Therabody SmartGoggles Review 2024: Are $200 Eye Massagers Worth It?
GQ RecommendsI strapped into these $200 blinders and found out whether Therabody's SmartGoggles are worth the price.By Tyler Chin November 12, 2024Save this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.I am chronically online: Whether it's because of my job (online shopping rules) or an addiction to being up to date on pretty much everything, I'm staring at a screen approximately 75% of the day. (My eyes are begging me right now to take a break from the LEDs as I'm writing this.) But alas, my job dictates that I must inform you all of what gear is worth your hard-earned cash, and in this case, it's a pair of eye massagers from one of the best recovery brands in the game right now, Therabody. In the brand's endless pursuit to make your life better, it's released the second-generation Therabody SmartGoggles, which actually pull triple duty by massaging, heating, and vibrating all around your eye and temple area. Also, it's $200.So, who the hell needs $200 blinders that also happen to buzz, buzz, buzz around your peepers? If Therabody's to be believed, it's anyone who suffers from tension headaches, eye fatigue, or generally wants an excuse to conk out for 15 minutes in pure darkness for a little R&R. I strapped into these $200 blinders, set aside a few minutes each day, and found out whether or not the Therabody SmartGoggles were worth the price.TherabodySmartGoggles (2nd Generation)$199 TherabodySpecsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronBattery Life: 180 minutesMaterial: PVC, polyester, nylonWeight: 13.7 ouncesWarranty: One yearWhat Do They Do?Aside from making it look as if I were doing a sci-fi remake of Jeff Goldblum's The Fly, the SmartGoggles were designed to scientifically “reduce stress, enhance relaxation, increase deep sleep and improve overall sleep quality,” according to Therabody. How? With three settings—SmartRelax, Headache and Eye Strain, and Sleep Prep—which use different combinations of heat, vibration, and compression massages to address specific issues (easily distinguished by the name of the setting).The second generation of the SmartGoggles feature a better fit and improved battery life. Tyler ChinThe SmartGoggles weigh a little under a pound—and you can tell. Tyler ChinNow you're filled in on what they do, but do they actually achieve what the brand set out to accomplish? Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but the SmartGoggles do, in fact, perform their duties as promised: They compress, vibrate, and heat. But does any of that actually do something for your overall wellbeing? Well, that depends.The SmartGoggles fold in the middle and store neatly and compactly in their case. Tyler ChinEyes Wide ShutThe first thing you'll notice once you've strapped into the SmartGoggles is how well they block out pretty much all light. It's actually pretty jarring to be submerged in pure darkness, and when I first put them on, my eyes felt like they wanted to thank me for giving them a break from looking at my computer (or laptop, or TV, or any other backlit screen). No matter where I turned my eyes to look, I was fully, ahem, in the dark. And that was the problem with my first time trying these: I couldn't see anything and I was standing, so I needed to take a peek to figure out where the hell I should sit down. All of the controls are at the top of the goggles, with a biometric sensor that reads your pulse from your cheek so that it can adjust the device's vibrations based on your heart rate.The controls are located on the top of the goggles, and it's best you memorize the controls, because you can't see them once you're strapped in. Tyler ChinGiven it was mid-day, I was't trying to sleep, and I didn't have a headache, so I gave SmartRelax a go. This setting combines pulsing vibrations, compression massaging, and low heat to help you relax. I find it hard to relax even just sitting down, but in the 15 minutes that the program was running, I was pretty chill. The nagging thoughts in my head were silenced, though they were replaced with: “So, is this thing actually doing anything good?” Once my session was over, I went back to work, and I guess I was a little less stressed than before. At worse, I took a few minutes to myself and my eyes got a little rest from the constant strain.Lights OutI don't get headaches too often—knock on wood—and in the time I've tested the SmartGoggles I haven't had a chance to see if they'd alleviate that pain. One thing I do care a lot about is sleep, and the brand's promise to increase sleep quality through SmartGoggle usage made me excited to try them out. For 15 minutes, the SmartGoggles ran through the Sleep Prep setting, which meant low vibrations, no heat, and a gentle temple massage. You can manually cycle through heat and vibration settings, but I let this baby run as Therabody intended. The vibration offered a nice gentle humming around my forehead, eyebrows, and
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
I am chronically online: Whether it's because of my job (online shopping rules) or an addiction to being up to date on pretty much everything, I'm staring at a screen approximately 75% of the day. (My eyes are begging me right now to take a break from the LEDs as I'm writing this.) But alas, my job dictates that I must inform you all of what gear is worth your hard-earned cash, and in this case, it's a pair of eye massagers from one of the best recovery brands in the game right now, Therabody. In the brand's endless pursuit to make your life better, it's released the second-generation Therabody SmartGoggles, which actually pull triple duty by massaging, heating, and vibrating all around your eye and temple area. Also, it's $200.
