My wife took a “Triathlon 101” course with some friends last weekend. 4 hours of everything you could think of to tell a beginner/first timer with 2 open water swims.
They were told to put the goggle strap under the swim cap to capture the goggles if they get knocked off your face. After thinking about it for a little while, it still seems like a strange way of doing it, although I am sure it would work. I have never had my goggles taken off my face in a swim, although I did get my nose broken once by someone that swam over me.
I have actually always wondered why some people wear the strap under and some over. This makes perfect sense. I have never had it happen, probably because everyone is always in front of me, but maybe someday I will be MOP swimmer and this will save me.
My best friend growing up used to do that, and indeed, it does keep them on your face. that said, one time his goggles flipped down, filled with water, and then he had a permanently fixed pair of fishbowls on his eyes … not a very good time.
So, the personal judgement call is which is worse and which is more likely? I for one like to be able to pull my goggles off as I am leaving the surf to increase visibility, I have also lost a few pairs of goggles during open water race exits.
yes, i always do, for the reason stated. i was pretty glad this last week end when a fellow on my left did a straight arm stroke with his right arm came up the back of my head, and knocked off my goggle’s right eyepiece. it did hurt, but only the right eyepiece had to be fixed.
peggy
I’ve been doing it for about 20 years. Helps keep the goggles on when you’re diving off the blocks. There are no blocks in triathlon, but what’s wrong with some extra security?
in one of my first races as a pro 25 or so years ago I was in the water starting next to Mike Pigg and he had his swim cap over his goggle strap, in fact he actually had the front of his swim cap just on top of his goggles. Looks super aero for in the water. I tried it but didn’t like the extra pressure it put on the goggles on my face but have always put the straps under the swim cap ever since.
I put mine on the outside because I sometimes have to fiddle with the strap to get the goggles to seal right before the start, or in one case, during the race. If it is on under, you dont want to be messing with the cap. I have been hit before, but never so hard your goggles would come off…
I just checked out a whole bunch of youtubes of Phelps and thats how he wears his cap, over the goggle strap. So if it’s good enough for him, it’s good enough for me. Although when I checked my picture at the start I realised I wear the strap over. Guess it’s time to change.
Ideally a thin cap, then the goggles, then the race swim cap would be ideal. For me anyway, rubber or silicone straps on wet hair isn’t as secure as on the inner cap.
But then there’s the whole argument about wearing 2 caps.
I put mine under the cap, but it has nothing to do with goggles getting knocked off. There have been a few occasions where I’ve desperately wanted to NOT have a swim cap during the swim. At one IM the cap was ridiculously tight for some reason and gave me a headache 20 minutes in. In a few other cases the water was warm and I just would have been more comfortable without a rubber coating on my head. Putting my goggles under my cap gives me the option of “accidentally losing” my cap when I feel like I need to.
I put mine on the outside because I sometimes have to fiddle with the strap to get the goggles to seal right before the start, or in one case, during the race. If it is on under, you dont want to be messing with the cap. I have been hit before, but never so hard your goggles would come off…
Swim meet always wear the strap under. Tri always wear it on the outside. Don’t like having the goggles in place that long. With goggles on the outside I can wear them on my head and do one last clean before gun goes off for best visibility. If they come off no biggie just swim without. Swimming without goggles is not a big deal ANSI know people that never wear goggles in lake swims. In 20 years of racing I’ve never had my goggles pulled off fwiw.
straps on outside of cap. if my goggles come off, for whatever reason, i want them either off completely or hanging around my neck, not inside out and stuck to my cheeks or forehead. also, i habitually fiddle with my goggles until right before the race starts (swim meet or tri). can’t do that with the straps under the cap.
