Form Smart Swim 2 goggles review

I last reviewed the unique Form Smart Goggles in 2020, when the Smart Swim 1 was making waves (no pun intended) in the world of swimming with their unique floating digital screen.

Housed in one lens, it links to an app on your phone to then be able to guide you through one of hundreds of swim sessions while you’re actually swimming, while also giving you real-time feedback on your chosen metrics, such as strokes per length, time per length and more.

Now it’s 2024, though, and while you can still buy version 1 of these goggles online (£159 at time of print, plus app subscription) version 2 is raising the game with two new features that we doubt any triathlete investing here will want to be without.

And what are those new features? An in-built heart rate sensor and – coming soon at time of print – a compass function, which enables you to sight much easier in open water.

What’s new?

First up, though, the goggles themselves have seen a refresh and what a welcome refresh it is, too.

While I have used the Smart Swim 1 for a couple of years now, I always found the gaskets around the lenses a little hard and uncomfortable, especially over longer sessions.

Here, though, the eye seals have been upgraded and as well as a choice of nose bridges (as with the 1) you also get a strap extender for added versatility.

The tech pack size has also been reduced by 15%, making it a little sleeker.

On the face and what a difference – we would happily swim for hours in these and you can also flip them, which means you can use them with the screen in either the right or left lens.

Heart rate sensor

Now, onto the tech. First is the heart rate sensor, which sits on the temple (on either side, depending how you wear them).

It does take a bit of fiddling to position it directly onto skin with my thick hair and swim cap, but once in place it quickly picked up my heart rate and the added metrics gave another boost of motivation to my training (and obsessive stat analysis in the app!).

I can see a read-across for open water here, too. If you tend to get nervous in a swim, keeping an eye on your heart rate and the exertion through the triathlon swim can only be a useful tool to save energy.

For more on this, see our article on how to use heart rate for your swim training.

SwimStraight technology

The other big change is the inclusion of a compass, which allows you to swim in a straight line without sighting too regularly.

Basically, you look at a point you want to swim to (a buoy, for example), note the degrees on the compass and then so long as you keep the marker in that spot you’ll head in the right direction.

For more on this new feature, see our in-depth look at the SwimStraight tech, along with our tips for making sure you’re swimming in as straight a line as possible!

Your own personal coach

These goggles also keep the ‘Head Coach’ function that featured in the original goggles. This provides on-the-fly analysis of your head pitch and roll to give feedback on technique, while you can look in greater detail in the app after your swim.

Via the app, you can also choose from a variety of swim sessions, which the display will then guide you through as you swim with prompts and countdowns.

The result is that it can completely transform your swim sessions, providing focus and motivation.

App integration

There’s more good news, too, as the Form Smart Swim 2 goggles can also be paired with some of the best triathlon watches, including devices from Garmin and Apple.

Further integration is also available with Strava, TrainingPeaks and TriDot, meaning you can still keep track of your swim sessions in all the normal places.

Of course, all of that does come at a price, with the goggles themselves costing £229/$249. You can then opt for a premium app subscription from £7/$8.25 per month.

Looking for more goggle reviews? See our comprehensive list of the best swimming goggles.

Form Smart Swim 2 goggles specs

Price:	£229/$249 + app subscription (£7/$8.25 per month)
Available from:	Buy direct from Form
Battery life:	14 hours
Case included?	Yes
Compatible with Garmin and Apple watches?	Yes
Warranty:	Two years