I’ve been bodysurfing with
What are the best goggles for bodysurfing? Here are the top 3:
- Zionor Swim Goggles
- Ocean Tierra del Fuego Goggles
- Surf Shades X Water Sports Sunglasses
odysurfing goggles vs bodysurfing sunglasses
You can either wear goggles or sunglasses that are designed for water sports to help protect your eyes. There are some key differences between goggles and sunglasses. There are also certain circumstances where one is better to wear vs the other.
What are bodysurfing goggles?
Bodysurfing goggles wrap snugly around your head and create a watertight seal around your eyes to protect them from the ocean’s salty water. If the lens is polarized, your eyes will receive additional protection from harmful UV rays. They are typically made from strong plastic and silicone. You can wear bodysurfing goggles for any type of surf but especially for larger, intense waves because they are designed to fit tightly around your head so you do not lose them in case of a wipeout.
What are bodysurfing sunglasses?
Surf sunglasses fit more loosely around your head and eyes, which allows more ventilation to minimize fogging. They are made of a strong plastic frame, durable lens, and hydrophobic coating. There is a strap you can tighten to help keep the glasses secured to your head. These are better to wear for smaller surf where you are riding relaxing waves.
eatures to look for
When it comes to buying your first pair of bodysurfing goggles or sunglasses there are a few things you should look for to maximize the protection of your eyes and overall comfort. Here is a quick checklist to help you get started.
durable lens – This is important because you will be battling waves during your entire session. Therefore your goggles need to be able to withstand the impact of the water. It would be painful having to repair your lens after each ride.
strong frames – If you decide to purchase bodysurfing sunglasses, make sure they have strong frames so they don’t break in half during a wipeout.
strap – Purchasing goggles or sunglasses with a strap is necessary to keep them attached to your head so you don’t lose them while riding a wave.
tight seal – Wearing goggles that produce a tight seal around your eyes will help to protect them from getting compromised by the salty water. This will help to keep your eyes from becoming red and itchy.
anti-fog – Make sure to purchase sunglasses or goggles that do not fog. One of the biggest problems for any bodysurfing goggle is lens fogging. Your body heat combined with the ocean temperature can cause some condensation to form on the lens. There is nothing more annoying having to constantly take them off and wipe down the inside of the lens so you can see. It can be dangerous when your goggles or sunglasses fog up suddenly, leaving you riding blind.
polarized lenses – Wearing polarized goggles or surf glasses will help protect your eyes from sun glare and UV rays.
comfort – Since you will be wearing your goggles or sunglasses for long periods of time, you will need to make sure they are comfortable. You want to make sure they are a good fit around your ears and eyes.
isadvantages of wearing bodysurfing goggles
Wearing bodysurfing goggles is completely optional. But do people actually wear goggles for bodysurfing in the first place? Honestly, I do not see many people wearing goggles at my beach. You don’t really need them unless you have sensitive eyes. Here are a few reasons for not wearing goggles.
personal image downgrade – Many people do not think they look cool and can become self-conscious while wearing them
blocked peripheral vision – Goggles can impair your peripheral vision. This can be dangerous if there are other bodysurfers near you.
easy to lose – if goggles are not securely fastened to your head you can easily lose them in a big wave. This means more money out of your pocket. I even lose them when I’m not in the water!
enefits of wearing goggles for bodysurfing
Why should you wear eye protection for bodysurfing? Even though you may not look cool while wearing them, there are some pretty good reasons to wear a pair of goggles or sunglasses. I have a listed them below.
UV protection – wearing polarized lenses will keep your eyes protected from the sun and any glare reflecting off the surface of the water. Since you are level with the water surface, the solar glare will be magnified.
salt-free eyes – Goggles and sunglasses will help to keep the salt water out of your eyes so they do not become irritated.
protect contact lenses – If you wear contact lenses, goggles or sunglasses will be extremely helpful to prevent you from losing them and reduce the possible risk of eye infection.
better water vision – Wearing protective eye gear will allow you to still see when you get splashed in the face by a wave. You will be able to see what you are doing while bodysurfing!
prevent surfer’s eye – Pterygium is a benign lesion that can irritate your eyes. It is caused by long exposure to the sun. Wearing sunglasses or goggles will help to avoid this painful and annoying health issue.
*I actually decided to wear goggles after getting lasik surgery. I wanted to keep my eyes protected after spending so much money on the procedure!
What to do if you wear glasses?
There are a few things you can do if you wear prescription glasses. Of course, you should not wear them while bodysurfing. That would be ludicrous because you would surely lose them. Here are the two ideas that I recommend.
- wear contact lenses & goggles – Purchase some contact lenses and goggles. The goggles will protect you from losing your contacts and prevent irritation while still being able to see clearly in the water.
- wear prescription goggles – Get yourself a pair of prescription goggles or sunglasses for bodysurfing. There are numerous companies like
sporteyes that offer this option.
Best Bodysurfing Goggles Review
When you bodysurf, you spend a lot of face time with water, literally. Therefore you need some quality goggles or sunglasses to help keep your eyes protected and vision clear. You also need durable eye protection that can endure the pounding waves. Below I have shared a few of my favorites.
The
I actually bought the
The only downside is they are not fully “fog-proof”. The goggles did fog up when I was sweating in the water during one of my bodysurfing sessions. I had to take them off to wipe the condensation. You also need to remember to wash them after using to prevent
Ocean Tierra del Fuego – These hydrophobic lenses repel water to keep your eyes dry. You can remove the extra padding to reduce fogging and the lenses are polarized to block out UV rays. A cool feature of the Tierra del Fuego is the removable arm frames, which enables them to function like goggles or sunglasses. This two-in-one eye protector does it all!
Surf Shades X – These are some seriously cool water sports sunglasses that are fun to wear. They are great for leisurely bodysurfing. The easy-clip in head strap and leash prevent you from losing them in the surf. Your eyes will be 100% protected from harmful UV rays and ocean spray.
hould you wear contact lenses while bodysurfing?
As a person who used to wear contact, I was interested in this question as well. From my own research and experience, if you are not wearing goggles to protect your eyes then you should not be wearing contact lenses while bodysurfing.
Sand and salt can get into your contact lens and irritate your eye. There is the possibility you could lose the contact while bodysurfing thus making it difficult to find your way back to your towel.
You need to be careful of your contact lenses folding underneath your eyelid, which could damage your eyes. Also, tiny microbes from the sea could become stuck between your contact and eyeball causing an infection.
If you do risk wearing contacts without putting on a pair of goggles, make sure to close your eyes tight while riding waves. Remember to stop yourself from rubbing or itching your eyes.
Lastly, remove your contacts after you get home from the beach and rinse your eyes. I suggest throwing out your contacts after every bodysurfing session.