SWIMMERS will have their selection of new monitoring and timing technologies to enhance their strokes when they return to their local pools this summer after a long dry period. Underwater fitness technology is catching up to its aboveground counterparts, with heart-rate monitors that clip into goggle bands and smart goggles that project a total of how many laps you’ve swum right onto the glass. These new devices, like Fitbits, communicate how hard you worked and if you should take it easy or push yourself on your next swim via companion applications. Before you invest, we examined some of the most fascinating ideas to evaluate what’s useful and what’s hype.
To Watch a Live Stream of Your Swimming:
Zygo Tired of being alone in the lanes with your thoughts? Zygo’s patented transmitter can carry sound from your phone, across the water, and into the waterproof headset, overcoming Bluetooth’s conventional ineffectiveness in communicating via water. Simply place the walkie-talkie-sized transmitter at the far end of the pool (not good for busy public places) and connect your headphones to the Zygo app, where you can select from over 150 accessible coached training sessions; or any podcast or music on your phone. (Shopzygo.com, $299)
Finis Goggles are a smart way to keep track of your sets.
Instead of looking at the clock every 100 meters to see how quickly you’re freestyling, you can gaze off into your peripheral vision to see your lap count, set time, rest time, and more with these smart goggles. We found it simple to take in the display, which is located in the lens’s corner, at a look. When you get out of the pool, go onto the companion app on your phone to get more information about your workout, such as stroke type and kilocalories burnt. You may also share your metrics with friends using the app. Finisswim ($235; finisswim.com)
Form Goggles are a futuristic way to monitor your progress.
Form’s eyewear, like the Finis’, will count your laps and tell you how long it takes to finish each one. However, in this case, the goggles employ an OLED display to project your stats in front of you while you swim, creating the impression that they are floating in the water. You may personalize the display by selecting the information you want to see, such as stroke rate, speed, distance, and calories. And, like the Finis, you can examine even more fitness statistics after swimming by logging into the app afterward. Formswim ($199; formswim.com)
To Get the Most Out of Your Workout Without Being Distracted: Phlex Edge
Simply attach this handy tiny heart rate, distance, and stroke tracker to any goggle strap if you want to focus on swimming rather than data-mining. The tracker, designed by Olympic swimmers and coaches for all levels of swimmers, will very accurately transmit how hard you worked yourself via the Phlex app. When you check your phone after your workout, you’ll get a “Splash Score” based on your heart rate and effort to help you improve. Phlexswim ($250; phlexswim.com)
