The goggles were developed by Hong Kong-headquartered Blue Fuzion Group, the development, sourcing and supply chain facilitator for blueseventy, a New Zealand company specialising in performance swimwear and accessories. The two eyecup frames of the goggles are moulded from a Beetle® carbon fibre-reinforced polyamide 66 (PA 66) compound formulated for the application by Teknor Apex UK Ltd.

Traditionally, polycarbonate has been used for the eyecup frames of swimming goggles, but the carbon fibre-reinforced thermoplastic proved to be lighter and stronger, according to Neil McConnochie, Managing Director of the Blue Fuzion Group.

“Polycarbonate not only weighs more but is nowhere near as strong as the carbon fibre reinforced polyamide,” says McConnochie. “The added strength enabled us to reduce the thickness of the frame, especially in the torsion points where other components of the goggle come together, such as the nose bridge and the strap. Compared with a similar style of goggle, our new Carbon Race product is 12-15% lighter than a conventional construction.”

The swimming goggles are the product of a two-year development programme during which Blue Fuzion Group assessed several materials, including the Beetle carbon reinforced PA 66 compound.

“Throughout the prototyping, swim testing, and production trials, the Teknor Apex polyamide consistently ranked as the leading choice,” reports McConnochie. “Teknor Apex engineers worked closely with us in every step of the design and development process, helping us to meet the demanding challenge of achieving exceptional aquadynamics while saving weight.”

The eyecup frames are streamlined to reduce drag, have a textured surface, and are joined at the nose bridge by specially designed locking pins. Polycarbonate lenses provide wrap-around vision. Thermoplastic elastomer flanges on the eyecups ensure a secure, cushioned fit against the face.