FIT KIT HERO
Your swim just got smart with these hi-tech goggles
As a devoted water baby, lapping my local pool is as much about headspace as it is about fitness. But metrics still matter to me (I’m only human) and, as I knock out as many laps as I can – the voice in my head providing the soundtrack to each stroke – I invariably lose count. As for my speed, it’s as mysterious as the Bermuda Triangle.
I’m telling you this by way of informing you that the Form Smart Swim Goggles – the first smart goggles to hit the market – have done for loyal lappers what the Apple Watch did for, well, just about everything else. They give you vital stats on your performance, flashing the info up before your eyes while you swim (vibe: Baywatch meets The Matrix), which takes some getting used to, but quickly becomes addictive. Armed with real-time info like workout time, stroke rate, distance and lap time displayed on the inner lens, I found myself leaping out of bed and into my costume on even the dreariest of May mornings
(if you recall, that was most of them). Apart from feeling like I’d stepped into a sci-fi movie, seeing my stats floating in front of me was as motivating as having my own swimming coach – the second time I swam using them, I ended up completing the same distance three minutes faster, thanks to my lap pace egging me on and the tracking giving me the info I needed to improve my form. As to how this differs from a smartwatch, if you’ve ever tried to catch a glimpse of your screen mid-stroke, you’ll know it’s no easy feat; nor do you want to stop after every lap to consult your stats.
The enlightenment doesn’t end once you’ve left the pool, either. After you’re done, you can sync your goggles to the app for more in-depth information, such as the different strokes you swam, your total swim time, how long you rested for (don’t think that went unnoticed) and how efficiently you swam each stroke. Since my debut smart swim several weeks ago, I’ve already bumped myself into the fast lane and I’ve finally committed to training for that triathlon I’ve been talking about doing for as long as I can remember. I’m still in it for the headspace, but the game has, truly, been changed. Form Smart Swim Goggles, £149