TYR Blackhawk Racing Goggles Review

The TYR Blackhawk Racing Goggles are the best argument against spending $60+ on swim goggles. At $25–30, they deliver a World Aquatics-approved, low-profile racing goggle with a DURAFIT silicone gasket, five interchangeable nose bridges, and a lens that handles everything from morning training to championship finals.

The Blackhawk doesn't have Arena's reactivatable anti-fog coating or Speedo's panoramic lens curve. What it does have is the best combination of fit customization, race-legal performance, and price in competitive swimming. For age-group swimmers, Masters competitors, and any swimmer who wants a reliable racing goggle without a premium price tag, the Blackhawk is the one to beat.

DURAFIT Gasket and Seal

The DURAFIT silicone gasket is the core of what makes the Blackhawk work. It's a soft, wide-contact silicone seal that sits around the orbital bone and creates suction against your face. Compared to thin racing gaskets (like the Arena Cobra Ultra's ultra-thin silicone), the DURAFIT gasket trades a small amount of hydrodynamic profile for significantly more comfort during extended wear.

During 2,000+ yard training sets, the Blackhawk gasket doesn't create the orbital bone pressure that thin-gasket racing goggles often produce. The wider gasket distributes suction across a larger surface area, reducing the red ring marks and post-swim headaches that come from goggles that grip too aggressively.

The seal itself is reliable when the nose bridge is sized correctly (more on that below). Flip turns, pushoffs, and dives don't break the seal. Water entry during backstroke starts is minimal — the gasket maintains contact even with the head-back orientation.

The trade-off: the DURAFIT gasket's slightly wider profile creates marginally more drag than ultra-thin racing gaskets. For elite swimmers where hundredths of a second matter, this difference is real. For 95% of competitive swimmers, it's unmeasurable in race results and vastly outweighed by comfort during training.

Five Nose Bridges

Nose bridge fit is the single biggest reason swim goggles leak — and the Blackhawk's five included bridges solve this problem better than most competitors at any price.

The bridges range from very narrow to wide, covering the full spectrum of face widths. Each bridge snaps into the goggle frame with a secure click and can be swapped in seconds. The correct bridge holds the two eye cups at exactly the right spacing for your face — too narrow and the gaskets compress unevenly, too wide and they don't seal at the corners.

For comparison: the Speedo Speed Socket includes three nose bridges. The Arena Cobra Ultra includes five. The Blackhawk matches the most customizable option in the market at a fraction of the price.

Fitting tip: Start with the middle bridge and swim 100 yards. If you feel pressure on the nose, go one size wider. If you notice seepage at the inner corners, go one size narrower. Getting this right eliminates 90% of goggle fit complaints.

Lens Performance

Clarity and Field of View

The polycarbonate lens is optically clear with a wide field of view for a racing goggle. The low-profile design sits close to the face, reducing the air gap between your eye and the lens — this minimizes refraction and keeps your vision sharp underwater.

Compared to the Speedo Speed Socket's curved panoramic lens, the Blackhawk's field of view is slightly narrower at the periphery. The Speed Socket uses a hydroscopic lens curve that extends vision toward the edges. The Blackhawk uses a more traditional flat-front racing lens that provides excellent center and near-peripheral vision but doesn't wrap as far to the sides.

For pool swimming (where you're looking straight ahead or at the wall), this difference rarely matters. For open water (where peripheral awareness helps with sighting and navigation), the Speed Socket's panoramic edge is more useful.

Mirrored vs. Non-Mirrored

The Blackhawk is available in mirrored and non-mirrored versions. For outdoor pools and open water, mirrored lenses reduce glare from overhead sun reflecting off the water surface. For indoor pools, non-mirrored (clear or smoke) lenses let more light through for better visibility in dimmer environments.

If you only buy one pair, smoke non-mirrored is the most versatile for indoor and outdoor use. Mirrored adds a slight brightness reduction that helps outdoors but isn't necessary indoors.

UV Protection

The lenses provide full UV protection — important for outdoor pool and open-water training. Extended sun exposure on the water without UV protection contributes to the same eye conditions that affect other outdoor athletes (photokeratitis, pterygium, cataracts). For morning masters swims and summer outdoor training, the UV protection matters.

Anti-Fog: The One Weak Spot

The Blackhawk uses a standard anti-fog coating on the interior lens. This is the goggle's most obvious compromise for its price point.

The coating works well for the first 2–4 weeks of regular training. After that, it degrades with each rinse, each accidental interior touch, and general wear. By week 6–8, you'll notice fog building during sets, especially during warm-ups when effort is low and exhalation moisture is high.

Managing anti-fog degradation:

1. Never rub or touch the interior lens surface — this destroys the coating faster than anything else
2. Rinse with clean water after each swim and air dry (don't towel the interior)
3. When the coating degrades, use an anti-fog spray or drop before each session — products like TYR Anti-Fog, Arena Anti-Fog, or Speedo Anti-Fog cost $5–8 and last months

For comparison, the Arena Cobra Ultra Swipe ($60–80) uses a reactivatable anti-fog coating that you swipe with your finger to restore — it lasts roughly 10x longer than standard coatings. If anti-fog is your biggest frustration with swim goggles, the Cobra Ultra Swipe is worth the premium. If you're comfortable with a $5 spray every couple months, the Blackhawk's standard coating is manageable.

Strap and Adjustment

The dual silicone strap splits at the back for upper and lower adjustment. Both straps have tab adjusters that tighten and loosen without removing the goggle. The strap material is soft silicone — it sits flat against the head without grabbing or pulling hair.

The adjustment system is functional but not as refined as split-strap designs on premium goggles (Arena, Speedo Fastskin). The pull tabs occasionally slip under heavy tightening, requiring a second adjustment. For most swimmers, this is a minor annoyance rather than a real problem — you set the strap tension once and rarely touch it again.

TYR Blackhawk vs. Arena Cobra Ultra Swipe

The Cobra Ultra Swipe is the better racing goggle — thinner gasket, superior anti-fog, and a more hydrodynamic profile. The Blackhawk is the better value — 60% cheaper with 90% of the racing capability and significantly more comfort for daily training.

Who Should Buy the TYR Blackhawk

Buy the Blackhawk if:

• You want a race-legal goggle that doubles as a comfortable training goggle
• Budget matters — you'd rather buy two pairs of Blackhawks than one premium goggle
• You've struggled with goggle fit in the past (5 nose bridges solve most fit issues)
• You're an age-group swimmer, Masters competitor, or fitness swimmer who wants competition-grade quality

Skip the Blackhawk if:

• Anti-fog longevity is your top priority (Arena Cobra Ultra Swipe)
• You want the widest possible field of view (Speedo Speed Socket or TYR Blackops 140 EV)
• You need the thinnest, most hydrodynamic profile for elite competition (Arena Cobra Ultra)

Final Verdict

The TYR Blackhawk Racing Goggles earn a 4-star rating by delivering race-legal performance at a budget price. The DURAFIT gasket is more comfortable than most racing goggles, the five nose bridges ensure virtually anyone can find a leak-free fit, and the optical clarity is sharp enough for both training and competition.

The standard anti-fog coating is the only real weakness — and at $25–30, keeping a bottle of anti-fog spray in your bag is a cost-effective solution rather than a deal-breaker. For swimmers who want one reliable goggle for everything from morning training to weekend meets, the Blackhawk delivers.

For a full comparison of competitive swimming goggles, check our best swim goggles buyer's guide. For a look at a premium alternative, see our Speedo Speed Socket 2.0 review.