If you’re planning to use these goggles for open-water swims, your data is pared back. You can see how much distance you’ve covered or view metrics like stroke rate. You can capture more accurate distance tracking and see data like pacing if you already own an Apple Watch or a Garmin watch. That will send the information from the watch to the heads-up display.
One open-water feature you’re free to access is SwimStraight. This was previously hidden behind Form’s Premium subscription. It lets you use the built-in compass sensor to swim in a straight line. It works really well once you’ve performed the awkward calibration dance to set up the compass first.
Photograph: Michael Sawh
That premium subscription mainly gives you access to Form’s suite of training and workout features. That subscription cost starts at $9.99 a month with the option to pay $99 up front for a year’s access. This gives you the added ability to create custom workouts or select from preset ones to add structure to your swimming time. There’s also HeadCoach, which I’d say is the most compelling reason to get a subscription.
HeadCoach works by scoring swims and then recommending workouts based on performance. It also suggests drills to improve your swimming technique. In the goggles, this feature looks like a video game from the ’80s. It recommended that I do a drill to work on my head pitch. This meant my head and shoulders were sinking too much in the water, causing drag. On the screen I could see a dot (my head) bobbing above and below a line, and I focused on keeping the dot from dropping too low. The drill was simple yet very effective. In my opinion, this is Form’s secret sauce.
I don’t need anymore convincing that what Form has come up with for swimmers is genuinely great. I’ve recommended their goggles to fellow swimmers and anyone who wants to see what a truly innovative wearable looks like.
The Smart Swim 2 LT offers a more affordable way to try Form’s innovative features—it’s the version of their goggles I’d choose to buy. Unfortunately, the fact that you still need to pay for a subscription to access the training and coaching features means these goggles are still going to be out of reach for a lot of swimmers. If you can swing the investment, these are an effective way to track your pool and open-water swims, visualize metrics and skills, and improve your form.
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