that was first made in europe in the 1970s. completely customisable for every person, inexpensive and no seals / no degradation so provides a huge enviro / eco benefit no replacements. provides the broadest vision of any goggle structure. worn by the fastest swimmers for nearly sixty years. it is the fastest goggle on the planet.
anti fog can be achieved by a slight amount of water in the lens.
the goggle problem has already been solved.
modern goggle capitalism is cooked.
The goggles appeal to someone like me who is tired of spraying baby shampoo on their lenses before every swim and whose spit never seemed to work to clear up the goggles. If you can tell me how to reliably keep my lenses from fogging up after 5 minutes, I’m all ears.
Other than for more recent goggles (in the last 5 years or so) which market anti fog tech, I had thought all goggles fog up to an extent.
My approach - I put a tiny bit of water into the goggle and let that reduce condensation. Not enough to irritate the eye, but enough to keep things clear. Sometimes do a tiny and quick head shake for that purpose.
Suspect people have different fog tolerance.
I’ve had Arena Cobra Elite goggles consistently go months and months without fogging.
Has anyone actually been able to buy these goggles? It seems like all of them are sold out on their website.
I ordered a pair the other day, but color selection was quite limited.
FYI these also include a 60 day membership to Brenton’s online membership page. There’s quite a lot of resources in here, including the training courses he sells separately. Certainly worthwhile if it’s something you were already considering and/or could make use of.
Mine just came in the mail today. I ordered about 2 weeks ago (Aus → Can).
I’m still debating on whether or not they fit or do I send them back
I’ve used these a couple of times now and haven’t had any issue with them. Comfortable, and very very clear. It reminds me of those “HD Vision” night time driving glasses infomercials with the exaggerated before/after. Will have to see how the anti-fog holds up, but I’m quite happy with them thus far.
I’m a sucker for $50 goggles with big promises. For me, the Arena Cobras aren’t as comfortable, and Magic5 anti-fog loses efficacy too quickly (especially for the price). Magic5 are a tad more comfortable due to the custom fit seals. If the anti-fog on these Effortless Swimming goggles holds up long-term, I think they will be my favorite goggles.
So it turns out that the Recon models don’t really fit my face. They’re much too narrow, even on the biggest nose bridge. They’ve offered to send me another pair, which is amazing.
My usual goggles are just the Speedo Vanquisher 2.0, which fit fine. Seeing as how the Recon don’t fit, does anyone have any experience with the Strike or the Viper being close to the Vanquishers?
Magic5 fit great, no leaks for me but eventually fog; ES has great clarity but leak for me. If Magic5 & ES could just have a baby …