GOGGLES
There is plenty of innovation in this year’s goggle round up, from honeycomb technology for a super comfortable fit to an in-goggle digital compass to help you swim straight in open water
“We didn’t use FORM goggles in open water previously but the new Swim Straight in -goggle digital compass encouraged us to take them outside.”
FORM’s Smart Swim 2 goggles feature an augmented reality display with live metrics as you swim. Much like the original FORM goggles, we found this new edition remarkably comfortable. The seal around the goggles is reliable and doesn’t leak. The inbuilt heart rate monitor, new to the Smart Swim 2, also contributes to a better fit. You can track heart rate with the original FORM goggles, but you need to use a separate Polar HR monitor on the goggle strap, which sometimes moves out of place.
As a user, the display is the most prominent feature. When swimming, you forget about the clever electronics and the size of the goggles. But the display hovers in front of you, just out of reach, but clear and readable. Once you’re used to it, it’s not distracting and easy to look past or tune out as needed. The brightness is adjustable too, which is useful when swimming outside.
We actually didn’t use FORM goggles in open water previously but one new feature on the Smart Swim 2 – the impressive Swim Straight in-goggle digital compass – encouraged us to take them outside. It’s very easy to use. You simply look where you want to go, note the bearing, put your head down and swim. It doesn’t eliminate the need for sighting (and nor should it, for safety reasons) but it reduces how often you need to lift your head, making swimming more comfortable and efficient.