Garmin Smart Swim Goggles Teased… or Just FORM?

A new Garmin triathlon video has quietly raised eyebrows in the multisport community — and it’s all down to what appears in the opening seconds. Check out the highlighted section below.

via: @Alessandro, thank you

Right at the start, you can spot what appears to be a pair of HUD-equipped swim goggles. The obvious assumption is FORM Smart Swim Goggles — currently the only serious player in the smart swim display space, and already integrated with Garmin watches.

But look a little closer, and things get interesting.

The Detail That Doesn’t Quite Match

The goggles clearly feature a side-mounted optical module—the distinctive “bulge” housing the heads-up display.

On FORM goggles, that module typically sits on the right side (but can be switched). In the Garmin video, it appears on the left.

This is not a case of reused footage. The two clips come from entirely different sources — FORM’s promotional material is shot indoors and outdoors with branded swim caps, while Garmin’s video shows an indoor swim setting with a plain white cap and no visible branding.

 

 

So What’s Going On?

Two explanations — and they point in very different directions.

The straightforward read is that these are FORM goggles, and the difference comes down to how the footage has been shot or edited – mirrored video or goggles worn inverted.

The more interesting possibility is that Garmin has a launch-ready smart swim product.

Garmin doesn’t often give this level of prominence to third-party hardware in its own marketing videos — especially in the opening moments of a flagship triathlon video. Even a prototype or internal test unit could explain subtle design differences that don’t quite match FORM’s production hardware.

Why It’s Worth Paying Attention

There’s no confirmed leak of Garmin developing smart swim goggles. But the combination of:

• Prominent early placement in the video
• A hardware detail that doesn’t cleanly match FORM

…makes this worth watching.

• This site previously reported original intelligence that Garmin is exploring microLED projection HUD technology — assumed at the time to be for cycling or running. Swimming would be a logical alternative.
• Garmin is ramping up triathlon marketing ahead of the new season, which could align with broader product development.

If Garmin does enter this space, it won’t be to replicate what FORM has built. It’ll be to close the loop on triathlon data entirely — real-time in-swim display, pacing, heart rate, all feeding directly into Garmin’s ecosystem.

And Garmin rarely copies. It typically adds its own layer — features, integration, or performance — to create a differentiated, premium product.

What to Watch

Keep an eye on:

• FCC filings for optical or swim-specific wearable devices
• Any changes to Garmin–FORM integration
• New Garmin Connect IQ device categories or apps

Because if those aren’t FORM goggles, something much more interesting just surfaced.

Please share any analysis, insights or comments below.

Last Updated on 18 March 2026 by the5krunner