I Was Excited to Try the FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles. I tried the original FORM goggles and was a big fan…minus the fact that they break about every year (which is actually a big deal).
These new smart goggles track your swim stats in real time and display key metrics right inside the lens. Whether you’re swimming laps at the pool or in open water, you’ll see everything from pace to heart rate.
I have to admit, without FORM goggles, I probably wouldn’t swim as much as I do. I don’t particularly enjoy counting my own laps, and they’ve been so nice to just plug and go. Plus, I really appreciate Coros for running, but it does not excel in swimming.
What Is the Difference Between the FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles and the Original FORM Goggles?
- Heart Rate Sensor: Tracks your heart rate seamlessly during your swim.
- SwimStraight Navigation Tool: Designed to help you swim straighter when sighting conditions are poor in open water.
- Improved Fit and Design: Sleeker fit, enhanced eye seals, and a redesigned strap for better comfort.
Plus, more differences below. Continue on to read an honest review of the FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles.
Before Trying the FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles, I Had a Few Questions:
Are the FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles good?
Yes, they track your laps without you having to worry about pushing buttons.
Are the FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles comfortable?
I’ve had mixed feelings. They definitely leave goggle marks, and I sometimes find that after an hour they hurt my eyes a little bit. But overall, they are comfortable. They are more comfortable than the original version.
Do FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles make you dizzy?
No. As someone who gets migraines, I was legitimately concerned about this. But I haven’t gotten a headache from the goggles (and I’m nearly at 2 million yards of swimming).
About the Brand FORM
FORM was founded by Dan Eisenhardt, a former competitive swimmer with 14 years of experience in the sport and a seasoned sports technology entrepreneur. Today, FORM benefits from a team of industry leaders with extensive expertise in sports eyewear design, activity-tracking algorithms, and augmented reality optics.
FORM is dedicated to enhancing athletic performance by delivering real-time visual feedback to swimmers. They aim to redefine swimming through innovative technology. The creation of the FORM goggles helps swimmers of all levels enjoy an immersive experience with real-time metrics and guided workouts to motivate and improve their performance.
What’s New with FORM Smart Swim 2?
- Heart Rate Sensor: Tracks your heart rate during swims using an integrated optical HR sensor.
- Smaller Tech Pod: The tech pod is 15% smaller, making the goggles feel less bulky.
- Improved Fit: Slightly larger temple area for better stabilization.
- Better Eye Seals: Enhanced seals reduce leaks but I’ve also found them to leave darker eye circles.
- New Strap Design: The strap is now yellow (and we all know yellow is faster, right?).
- New Carrying Case: No more hot dog-shaped case! The new design includes drainage holes.
- Pricing: V2 goggles cost $249, while V1 goggles remain available for $179.
My Experience with the FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles
Unboxing the FORM Smart Swim 2: What’s Included?
- The goggles
- A charging cable
- A carrying case
- Multiple nose bridges for a custom fit
- Instructions
I never learn my lesson, but you’ll want to charge and sync the goggles with the app before using them. How many times must I stand at the edge of the pool deck waiting for my FORM Smart Swim 2 to sync.
Setup and Pairing
Setting up the goggles is straightforward. Pair them with the FORM app, configure your data fields, and choose which side the display pod sits on (right or left). You can tweak everything from data visibility to display preferences.
Once paired, the app lets you customize dashboards to show data during swims, rest intervals, and post-set. It’s intuitive and user-friendly.
The FORM App:
There aren’t many fitness apps, that I particularly like for looking at metrics. A lot of them are just “fine,” but I’ve found the FORM to be good. It gives you easy to read information, plus is one of the few apps I actually enjoy the social aspect and seeing friend’s swims. I wish you could add more of a description to your workouts, similar to how Strava has it set up.
Swimming with FORM Smart Swim 2
Simply put the goggles on, select pool or open water swim, and dive in. Although maybe not dive, because I’ve had zero luck with them staying on when diving into the pool. As soon as you start swimming, the goggles track everything. Distance, time, pace, and heart rate are displayed in the lens. You’ll see metrics without tilting your wrist or stopping at the wall.
The display clarity is fantastic. Unlike most wearables, FORM’s visuals are crisp and easy to read mid-stroke. Make sure to keep your FORM Smart Swim 2 in the case, because they can scratch fairly easily and then become hard to read.
If You’ve Never Used FORM Goggles
If you’ve never used FORM Smart Swim goggles, you’ll find different modes and displays to explore. I prefer mine in the pool, and I usually just do my own workouts. The nice thing is, once you set it up, you don’t have to worry about them during your swim. They’ll automatically pause when you’re at the wall. Then when you are done, they’ll upload to the app or to the your platform of choice.
You can also use one of their pre-programmed workouts, and you have dozens of options to choose from.
They also use a program they created called “Headcoach” to grade your swimming form. They grade your swimming form to help you become a better swimmer. They also give you advice on how to improve (on the app). That’s kind of an interesting and fun thing. Sometimes I turn it on, sometimes I have it turned off.
If You’ve Used the Original FORM Goggles and are Upgrading:
There are some nice features on the FORM Smart Swim 2. First, the fit is a little better. I definitely don’t think it’s perfect, but it’s better than the previous version. I still get some eye fatigue and soreness after around an hour, but I’ve been mostly happy. Plus, they are lighter on your head.
