One thing is for sure.
When you think about it, you really cannot afford not to wear squash goggles whenever you are on the court.
Don’t just go buying any ordinary goggles.
You should look for the best squash goggles that will fit your needs and preferences.
Don’t worry, this guide has it all covered.
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Do You Really Need Squash Goggles?
If you’re an ardent squash fan or player, then you probably know the story of Jonathon Power. If not, then allow me to give you a brief overview.
Power is now a retired professional squash player. He did leave behind a legacy through, seeing as he is probably one of the greatest shot makers in the entire history of squash.
His particular prowess lay in making drop shots and deception shots. Besides that, Power left us with what could very well be the most famous photograph of an injured squash player’s eye.
During the 2002 World Open semi-final championships held in Antwerp, Power suffered a racquet blow to the eye when David Palmer’s racket went flying out of this hand, landing squarely on Power’s eye.
For the next couple of weeks, he couldn’t open his left eye, and he had to retire from this particular match, losing the chance to win what could have been his second World Open title.
According to the American Optometric Association, the chances of suffering an eye injury in racquet sports are quite high. Squash is a high-speed game played in a small court space.
This combination makes it very likely to be hit by a flying ball or a swinging racquet, hence the need to protect your eyes.
Power was lucky enough not to have suffered any permanent eye damage. Typically, an eye injury of that kind could have resulted in something much worse.
Suffering an impact-induced eye injury could end up with you having glaucoma caused by a bleeding eye, impaired vision caused by ripped pupils, double vision, facial disfigurement etc.
Therefore, goggles are a MUST-have in squash.
As you will come to find out, there are eye goggles designed to suit the specific nature of a squash game, thereby providing you with eye protection but without limiting your visibility or comfort.
The best kind of protective eyewear is approved by the International Squash Academy (ISA) because then you know that the goggles are designed to withstand the hard impacts.
Better yet, when you go for goggles designed in accordance with international sports standards, then you will not have to sweat over the small details.
How to Choose The Best Squash Goggles For You
Anti-Fog
Accumulation of fog is one of the primary reasons most players prefer not to wear squash goggles.
The wrong type of eyewear would end up fogging up as a result of sweat and body heat produced during a match.
As a result, squash-specific goggles will come with vents above the lenses, and the sole purpose of these vents is to stop the goggles from condensing.
Instead of ventilation holes, some goggles come with foam or rubber attached to serve the same purpose.
In addition to fog resistance, good goggles should also be able to keep sweat from trickling down to your eyes.
For this, the goggles may have a roof-like structure at the brows or some other design feature, which ensures air tightness in that area.
Scratch Resistant
You don’t want deep scratches forming on your goggles because these will only reduce the visibility of your lenses, thereby hampering your performance on the court.
For convenience and enhanced durability, look for goggles that have scratch resistance on both sides of the lenses.
Shatter Resistant
What happens when a flying ball lands on your face while you’re wearing protective eyewear? Will the lenses shatter all over potentially getting little fragments in your eyes?
Well, of course, no one wants this, and you don’t have to worry about it either.
Squash goggles come designed with shatter-resistant lenses, so, in the off chance that your goggles break, they will not end up in tiny pieces.
Wrap-Around Style
Some goggles may have the lenses in a wrap-around style whereby the lenses extend up to your temples to protect the sides of your eyes.
The more the coverage offered by the goggles, the higher the level of eye protection offered. Therefore, such styles are preferred.
You have to be very cautious when buying these types of goggles, though. The inferior quality ones may have the lens giving distorted images as a result of the wrap-around design.
Adjustable Side Arms
You don’t want goggles that will slip off your face while playing, but you don’t want goggles that are too tight either.
Adjustable squash goggles will help give you the perfect fit for ultimate comfort on the court.
Over-the-Glasses Goggles
If you wear prescription eyewear, you could find special squash goggles designed to go over your spectacles.
These are larger than regular squash goggles because they are meant to fit over your glasses perfectly and comfortably.
If you find that over-the-glasses goggles are too bulky and cumbersome, then you may also opt to get prescription squash glasses, thereby eliminating the need to put on your spectacles.
This option is much more costly but worth every penny.
Which Type of Lenses Should You Have in Your Squash Goggles?
When buying squash goggles, you have to consider both the lens color and the lens material. The choice of lens color has to be based on the type of light in your squash court.
For versatility, the best thing here is to go for goggles that have interchangeable lenses because this way, you can use the same pair in different playing courts.
Treated Polycarbonate lenses tend to be preferred because these are scratch-proof, and also feature anti-fog properties.
At the same time, Polycarbonate lenses are durable and lightweight, and they are also available in a variety of colors to suit the lighting conditions in different squash courts.
Best Squash Goggles Reviews
BSN Overglass are one of the best squash goggles that you can buy in the market today.
These BSN Overglass Eye Protectors might not be what you go for if you intend to make a fashion statement.
