TheMagic5 Swimming Goggles - Review 2023

Review

A set of goggles can make or break a swim. When you’re racing for the win or just trying to unwind with an open water dip, the last thing you want to be thinking about is constantly readjusting to clear your lenses, let the leaky water out and relieve your eye sockets of that unrelenting squeeze.

Here at DIVEIN, we’ve tested hundreds of goggles over the years and, for better or worse, we’ve adopted some pretty high expectations for these products.

I was recently asked to take a look at the bespoke goggle manufacturer, known for securing a $1,000,000 deal with Mark Cuban and Robert Herjavec on ABC’s Shark Tank. As you can imagine, this was a welcome opportunity to try out something that was new to me, and indeed many other swimmers out there.

First, let’s have a look at what you need to do before the goggles even arrive at your door. This is a 3 step process:

1. The Purchase

Take some time to look through all the options that exist on THEMAGIC5 website. You’ll find an assortment of options, including mirrored, color tinted, smokey and clear lens goggles. There are also some really stylish limited edition products on there and some decent bundle deals.

Once you’ve made your payment you’ll receive an email containing a link to the scanning app, taking you to the next step in the process.

2. The Scan

You’ll get a link for both IOS and Android devices for a downloadable THEMAGIC5 app. The app will prompt you to scan your face in a number of ways to ensure all contours are captured, at which point you’ll be able to link your scan to your order.

3. Delivery

The company uses your scan details to customize your selected swimming goggles in their factory in North Carolina and is then shipped out. If you live in the US you can expect your order to arrive within 10 days. Depending on your location elsewhere in the world it could take up to 3 weeks.

Alternatively, you can download the app, scan your face and see what the goggles will cost. Price will start around $60 and go up. There are also bundles that can make sense.

Features

Once the goggles arrived, I couldn’t wait to try them out so I picked up one of the four cases I ordered and went on down to the beach for a feature test.

It’s worth mentioning here that the manufacturer does provide two hints of caution before you get in the water. The first is that you should avoid wiping the inside of your goggles with your fingers as it rubs off the anti-fog treatment. The second is that you should avoid tightening the straps too much.

Heeding this advice, I did my first swim with THEMAGIC5 swimming goggles.

Honestly, I was super impressed – seldom do I get to try out a new pair of swimming goggles and enjoy a dip without fogging, without leaks and without black eyes. It’s safe to say that THEMAGIC5 has come up with an impressive product.

There are a number of features that make this so.

Soft Silicone Gaskets

Their comfort level is the first thing you notice. Unsurprisingly, they are incredibly comfortable to wear as the custom-fit technology shines bright. This was especially noticeable when swimming at speed or when swimming down into the water as there was no observable squeeze and no pressure points around the eyes.

In addition, they don’t leak at all as they are made precisely for your facial structure. As someone with an eyebrow piercing and relatively high cheekbones, most ‘one size fits all’ goggles don’t fit snuggly and will almost always leak unless the strap is tightened to a point which I’m sure is just unhealthy.

If you find that the fit isn’t as expected you can try swapping out the nose bridge with any of the extras that are provided in your case. If that doesn’t work then the manufacturer offers a refund/replacement policy covered by their fit guarantee.

Long Stretchy Straps

THEMAGIC5 swimming goggles boast a very simple, easy-to-don and easy-to-doff strap system. Two very lengthy straps meet in the central buckle where adjustments can be made.

While they are super stretchy and comfortable, this reviewer found that adjustment could be made more simple by taking the adjustment capability to buckles in the sides so that the user doesn’t have to remove the goggles in order to adjust. Having said that, once you set the lengths you desire, the strap will not move.

A final comment on the straps is that they are a bit too long. Understandably, this is a feature that caters to people with long hair or bigger heads. But for the average size head, they seem to dangle at the back and can be a little distracting.

Of course, there are easy ways to deal with this such as cutting them down or simply tucking them in as I have done in the picture above.

Angular Diamond Shape Lens

The lenses on these goggles are a feature that THEMAGIC5 should be proud of. Having tried two mirrored lens goggles and two clear lenses, it can be confirmed that the quality does not wane for each of the products.

The angular diamond shape feature can be quite dizzying on first use if you are not used to this style of lens as you end up seeing double. However, especially for competitive pool swimming, they can be incredibly helpful as this feature lends itself to a wider peripheral vision – allowing you to see where your competitors are in adjacent lanes without having to spend energy turning.

As far as clarity is concerned, these lenses provide an optimal crystal clear view of your surroundings, backed with an anti-fog treatment that allows the user to swim without having to swipe away the condensation. Having used this in both cold and warm water, I can say that the anti-fog worked fantastically in the latter of the two.

Submersion into colder waters (50℉) however, wasn’t as triumphant. To be fair, I’ve never come across a pair that has truly refrained from fogging up at those temperatures – it’s simple physics I suppose…

Price/ Quality Ratio

THEMAGIC5 swimming goggles are unquestionably performance-driven, enabling a leak-free, fog-free, and (in most cases) squeeze-mark-free experience. However, they come at a hefty price of at least $60 per pair. Bundles are also available which reduce the price per item.

Despite the fact that this product is undoubtedly deserving of the hype, it remains to be seen how many swimmers are prepared to pay this much for a single pair of swimming goggles. Mark Cuban is on board, so we’ll give this innovative company the benefit of the doubt. Especially, given our positive experience testing this product.

Do we recommend it?

While I had some very minor comments on these goggles, I must say that, overall, I’m a new superfan. I would recommend THEMAGIC5 to anyone and everyone. As they say on their website, they hope to provide “professional quality for everyone” and I can sincerely say they have stuck to their gun on this one.