The other new feature I like on the FORM Smart Swim 2 is the head placement coaching. Even after swimming in college, my head placement has never been great. You can opt to have FORM grade you on yours. Admittedly, I thought the lower the better until I realized from the app that it’s the higher the better. It also makes it into a game of keeping your head in between lines (which can keep you distracted).
Heart Rate Tracking
The heart rate sensor delivers accurate data as long as the goggles fit flush to the face. It might be obvious, but you need to have your goggles under your swim cap for the best fit.
The HR data syncs with the app, and you can view it alongside other stats post-swim. If you sync with Strava or TrainingPeaks, data transfers automatically.
FORM Smart Swim 2 Structured Workouts
This is easily the most annoying part about the FORM Smart Swim 2. While yes, this is a great feature, $99 is not cheap and is more expensive than Strava. FORM offers structured workouts, but they require a subscription ($15/month or $99/year).
What Does the FORM Smart Swim 2 Subscription Get You?
- 1,500+ guided workouts
- SwimStraight open water feature
- Custom workout builder
- TrainingPeaks integration
- FORM Score for swim efficiency tracking
Open Water Swimming with SwimStraight
If you’ve ever swum in open water, you know how many extra yards you can add by not going in a straight line. SwimStraight is a game-changer for open water swimming. The feature uses a digital compass to help you swim in a straight line. After a quick calibration, the goggles show your direction in real time. If you drift off course, the display lets you know. I haven’t had the need (or WANT) to swim in open water lately, but I know many people have been very happy with this feature.
FORM Smart Swim 2 Battery Life and Charging
FORM claims 14 hours of battery life per charge, with a 10-minute quick charge yielding 2 hours of swim time. There have been a dozen times I’ve been 15 minutes out from heading to the pool and thought, “Whoops, need to charge my goggles,” and plugged them in for a few minutes. They were good to go. Charging is done through a custom cable.
My Experience with the FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles
I’ve now used either the original FORM goggles or the FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles for five years. Wow, does time fly…I started using them shortly before COVID. Anyway, I do find that I swim more, and I’ve trained for swim meets using them. (Open water swimming just isn’t my thing at the moment…).
The biggest drawback that I’ve seen is the eye pieces breaking or falling off. When I contacted FORM a few years ago about it, they basically said it was user error. (Their customer service was not the greatest when I contacted them.) The FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles are my third pair of FORM goggles in five years.
I question the actual lifespan of the goggles, and I do wonder if others have had that problem (so if you’ve used them regularly for a while, let me know!). To be fair, I’ve also swum about 2 million yards in mine, so who knows what the life actually is. My last pair just started leaking with no way to fix it. (I tried new eye pieces, and that did not work, which ultimately led me to purchase the FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles.) Anyway.
Do I think FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles are good? Yes, my experience has been mostly good, and I’ve been happy with them. I do find you need to take very good care of them; otherwise, the lenses scratch, and you won’t be able to see out of the screen.
If I were to rate my experience with FORM, it would be a B. An A for all the metric data you get without staring at a watch screen and for how it makes swimming a lot easier and more enjoyable. A C- for durability and a B for overall comfort.
Cost: $249 + $99 a month
I don’t think the $249 is that expensive for what you get with the FORM Goggles. In fact, I find it to be a relatively good deal. Many GPS watches for runners start around that price and go upwards to hundreds of dollars.
What I do find to be not great is the $99 per month. This can get really expensive for what you get. I’m not particularly a fan of the subscription model to begin with but I don’t know if I find the $99 for the workouts worth it. There isn’t a lot to compare it to, minus Strava which is around $60 a month, although that doesn’t really give the same features. I don’t know, as you can see I don’t find it to be worth it.
Conclusion: Are FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles Worth it?
Who Should Buy FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles
- Swimmers who value real-time metrics like heart rate, pace, and distance.
- Open water swimmers who can benefit from the SwimStraight navigation tool.
- Competitive swimmers and triathletes seeking structured workouts.
- Tech-savvy users who appreciate seamless app connectivity and data syncing.
- Swimmers looking to enhance their training efficiency and performance with innovative technology.
Who Should Not Buy FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles
- Swimmers who may find the $249 price and $99/year subscription too expensive.
- Swimmers who experienced discomfort with the original FORM goggles and need a significant fit improvement.
- Users who prefer simpler swim gear without advanced technological features.
- Those who may not want to replace every few years.
The FORM Smart Swim 2 Goggles are a great product designed for swimmers serious about improving their performance. There are still some quirks that I hope to work out but other than that, they are great. While they may not be the right fit for everyone, they offer unparalleled innovation and functionality for dedicated athletes.
You can purchase FORM Smart Swim 2 here and see all gear reviews here.
Love fitness? You can subscribe to my weekly newsletter or read more about running shoes in my ebook.
Questions for you:
How do you count your swimming laps?
Have you tried Form goggles?
my Garmin counts laps and keeps track of my heart rate, I don’t need to see that while I swim, bike or run….I’m intrigued, but yeah, so I need that subsription. Think it’s like someone that likes to run, swim and bike outside signing up for peloton, not much point
Hey Warren! Much like runners appreciate their GPS watch, I think for someone who is trying to really improve their swim or just enjoys swimming, the goggles give you a lot more data!