As you know, I’m an original Google Glass explorer, so when a smart headset comes out, I want to try it out and see how it is. For me, wearables and endurance sports go hand and hand.
That being said, I recently had the opportunity to check out the FINIS Smart Goggles.
FINIS Smart Goggles
The new FINIS Smart Goggles will track and display your laps, splits, rest time, and more. The goggles look like any other goggle, but there is a little device on the side of the left eye. This is where you will see the display. After your swim, connect to the app for a breakdown of your swim.
The app is called CIYE and it can be easily downloaded from Apple or Google Play.
The smart coach, which is a little device that fits into the goggles, is easy to insert and remove.
Interestingly, you put in the pool in which you swim, then it automatically puts in the yardage, which makes this unique and very cool, and then shares it with Ciye.
After a swim, I downloaded my swim into the Ciye and this is what it looked like:
Talking with FINIS
I had so many questions after trying them out and the FINIS PR agency was gracious to set up a meeting. I spoke with Clarke Dolliver, Marketing Manager and Senior Graphic Designer for the company.
When I asked him the difference between this goggle and the other one on the market, Clarke said, “We made this smaller and more like a real goggle that doesn’t leak.” I laughed. The other product I tried couldn’t stop leaking.
I also asked him if he sees a trend in smart goggles. He said he did. He said that “FINIS is trying to make smart goggles a new category.”
Currently, the goggles work in open water and with time, Clarke said, they will improve. Right now, they measure the stroke rate but developers are looking at other options for the goggles.
Taking it for a test drive
The goggles come with a variety of nose pieces that are interchangeable. Once I swapped it out, I loved that the FINIS Smart Goggles fit perfectly to my face. I started to swim first before turning it on. I wanted to make sure they didn’t leak. Once I felt certain of that, I got to the wall and turned them on by pressing a small button on top of the goggles and holding it for a couple of seconds.
I received a welcome message and was instructed to start swimming. As I was swimming, I saw my splits. Every time I hit the wall, I saw my distance and my time. Interestingly, when I stopped for a rest, the FINIS Smart Goggles knew that I was taking a rest and a rest screen appeared with a countdown of how long my break was.
The FINIS Smart Goggles are very cool. My only complaint was that the viewfinder is all the way to the left, so you literally have to move your eye to the side to see the splits. However, I loved that it didn’t interfere with my swim. I think it would be very distracting to see my splits constantly. (According to Clarke Dolliver, this was intentional so that the data didn’t interfere with the field of vision.)
It was cool that it connected with STRAVA but I only wished it also connected with Final Surge and Training Peaks. Hopefully, this will happen in the later versions. Clarke happily informed me that the developers are working on this as well.
Here’s how it connected with STRAVA:
I really enjoyed using them and the best part, I could now leave my watch at home.
The price is $235 for the package. You can pick them up at the FINIS website here: https://www.finisswim.com/Smart-Goggle-Kit-White-Smoke?_ga=2.224638746.1035629660.1636824063-17232868.1636824063