However, rest assured these goggles will do a great job when it comes to protecting your eyes. These goggles are designed to go over your prescription glasses.
So, they not only cover your eyes, but they also protect your nose and temples as well, which is quite impressive because why wouldn’t you need maximum protection?
At the same time, these eye protectors are made from hardwearing plastic that’s very durable.
You will not be replacing these goggles any time soon. They are also anti-fogging, so you can play comfortably without worrying about your vision getting clouded.
These goggles have foam pads at the points of contact with the face. This enhances both the fit and comfort.
At the same time, the foam pads help to absorb the shock of the impact in case a ball or racquet strikes you.
This eyewear might look heavy, but you will be surprised by how surprisingly lightweight they are.
- Lightweight
- They fit excellently over spectacles.
- Very comfortable.
- Anti-fog lenses have Impressive clarity.
- They come with a 1-year warranty.
- They don’t come with a pouch.
These safety glasses by NoCry have wrap-around lenses for increased coverage, which protects not just the front of your face but the sides of your eyes as well.
At the same time, they are designed with a field of view that’s >40°, so you will not experience any optical distortion.
Constructed from latex-free polycarbonate, these goggles are completely impact-resistant, and they even come with EN166 Safety Certification.
This durable eyewear comes coated with anti-scratch treatment, and they also have a fog-resistant coating for clear visibility at all times.
These squash goggles are fully adjustable at the arms and nose pieces. This way, you can adjust the glasses to fit any head size perfectly.
No matter how much you sweat in the duration of a match, you don’t have to worry about these glasses slipping off your face.
There are non-slip grips on the arms and these goggles grip firmly behind the ears for a snug and secure fit.
In addition to protection from impact, with these glasses, you also get protection from harmful UV rays meaning you can wear these glasses both on an indoor squash court and outdoors as well.
The 380nm UV protection is guaranteed to protect your eyes from 90-100% of harmful UV radiation.
- Entirely impact resistant.
- Very comfortable and adjustable.
- Offer UV protection.
- Have non-slip grips.
- They come with a pouch.
- They don’t have a sweat guard.
These squash goggles are designed to fit over most prescription glasses.
They are comfortable and lightweight.
So, you will not feel like they are cumbersome when wearing them over your spectacles.
At the same time, these eye guards are made from hard-wearing polycarbonate, which is exceptionally durable and shatter-proof.
No matter how hard the ball comes flying at you, you don’t have to flinch because you’re well protected.
The lenses do not give any optical distortion, and the clear nose pieces ensure that your vision is not blocked in any way whatsoever.
Besides, the glasses are UV coated so you can use then while outdoors, and not just when you’re on the squash court.
There are vents at the temple of the goggles, and these are meant to minimize fogging so you can play without any interferences requiring you to take the goggles off and wiping them.
Also, to secure the goggles when you aren’t playing, there are a retainer and retainer holes provided.
- Lightweight and Comfortable
- Very durable.
- Offer UV protection.
- Distortion-free lenses.
- Have a removable head strap.
- The arms cannot be adjusted for a more customized fit.
The first thing that stands out about the HEAD Impulse squash goggles is how incredibly lightweight they are.
You hardly feel them on your face, so no need to worry about the protective eyewear slowing you down or distracting you while you play.
The goggles are in the design of a one-piece lens designed from polycarbonate.
This lens is shatter-proof and distortion-free.
It has also been given anti-fog and anti-scratch treatments for enhanced performance and durability.
The nosepiece on this lens is soft and non-slip, so the goggles won keep slipping down your face while you are on the court.
At the same time, there is an adjustable elastic head strap that keeps the goggles firmly secured to your face no matter what happens on the court.
Additionally, the hinge-style temples of the eyewear are adjustable for a better fit and extra comfort.
- Ultra-lightweight design.
- Fits comfortably.
- Adjustable strap and temples.
- Shatter-proof and distortion-free lens.
- They come with a high-quality lens-cleaning bag.
- There’s no foam or rubber for shock absorption during impact.
Most protective eyewear looks rather plain and unattractive. However, the same cannot be said for the Python Xtreme View Protective eye guard.
These goggles feature a sleek design, and there are a few color choices you can go for. The frame is available in color red, blue, white and of course, the classic black.
The sleek-looking squash goggles come with adjustable arms.
This way, you can adjust the glasses to get a custom fit regardless of your head shape.
At the same time, the eyewear comes with a flexible and adjustable head strap.
The lenses are designed to slightly wrap around so that the periphery of your eye is protected as well.
Also, there are vents provided above the lenses to help with preventing condensation from forming, thereby eliminating fogging.
The arms of the goggles also have non-slip pads near the ends. This helps give a secure grip around the player’s head, so the eye guard stays in place throughout the game.
- Sleek, stylish design.
- Lightweight and comfortable.
- The head strap is removable.
- Wrap-around lenses.
- Anti-fog vents.
- They do not have a sweat guard.
