SwiMP3 Underwater MP3 Player may be just the
thing you need for training for your next Half Ironman.
[ Photo: Finis ].

One of the more unusual fitness gadgets I've stumbled on recently is the SwiMP3 Underwater MP3 Player from Finis. This is an MP3 player meant to be worn on the back of your head and used while swimming. I could see using this during lap swimming or while training for a triathlon.

The unit has 128 megabytes of memory. The manufacturer estimates that it can store 30 songs and can be used continuously for about four hours. It's priced at about $250 and includes goggles (although you can substitute your own), a carrying case, and a USB cable.

I tried to think of a way to do this that involved an Aquapac waterproof electronics case, a regular portable audio player such as an iPod, and a set of waterproof headphones, but I couldn't find a combination that I could recommend in good faith for swim training. There are a couple of other solutions including the Oregon Scientific MP120 512 MB Waterproof MP3 Player and the SV waterproof case series from H2O Audio, but these struck me as either less reliable solutions or ones that aren't truly adapted to the task of lap swimming.

I'm pretty committed to the duathlon until I have the time to take swimming lessons, otherwise I'd try to get a SwiMP3 for review. It looks like a really interesting product, and I'd love to know if any readers Operation Gadget readers have used one.