Last year, Form released the second generation of their smart swim goggles, which brought a more compact size, along with a set of new features. This year, they’re updating even further with the Form Smart Swim 2 Pro, which puts a premium on durability and visual clarity.
We’ll be honest, it doesn’t seem all that different from last year’s Smart Swim 2. The general design and feature set all remain the same, so you can still wear it with your favorite waterproof headphones. Instead, the outfit claims the update focuses on durability, giving swimmers a tougher, more hardwearing build that can keep them company in the pool for many, many years.
The Form Smart Swim 2 Pro’s most significant is the use of Gorilla Glass 3 for the lenses, which replaces the plastic lenses used in previous versions of the goggles. This should crank up up the lenses’ scratch- and crack-resistance, ensuring they will last for much longer, which you’ll probably appreciate in a pair of goggles that cost significantly more than your standard fare. Simply put, you don’t have to worry about leaving this around the pool deck. On the downside, the use of glass means it’s not able to hold onto anti-fog coating the way plastic lenses can. As such, it requires regular application of your favorite anti-fog solution every time you plan to use the goggles.
Does this mean you have buy an anti-fog spray, too? Well, you could. However, the goggles do come with a bottle of anti-fog liquid to get you started. Once that runs out, the outfit says you can make your own version by simply diluting baby shampoo in water using a 1:4 shampoo to water ratio. Yep, that’s apparently all the anti-fog liquid is made of, so it shouldn’t be all that hard to mix up your own refills.
The Form Smart Swim 2 Pro retains all the other design elements found in last year’s Swim 2, such as the more compact size and the waterproof housing for the electronics that can be placed on either side of the goggles. You get all the same features, too, from the motion sensors and the heart rate sensor to the HUD that is overlaid onto the lens. Sadly, it still can’t keep track of distance and average pace on its own, requiring you to connect to a third-party device, such as a Garmin sports watch or an Apple watch, for recording those metrics. Battery life remains the same, too, at 14 hours, so you can do a few morning laps without having to plug it in.
It also gets the premium subscription features that started with the Swim 2. However, the launch of the Pro will introduce further additions to the paid service, include new head coach plans, new head coach insights, new head coach workouts, guided insights, goal-based workouts, open water auto-calibration, and more. Basically, it’s looking a lot like paying for the premium is necessary to really get the most from these goggles. And yes, the original Swim 2 will remain in the market as a more affordable option.
The Form Smart Swim 2 Pro is available now, priced at $329.