Professional triathlete and coach Josh Lewis went into his HoloSwim 2S test with a question many experienced athletes will recognize: Do smart goggles actually make swim training better, or are they simply another screen to look at?

Lewis already uses performance data across swimming, cycling, and running, so he wasn't looking for technology for technology's sake. He wanted to know whether having training information directly in his field of view could make a real difference once the set started.

Table of Contents

Lewis covers his full experience in “Are AR Smart Goggles Worth It? HoloSwim Swim Goggles 2”.

A Skeptical Start: Do Smart Goggles Actually Help?

The real test of any training wearable isn't what it can display on a spec sheet. It's what happens when you're halfway through a set.

For Lewis, the important questions were practical:

• Can you actually read the information while swimming?
• Does the data help during a set?
• Are the goggles comfortable enough for a full session?
• Do they stay sealed in the water?
• Can they make structured or solo training easier?
• What do you give up compared with a conventional pair of goggles?

That's the right way to look at AR swim goggles. More data isn't automatically better. The value comes from having the right information at the right moment, without disrupting the session.

First Impressions: More Hardware Than Racing Goggles

One of the first things Lewis noticed was the physical difference between HoloSwim 2S and the low-profile racing goggles he normally uses.

The side-mounted display module adds some bulk to the frame. That's not surprising—putting a display and electronics into a pair of swim goggles requires more hardware than a traditional lens-and-strap setup.

For a swimmer used to minimalist race goggles, the difference is noticeable.

The tradeoff is straightforward: HoloSwim 2S puts training information directly in your field of view, but you have to accept a more substantial frame to make that possible.

The included protective case also makes sense for athletes who throw their goggles into a crowded swim bag alongside paddles, fins, pull buoys, and other equipment.

Fit and Leak Protection Were the Biggest Surprise

Interestingly, the display wasn't the biggest positive from Lewis's test. The fit was.

Lewis explained that finding goggles that fit his face comfortably has not always been easy. During his HoloSwim 2S testing, however, he found the goggles comfortable and did not experience leaking in the pool.

That's important because all the electronics in the world don't matter if you're stopping halfway through a 400 to clear water from your goggles.

Fit is obviously individual, but Lewis also pointed out the interchangeable nose bridges. Trying the different bridge sizes can change the distance between the lenses and affect the seal, pressure around the nose, overall stability, and where the display sits in your field of view.

In other words, don't judge the fit using the factory setup alone. Spend some time adjusting the nose bridge and strap before deciding whether the goggles work for you.

What Josh Lewis Actually Used in the Pool

Once the swimming started, Lewis focused on information that could answer immediate questions during a session: distance, lap count, and pace.

For structured pool training, that's useful.

Instead of looking at the pace clock after a repeat, trying to remember how many lengths you've completed, or checking a watch between intervals, the information is available while you're swimming.

For triathletes, pace is particularly useful because it gives you an immediate picture of what you're actually producing in the water.

But Lewis wanted more than pace alone.

For a broader view of how pace, stroke data, and effort work together, read how swim data supports training decisions.

Pace Tells You What You Did. Heart Rate Adds Context.

This is where Lewis's triathlon background becomes important.

Across cycling and running, endurance athletes are used to looking at external output alongside internal effort. A cyclist might compare power with heart rate. A runner might look at pace and heart rate together.

Swimming can be harder to monitor in real time.

You might hold the same pace for several repeats while the physiological cost of maintaining that pace changes. Pace tells you what you did. Heart rate helps explain what it cost.

That's why heart-rate data was an important part of Lewis's evaluation.

At the time of his original review, the setup he tested did not provide the live heart-rate workflow he wanted. The current HoloSwim 2S can pair with the optional HandPlus B2 Heart Rate Monitor, allowing compatible heart-rate information to appear in the goggles during pool training.

The distinction is important: HandPlus B2 measures heart rate; HoloSwim 2S displays that information alongside swim metrics.

For triathletes already using heart rate to manage aerobic work, threshold efforts, or longer controlled sessions, that creates a more familiar pace-and-effort view of swim training.

Workout Guidance Makes More Sense When You're Training Alone

Another feature Lewis saw value in was workout guidance.

A structured swim set can be simple on paper and surprisingly easy to lose track of once you're in the water. Remembering intervals, distances, rest periods, and instructions becomes harder when you're trying to focus on your stroke and pacing.

HoloSwim 2S can load workout instructions from the HoloSport app and display prompts while you swim.

That makes particular sense for solo training.

Instead of memorizing the entire set, writing it on a whiteboard, or repeatedly checking a phone at the side of the pool, you can follow the session from the goggles.

It doesn't replace a coach. It simply moves more of the workout structure into the swimmer's field of view.

HoloSwim 2S also supports custom training templates and saves completed sessions to the HoloSport app, with core training and analysis functions available without a recurring subscription.

The TrainingPeaks Question

This was one of the more interesting limitations from Lewis's perspective.

As both a coach and a coached athlete, he wanted a more direct path from coach-created workouts on platforms such as TrainingPeaks to the goggles.

At the time of his review, that was a desired workflow rather than a feature he demonstrated.

That's an important distinction.

For a self-coached swimmer, being able to create and load a workout may be enough. For a triathlete whose coach already builds the week's swim sessions in TrainingPeaks, the workflow matters just as much as the workout feature itself.

If your training calendar already lives inside a coaching platform, the question isn't simply "Can these goggles display a workout?"

It's "How easily can my actual workout get onto the goggles?"

That's a much more relevant question for serious age-group triathletes.

The Downsides: Bulk, Bubbles and Battery

The side-mounted display module was the most obvious physical compromise.