So, who the hell needs $200 blinders that also happen to buzz, buzz, buzz around your peepers? If Therabody's to be believed, it's anyone who suffers from tension headaches, eye fatigue, or generally wants an excuse to conk out for 15 minutes in pure darkness for a little R&R. I strapped into these $200 blinders, set aside a few minutes each day, and found out whether or not the Therabody SmartGoggles were worth the price.
Specs
- Battery Life: 180 minutes
- Material: PVC, polyester, nylon
- Weight: 13.7 ounces
- Warranty: One year
What Do They Do?
Aside from making it look as if I were doing a sci-fi remake of Jeff Goldblum's The Fly, the SmartGoggles were designed to scientifically “reduce stress, enhance relaxation, increase deep sleep and improve overall sleep quality,” according to Therabody. How? With three settings—SmartRelax, Headache and Eye Strain, and Sleep Prep—which use different combinations of heat, vibration, and compression massages to address specific issues (easily distinguished by the name of the setting).
Now you're filled in on what they do, but do they actually achieve what the brand set out to accomplish? Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but the SmartGoggles do, in fact, perform their duties as promised: They compress, vibrate, and heat. But does any of that actually do something for your overall wellbeing? Well, that depends.
Eyes Wide Shut
The first thing you'll notice once you've strapped into the SmartGoggles is how well they block out pretty much all light. It's actually pretty jarring to be submerged in pure darkness, and when I first put them on, my eyes felt like they wanted to thank me for giving them a break from looking at my computer (or laptop, or TV, or any other backlit screen). No matter where I turned my eyes to look, I was fully, ahem, in the dark. And that was the problem with my first time trying these: I couldn't see anything and I was standing, so I needed to take a peek to figure out where the hell I should sit down. All of the controls are at the top of the goggles, with a biometric sensor that reads your pulse from your cheek so that it can adjust the device's vibrations based on your heart rate.
Given it was mid-day, I was't trying to sleep, and I didn't have a headache, so I gave SmartRelax a go. This setting combines pulsing vibrations, compression massaging, and low heat to help you relax. I find it hard to relax even just sitting down, but in the 15 minutes that the program was running, I was pretty chill. The nagging thoughts in my head were silenced, though they were replaced with: “So, is this thing actually doing anything good?” Once my session was over, I went back to work, and I guess I was a little less stressed than before. At worse, I took a few minutes to myself and my eyes got a little rest from the constant strain.
Lights Out
I don't get headaches too often—knock on wood—and in the time I've tested the SmartGoggles I haven't had a chance to see if they'd alleviate that pain. One thing I do care a lot about is sleep, and the brand's promise to increase sleep quality through SmartGoggle usage made me excited to try them out. For 15 minutes, the SmartGoggles ran through the Sleep Prep setting, which meant low vibrations, no heat, and a gentle temple massage. You can manually cycle through heat and vibration settings, but I let this baby run as Therabody intended. The vibration offered a nice gentle humming around my forehead, eyebrows, and eyes, but what really got me was that temple massage. Using this post-shower—a regular nightly ritual for me—meant I was already in the headspace to go to bed, but using the SmartGoggles really had me ready to book it under the covers and call it a night. The SmartGoggles also replaced that 15 to 30 minutes I spend in bed looking at my phone, which is scientically proven to disrupt sleep habits, so that the last few moments of awake time were spent chilling (and not doomscrolling).
I will say that I don't suffer from any sleep disorders, and this device is not meant to replace any medical devices or actual medical advice, so it's hard to say how much the goggles would do for someone with something like insomnia. At least for me, I went to asleep more quickly after having used the SmartGoggles versus the nights I didn't use them. I'm also not a morning person, so it's hard to say if they helped me get a deeper sleep, but I wouldn't say I was any more cranky in the a.m. after using the goggles before bed.
Therabody SmartGoggles Verdict: Is Better Sleep Worth $200?
As much as I care about my sleep, I'm not getting my nightly eight hours a day. It's a me problem, no matter how much I care about sleep and want to prioritize it. But in the three weeks I've been testing the Therabody SmartGoggles, I've realized that prioritizing sleep really just means one thing: Get your ass to bed! Unplugging at night (or at least unplugging my other devices for the SmartGoggles) has helped me put sleep first, even on those nights when I think I'm getting my “me” time by doing literally nothing other than being online.
Aside from the assist in getting in my sleep schedule in order, the SmartGoggles have been a good way to carve out some time in the day for resting my eyes during the normal 9-to-5. However, wearing the SmartGoggles has taken some getting used to. Despite the improved fit compared to the first-gen model, the straps sit strangely over my ears, and they're quite heavy on my head, not unlike the Apple Vision Pros. A strap over the head might alleviate some of the weight, but otherwise, wearing these while lying down has been the move. Also, the leather like material around the eyes gets dirty quite easily, and by dirty, I mean my face oils tend to rub off, making the goggles look a tad shiny and greasy. That being said, it's not the worst thing, since it easily comes off with the wipe of a damp towel.
So, the final verdict on these $200 eye massagers? No, you don't need them, but they're certainly a nifty gadget to have to help you put your self care first, and would make a great gift for the sleep-loving gadget guy in your life.
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