Arena makes some of the most popular racing and training goggles in the pool, from the Cobra to the Swipe range. But even the best Arena goggles eventually start fogging mid-set. Before you order a new pair: your goggles aren't broken, it's just the anti-fog!
When the anti-fog inside the lens wears out, you can replace it without replacing the goggles. Clear anti-fog goggle inserts stick inside each lens and keep your Arenas clear for months. Here's why the fog starts, what to try first, and how to fix it properly.
Why Arena goggles fog up
Fog is condensation: warm, humid air inside your goggles meets a lens cooled by the water. Like most brands, Arena treats the inside of the lens with an anti-fog layer to stop those droplets forming. With chlorine, salt water, wiping and storage, that layer slowly wears away. Once it's gone, the fog comes back every swim.
Arena Swipe goggles: try the swipe first
Arena's Swipe goggles use an anti-fog that can be reactivated. Arena says you swipe the inside of the lens while the goggles are in the water, and that the technology lasts up to 10 times longer than its earlier anti-fog, as Swimming World reported.
So if you own a Swipe pair, try that first. If they still fog after swiping, or you have a different Arena model, the anti-fog layer has had its day.
And here's the kicker: Arena also sells its own Anti-Fog Spray & Swim, and its instructions say to "re-apply periodically." If the built-in anti-fog lasted, there'd be no spray to sell. In our experience, sprays barely last one session and often sting.
Quick checks before anything else
- Fit: water getting in wets the lens and makes fog worse. Adjust the strap and nose piece.
- Hands off the lens: outside of a Swipe pair, wiping the inside of the lens with fingers or a towel strips the anti-fog.
- Residue: sunscreen, moisturiser and shampoo transfer to the lens easily.
- Storage: rinse in fresh water, let them dry, and keep them in a case rather than loose in a wet kitbag.
Fix the fog without buying new Arenas
FOG OFF! is a clear anti-fog patch that works on goggles of any brand, Arena included. One size fits any swim goggle, and one application gives you 3+ months of fog-free swims (based on 3+ swims a week).
- Remove the old factory anti-fog. A one-off prep step: wash the inside of each lens with a little detergent and a clean microfibre cloth until the old film is completely gone, then dry it thoroughly. The patch won't stick or work properly over the old coating.
- Apply. Peel the RED tab, position the patch with the BLACK tab (nose side first), press firmly from the nose edge outward, then peel off the BLACK tab.
- Activate before each swim. Dip in water and gently rub the film. It reaches full strength over your first 2 to 3 swims.
Full step-by-step video: how to apply FOG OFF!
When it really is time for new Arenas
A new anti-fog layer can't fix a leaking seal, a snapped strap or a cracked lens. If that's what you're dealing with, here's when to replace swim goggles.
FOG OFF! isn't affiliated with or endorsed by Arena. Arena, Cobra and Swipe are trademarks of their owner, used here only to describe the goggles our patches fit.
Related reading: