It is not actually a bad idea, even if you just abandon a pair at the race start. I had a pair of goggles that were fine up and til the start of the race, and then right before entering the water, I noticed that water god in between the lenses and the goggles were like looking through the bottom of coke bottles.
I gotta say, I’m not so sure extra goggles are what I would spend my time worrying about. Of course, I just use the basic Swiss goggles and there isn’t much that can go wrong. I do have an extra pair in my race bag, along with an extra strap. I have loaned those out to other who forgot their’s. I don’t think swimming with 2 is the most logical.
If redundancy is the method to make sure everything works, there are items with a higher failure rate that no one carries around. Some folks here have pointed out that the absurdity of that.
As for “paying” it forward, if that is what you really want to do for Karma, there are areas of much higher return that makes a whole lot more sense.
My kids snapped part of my favorite goggle strap and I was able to get back threaded for Eagleman but only a bit of rubber held it threaded. So I stuck a pair in my waist band of my trishorts. Good thing I did because shore enough during swim I needed them. Still don’t know why I put the other pair in my shorts again?? Guess it is the Scotsman in me coming out ;0)
During a wetsuit legal swim, I have thought of taking extra goggles during the swim leg. Where to people keep them…in their wetsuit or under their swimcap? Where in wetsuit?
You should also bring extra of all the following…just in case:
- Extra chain for bike
- Extra pedals.
- Spare bolts
- Spare frame (might crack at any moment).
- spare shoes
- Spare socks
- spare sunglasses
Hey, you never know right?
You totally forgot an extra hat or visor. I mean, you know know when a massive headwind will take that thing right off the top of your head. I personally always run with an extra visor in the back of my tri top.
You guys been near my transition spot I see :0)
I’ve not brought extra goggles, but I always carry an extra goggle strap tucked under my swim cap. I’ve seen an amazingly high number of strap failures while standing on the beach sat the start.
I’ve never had a goggle failure on the swim. Flooding and fogging, yes, but never a strap or bridge breaking *during *the swim. If I ever do have a failure, I’d just chuck them and swim sans-goggles. I spent most of my competitive swimming life without goggles - before they became popular and I beach lifeguarded and did many rescues without goggles. I’m not sure how this dependency on them started, they are a convenience, not a necessity to get through a swim. I doubt not having them would make me any slower, might actually be quicker. Apolgies to contact lens wearers - you’re excused.