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Testing methodology
Every recommendation on SwimTested follows the same process, so you can compare pages with confidence.
Fit before features
Every guide explains how the gear should fit and how to tell before the return window closes.
A clear verdict
Each guide says who the gear suits, who should look elsewhere, and what to check before you buy.
No paid placements
Brands cannot buy a review or a spot on a list. Partner codes save you money; they never decide what we recommend.
Kept current
Prices are dated, codes are updated across the site at once, and pages are revised when a product, standard or rule changes.
Where our facts come from
We use manufacturers' size charts and material specifications, World Aquatics (formerly FINA) approved swimwear lists for competition suits, US Coast Guard approval labels for life jackets and the published guidance of USA Swimming and the American Red Cross.
What we check, by product type
| Goggles | Gasket type, lens tint and coating, prescription options, strap adjustment and fit for face shape. |
|---|---|
| Swimwear | Fabric (polyester versus nylon-spandex), chlorine resistance, cut, sizing and competition approval. |
| Training tools | Fin blade length and stiffness, paddle size, snorkel mount and buoyancy. |
| Open water | Wetsuit thickness and buoyancy, race legality, sizing chart fit, tow float visibility. |
| Swim tech | Water resistance rating, pool and open-water tracking, battery life, and bone-conduction audio. |
Hands-on testing versus research
A review carries a "Hands-on tested" badge only when our team has used the product, and it lists the date and what we did. Every other page is built from published specs, governing-body rules, the brand's own documentation and owner feedback, and says so. Comparisons are research-based unless marked otherwise.
Prices and codes
Prices come from each brand's own store and are dated on every review. Reader codes come directly from the brands we partner with. When a brand changes an offer, we update the code everywhere it appears on the site at once.
Corrections
If you spot something out of date, email info@swimtested.com and we'll check it and fix it.