Lewis noticed bubbles moving around the module during his early swims. He didn't consider the issue a major performance problem, and after a couple of sessions it became less distracting, but swimmers coming from low-profile racing goggles should expect an adjustment period.

The interface itself was straightforward in his experience.

Battery life was another area where Lewis wanted improvement. HoloSwim 2S is currently rated for up to four hours, so how much that matters depends largely on your training routine.

If you swim for an hour several times a week and charge your goggles regularly, four hours may be manageable.

If you're heading into a race weekend, traveling for a training camp, or doing multiple sessions between charges, battery management becomes more important.

The practical questions are simple:

• How long are your typical swim sessions?
• How many sessions do you want between charges?
• Do you train on consecutive days?
• Will you remember to pack the magnetic charging cable?

The battery isn't necessarily a deal-breaker. It's simply part of the tradeoff that comes with putting electronics into something you take into the pool.

Is HoloSwim 2S Worth It?

Lewis's overall verdict was positive, but he didn't treat the goggles as a replacement for conventional swim goggles or every other piece of training technology.

What worked for him was the combination of comfort, a leak-free fit during his testing, visible swim data, workout guidance, and a straightforward interface.

What would make the product more compelling for his training was better heart-rate visibility, closer integration with coach-created workouts, a slimmer side module, and longer battery life.

His comparison with other endurance technology is also worth considering. Triathletes routinely spend money on bike computers, GPS watches, power meters, heart-rate monitors, and other training tools. The question isn't whether another piece of technology is necessary. It's whether it provides information that is useful enough to justify carrying it.

For Lewis, HoloSwim 2S appeared to clear that bar. Most importantly, he planned to keep using the goggles after the review.

That's a stronger signal than simply saying he enjoyed the first swim.

Swimmers weighing in-lens data against wrist-based tracking can also compare smart swim goggles with a swimming watch.

Who Should Consider HoloSwim 2S?

HoloSwim 2S makes the most sense for swimmers who want to see training information without looking down at a watch or stopping at the wall.

It's particularly interesting for:

• Triathletes who want more real-time information during pool training
• Masters swimmers who follow structured sets
• Solo swimmers who want workout guidance in the water
• Data-driven athletes who want pace and optional heart-rate information together
• Swimmers who already use structured training plans

Traditional goggles may still be the better choice if your priorities are a minimal frame, the lightest possible feel, and zero charging.

That's the tradeoff.

You're not buying HoloSwim 2S because conventional goggles can't get you through a swim. You're buying it because you want more information available while you're actually swimming.

What This Review Tells Us About Smart Swim Goggles

Lewis's experience points to something easy to overlook with smart goggles:

The electronics come second. The goggles still have to work as goggles.

They need to fit. They need to stay comfortable. They need to keep water out. The display needs to be readable. And the information needs to be useful enough to influence what you do during the set.

Only then do features such as workout guidance, heart-rate data, session tracking, and training analysis really matter.

That's particularly true for experienced triathletes. They don't necessarily need another device throwing every possible metric at them.

They need the information that can help answer a question in the middle of a set:

Am I on pace? How hard am I working? What comes next?

That's where HoloSwim 2S has a legitimate use case.

Explore the current smart swim goggles collection to compare pool-focused feedback with other HoloSport options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Is Josh Lewis?

Josh Lewis is a professional triathlete, coach, and endurance-sport content creator. His HoloSwim 2S review looks at the goggles from the perspective of an athlete already familiar with performance data across swimming, cycling, and running.

Did Josh Lewis Like HoloSwim 2S?

Yes, with some reservations. He was positive about the comfort, leak-free fit during his testing, visible pace and workout information, interface, and overall usefulness. He also identified the side-mounted hardware, battery life, heart-rate workflow, and coach-created workout integration as areas that could be improved.

Did the Goggles Leak During His Test?

No. Lewis reported that HoloSwim 2S remained leak-free during his pool testing. Fit will vary from swimmer to swimmer, so the interchangeable nose bridges and proper strap adjustment are important.

What Was His Main Criticism?

The additional hardware on the side of the goggles was immediately noticeable, and Lewis also noticed bubbles around the module during his early swims. He viewed battery life as an area for improvement and wanted stronger heart-rate and TrainingPeaks workflows for his endurance training.

Can HoloSwim 2S Display Heart Rate?

Yes. HoloSwim 2S can pair with the optional HandPlus B2 Heart Rate Monitor so compatible heart-rate data can be displayed in the goggles during pool training. HandPlus B2 provides the heart-rate measurement, while HoloSwim 2S displays it alongside swim data.

Is HoloSwim 2S Useful for Solo Training?

Yes. Workout instructions can be displayed while swimming, making it easier to follow a structured session without repeatedly checking a phone, written workout, or poolside board.

Does HoloSwim 2S Require a Subscription?

No. Core HoloSport app, training, and analysis functions do not require a recurring subscription.

The Bottom Line

Josh Lewis started his test wondering whether AR swim goggles would genuinely add something to a sport already packed with watches and performance technology.

His experience suggests they can—provided the information is actually useful to the swimmer.

HoloSwim 2S doesn't offer the minimalist feel of a traditional racing goggle, and you'll need to manage charging. The TrainingPeaks workflow and hardware design also leave room for improvement.

But for swimmers who want pace, distance, workout guidance, and optional heart-rate information directly in their field of view, the concept makes practical sense.

For triathletes, that's ultimately the question worth asking:

Will seeing the right data during your next swim help you train better—or do you already have enough screens?

If the answer is the former, HoloSwim 2S is worth a closer look.