Form Swim Goggles (AR) Review

For years, the world of performance swimming has been data-rich but feedback-poor. Athletes could track every conceivable metric with a wrist-worn device, but the crucial insights were only available post-swim, displayed on a tiny screen or a smartphone app. You could see what you did, but not while you were doing it. The Form Swim Goggles fundamentally change this paradigm, pulling real-time data off the wrist and projecting it directly into your line of sight. This isn’t just an iteration on the swim watch; it’s a true heads-up display for the water, promising to transform training, pacing, and performance in a way no other device has before.

Design and Fit: A Smart Device That’s a Goggle First

Before diving into the tech, it’s critical to address the fundamentals: are they good goggles? The answer is an emphatic yes. Form clearly understood that no amount of augmented reality could save a leaky, uncomfortable product. The goggles feature soft, premium silicone eye seals that create a secure and comfortable fit for long sessions. The package includes five interchangeable nose bridges, ensuring a customizable fit for a wide range of face shapes. The build quality is excellent, with anti-fog coated lenses that hold up well over time.

The “smart” component is a small, self-contained computer that clips securely onto the right side of the goggles. While it adds a slight, noticeable asymmetry in weight and profile, it’s remarkably unobtrusive in the water. You feel it when you put the goggles on, but the sensation fades into the background within a lap. This modular design is clever, separating the core goggle from the expensive electronics, though in practice, you’ll rarely separate the two.

The Augmented Reality Experience: Data in Your Sightline

The magic of the Form Goggles is the in-lens display. It’s a non-occlusive, transparent OLED screen that projects crisp, yellow-green text into your peripheral vision. It feels less like an intrusive screen and more like a seamlessly integrated data overlay. The genius lies in its subtlety; the data is there when you glance toward it but doesn’t obstruct your view of the lane line or the wall during a turn. The brightness is adjustable and remains perfectly legible in both dimly lit indoor pools and bright, open water.

The data you see is customizable via the companion app. You can cycle through metrics like split time, total time, stroke rate, distance, and calories burned. During rests, the display automatically switches to show you the time for your last interval. Paired with a compatible heart rate monitor (like the Polar Verity Sense, which clips onto the goggle strap), it can also display real-time heart rate and zones. This immediate feedback loop is the product’s killer feature, transforming a workout from a guessing game of “feel” to a precision-guided training session.

Performance, Accuracy, and the App Ecosystem

In the pool, the goggles are exceptionally accurate. The onboard sensors flawlessly track laps, distance, and stroke data without false positives. For open water swimmers, the experience is just as impressive. The goggles use the GPS from a connected Apple Watch or Garmin watch, displaying distance and pace data directly in your lens. This solves the primary challenge of open water swimming: sighting a watch is disruptive, but with Form, your key metrics are always visible.

The Form companion app is the central hub for your data. It’s a polished, intuitive piece of software that syncs seamlessly via Bluetooth. Post-swim, it presents a detailed breakdown of your workout, complete with charts and graphs for every metric imaginable. It also serves as a portal to Form’s library of guided workouts. This is where the ecosystem truly shines. You can load a structured workout onto the goggles, and they will walk you through it, telling you what to do, for how long, and displaying your progress in real time. It’s like having a coach right in your ear—or, in this case, your eye.

Value Proposition: A Pro-Level Tool

At a premium price point, the Form Swim Goggles are undeniably a serious investment. This is not a casual fitness tracker. The value proposition is aimed squarely at the dedicated swimmer, triathlete, or data-obsessed athlete who understands the marginal gains that come from precision training. When you compare the cost to that of a high-end triathlon watch, the price becomes more palatable, especially given its unique, game-changing functionality. The addition of a subscription model for full access to the workout library might be a sticking point for some, but for those who use it consistently, the value of the guided training is significant.

Ultimately, the Form Goggles deliver on their promise. They provide a powerful, real-time data feed in a well-designed, comfortable package. It’s a sophisticated piece of technology that feels less like a gadget and more like an essential piece of training equipment. For the serious swimmer looking for a competitive edge, there is simply nothing else on the market that comes close.

Where to Buy:

Check it out on Amazon