Form's top-of-the-line goggles are its best yet, but the extra cost means they're not essential for every swimmer
When it comes to smart swimming goggles, Form has been the undisputed champion since it first launched back in 2019.
The concept is simple but brilliant: project your live swim metrics onto a tiny AR display inside the goggle lens, turning what was once a blind effort into a data-rich, heads-up experience.
Over the years, the platform has evolved from a simple tracker into a full-blown coaching tool. Now, following the release of the excellent Smart Swim 2 ($279/£249) last year, Form is expanding the family with a more durable ‘Pro’ edition.
The key, and only, upgrade is a significant one: swapping the standard plastic lenses for tougher, scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 3. This upgrade, however, comes with a slightly higher price tag ($329/£279) and a new pre-swim routine.
We’ve been testing the Pro edition to determine exactly who this more advanced, pricier option is for, and whether the trade-offs are worth it.
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The key difference: The lens gets a glass upgrade
The primary purpose of the Smart Swim 2 Pro is to provide improved protection for the goggle lenses against scratches. These scratches could impair your view of real-time metrics on the integrated screen and, more importantly, hinder your ability to see clearly what’s in front of you.
Both the original Smart Swim and the newer Smart Swim 2 use plastic lenses, but the Pro model now features Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3 instead. This glass is applied to both the inner and outer surfaces of the lenses to provide enhanced protection.
Gorilla Glass 3 is used in various devices such as smartphones and smartwatches, with brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, and OnePlus adopting it. The glass is designed to be more resistant to deep scratches that could lead to larger cracks or breaks.
Besides offering better scratch resistance, does switching to Gorilla Glass 3 also enhance visibility or provide other advantages?
Form explained to Wareable that they are mainly toughening the lens material by using Gorilla Glass 3, which adds a strengthened layer of protection to the mirror coating beneath it.
Adding glass increases the weight of the goggles slightly, from 70g to 73.4g. This isn’t a significant difference and is barely noticeable when switching between the original Smart Swim, Swim 2, and the new Pro. And that makes sense, given that every other facet of the design of these goggles is identical (and you can read more about that design in our full Smart Swim 2 review).
Fighting the fog
However, adding glass appears to introduce one potential issue—fogging. No goggles, including plastic ones, are immune to this. Fogging occurs when condensation builds up, making it difficult to see clearly through the lenses. Glass lenses tend to be more prone to fogging, which is likely why Form needed to address this issue in the Smart Swim 2 Pro.
It achieves this by offering an anti-fog spray and a concentrate that must be applied to both the inside and outside of the glasses before swimming. After a quick spray, rinse it off and then start swimming.
Form explained to us that, regarding visibility and anti-fog features, the Gorilla Glass allows the use of a new anti-fog method. This also means you can clean the goggles without worry of damaging or scratching the lenses or removing the factory anti-fog coating.
Form provides the spray and concentrate for the Pro, covering up to 175 swims.
When you run out of that anti-fog solution, Form suggests using baby shampoo, which can effectively protect the lenses.
Smart Swim 2 vs. Pro: Who should consider the upgrade?
The answer to that question is: it truly depends on how you use your goggles. We’ve been testing the Form Smart Swim 2 Pro for weeks and have also conducted long-term tests on both the original Smart Swim and the newer Smart Swim 2.
From a tracking perspective, nothing really changes. The standard Swim 2 is just as capable at tracking sessions as the Pro, where the AR display integration works well (and the addition of new coaching and analysis features makes them more useful than ever).
Regarding the durability of the lenses, it wasn’t until we examined the original and Swim 2 that we noticed the small scratches accumulated over a few weeks of testing against the Smart Swim 2 Pro.
These scratches haven’t compromised our view of the display on the other Form goggles, whether in the pool or open water. Still, we understand that making the goggles tougher can generally help ensure clearer visibility of your swimming environment. This is especially true if you’re planning more adventurous open-water swims or if you’re particularly hard on your gear.
We’d also say that forgetting to put them back in the case—where most of our scratches probably come from—should help better protect those plastic lenses on the older Form goggles.
Weighing up the cost
That said, these smart swimming goggles are already quite expensive—particularly when including the subscription fee.
The Pro version further increases the initial outlay, and users will also have to consider the added faff of applying anti-fog spray before each swim. If you’re a very regular user, you’ll also have to replenish the supplied mix out of your own pocket once it runs out.
Ultimately, if you consistently store your goggles in the case after swimming, you’ll probably be okay without opting for the more durable lenses. If you really like the goggles but worry about their durability, choose the Pros.
Going forward, the main hope is that all of Form’s goggles feature that more durable design. We’d also love to see the brand explore ways to prevent fogging without the tedious additional step of spraying them before each pool or open water dip.
