Gear Review - Sable WaterOptics 101MT

As a rookie swimmer, it is very important for me to have accessories that work properly so that I don’t have to worry about anything other than learning my stroke. When I first started my swimming journey in August 2009, I picked up a cheap pair of goggles from a big box retailer due to the convenience of its location. I knew I needed to start in the pool (I had just signed up for a triathlon that was less than a month away) as soon as possible to adjust from my duathlon ways and prepare for a 650m swim.


With the lower end eye wear, I struggled to find a rhythm in the pool as I was always stopping to adjust, tighten or dump water. I would fog up often and felt as though I was swimming blind through the tight lanes during busy lunch time length swims. I actually ran into two people during this period of darkness while trying to pass slower swimmers. Not cool!

When it came time to race, I actually became so frustrated with my goggles that I pulled them down around my neck and swam without anything over my eyes for 400 metres of the swim leg. I had a horrible time sighting in the small lake and was all over the course. I could not see the people in front of me and was very worried about being hit the entire time I was in the water. Thankfully, those days are over!

Knowing that I had ventured into the water, Syd Trefiak (my triathlon guru), offered up a pair of his Sable WaterOptics 101MT for my use. When I received the package in the mail, I immediately opened the protective carrying case and tried them on just to see what all the buzz was about. At first, the lenses were a little too close together but that was a quick fix thanks to all the adjustable nose pieces that Sable offers with this model. I quickly selected the one that fit best on my face and was amazed by the clarity of the vision. Next step, get them in the water…

That afternoon, I took my new goggles over to the pool to break them in. Right away I could see why so many top athletes are using these goggles. I could see everything in the water so much clearly and with a much larger peripheral scan than before. I started to take my first laps with my new gear and my confidence in the water grew exponentially in seconds. I could see all my fellow swimmers and now had the security in the water as I was no longer afraid that I was going to run into something or someone. After a few laps of my warm up, I noticed the other great thing, no fogging up on the lenses. Usually, when I stopped in the past, I would have to lift my eye wear to get rid of the painful pulling around my eyes and to wash them out to remove the condensation - but not on this day. I left my eye gear on while grabbing a quick break before getting back to business.

The comfort, clarity and confidence these goggles provide has definitely enhanced my swim training experience. It is one less thing I worry about when I visit the water and now all I focus on is my form and the targets ahead of me in the pool. I am extremely thankful that these Sable WaterOptics were recommended to me!

LARRY BRADLEY