TYR Special Ops 3.0 Non-polarized Adult Fit, Smoke/Black/Black

Why it's worth it

The Special Ops 3.0 is built for open water, with a wide peripheral view that helps you spot buoys and other swimmers without craning your neck. The silicone gaskets hold up to repeated saltwater and sun exposure better than the foam seals found on cheaper outdoor goggles.

You can see sideways, which is the whole point in open water. The lens shape gives you a wide peripheral range, so you catch a buoy or a swimmer drifting into your lane line without lifting your head into a full sighting stroke. Every sighting stroke costs you a little rhythm and a little energy. Over a long lake swim or a triathlon leg, spending fewer of them adds up to a meaningfully easier swim.

The gaskets are made for salt and sun, not just chlorine. TYR uses hypoallergenic Durafit silicone that sits close to the eye and seals without much pressure. Silicone resists saltwater and UV far better than the foam seals you'll find on budget open water goggles, which go crumbly after a season of ocean swims. If you swim in the sea regularly, that's the difference between one pair a year and one pair every few years.

From our review of 5 swimming goggles, by Eleanor Vance, Health & Beauty Editor

What we like

• +You can see sideways, which is the whole point in open water
• +The gaskets are made for salt and sun, not just chlorine
• +The strap adjusts fast, which matters when your hands are cold
• +This is a genuine outdoor specialist, and TYR treats it that way

What to know

• –These aren't a great pool goggle
• –The nose bridge doesn't swap out