I am now revving up my Speedo boycott into full gear. I have thrown out/donated all my old/new Speedo suits, and have committed to giving up my Speedo Vanquisher goggles, too. All that's needed is an alternative to the V silicone swim cap.
Conveniently, I left all my swim stuff at home before my latest business trip, so I had reason to stop into a Bay Area swim shop to pick up some substitutes.
Having had positive experiences with TYR suits, I picked up the new TYR Tracer Racing goggles, and gave them a try.
In a nutshell, they are fantastic - actually much better than the Vanquisher IMHO. They are very, very light, with a very wide viewing range. They have a minimal gasket for the eye cups, making them more lighter and less pressurized than the Vanquishers, and more comfortable than Malmsten "Swedes" (my college-year stalwarts).
They did not fog up at any point during a 60 minute workout.
They come in several colors/tints, including three metallicized versions.
Best of all, they were relatively cheap, at less than $15 per pair (swimoutlet.com has them for $12 I think).
To sum up:
PROS:
- light
- comfortable
- good viewing
- reasonable anti-fog coating (so far)
- not Speedo
CONS:
- no hard protective case (a la the Vanquishers)
JimBob says "two thumbs up".
YMMV
As a general statement I find TYR products to be inferior to Speedo.
The one exception is the TYR Socket Rockets 2.0 - best swedes out there, although Kiefer makes an equally good one for half the price, but with fewer color choices.
Two weeks ago my speedo speedsockets got ripped off at the pool (I know who grabbed them too:bitching:). I had to buy a set of goggles in a hurry and a set of TYR's were the only good ones available.
Even though they're ugly and orange, I actually like them more than the speed sockets. They were much cheaper too. Still have to do some track start tests on them though
I am now revving up my Speedo boycott into full gear.
I figured there must be something about a Speedo boycott somewhere and noticed that JimRude has a blog. I tried to access it but was told I don't have permission to view it. I'm logged in as smontanaro. Do I have to give some magic handshake somewhere?
I too, have joined the speedo boycott.
I'm down to Tyr goggle drops into View goggles. I'm shopping for a comparative workout suit to the speedo Endurance suit which used to be a good suit but is now tainted. After that, just gotta replace my speedo Bag and I think I'll have completed the process.
:chug:
I prefer TYR's Velocity, which is more comparable to the Vanquisher than the Tracer. I have been wearing them for a couple of years now. TYR makes a quality product. They are comfortable enough to work out in, don't leak, and offer decent peripheral vision.
My only gripe is that I wish the factory anti-fog lasted longer. I get a week or so before I need to start adding anti-fog spray or drops, and maybe 4 - 6 weeks out of them before I'm ready for a fresh pair. They still work just fine, just get progressively gunkier and dimmer.
But I don't treat them very kindly; just stuff them back in the plastic box and into my bag after workout. I order 5 pair at a whack from Swim Outlet and just treat myself to a new pair when I feel like it.
Former Member
This is very good to know, as I too have been using Speedo Vanquisher for years and am looking for an alternative (not for any animosity toward Speedo, but because I am looking for some goggles with better peripheral vision). I'll try them out. Thanks!
Former Member
I didn't get the memo. I just bought 5 new Speedo suits from SwimOutlet. They had a killer deal on the Endurance suits and those are the only ones that fit and last for a long time. I gave up buying lycra suits as I use them 3 times and they become rags for tying up the tomato plants in the garden.
Why the Speedo ban? :confused:
Former Member
I've used the Tracer goggles. My only complaint about them them is that they don't last long. The gaskets on my pair deteriorated to the point that they were unusable after a couple of months
I like the TYR Optical (i.e., prescription) goggles. I used one pair almost every day for over two and a half years. :) (I just bought a new pair this week). They're a bit more bulky than Tracers, though..
Former Member
I figured there must be something about a Speedo boycott somewhere and noticed that JimRude has a blog. I tried to access it but was told I don't have permission to view it. I'm logged in as smontanaro. Do I have to give some magic handshake somewhere?
Skip - This is my own personal Speedo boycott, though I heartily invite any and all to join me.
I have not really done anything with my blog - just a few posts, with the most recent made last summer. As a result, I have never explored the "blog control panel" until now... Apparently, the settings did not allow anyone to view it. I have changed that. Let the wild rumpus begin!
