I tested the Meta Oakley Vanguard on a handful of training rides, and just a few miles in, I realized: these are currently the most athlete-targeted smart glasses you can buy.
They combine Oakley’s sport DNA with Meta’s voice-enabled smarts in a manner that genuinely assists you in riding or running or boarding—rather than turning your workout into a demo for another gadget.
- Design focused on speed, safety, and performance fit
- Clear audio that rises above the storm and traffic
- A camera that finally captures the ride clearly
- AI that reads like you, with real-time training data
- Battery life, durability, and long-ride comfort and fit
- Price and competition among smart sports eyewear
- Where they’re still progressing and what needs work
- The verdict: performance-first smart eyewear standard
Unlike lifestyle-first wearables, the Vanguard emphasizes speed, safety, and nonstop coaching. They’re performance eyewear; they sound like a capable headset and perform as a hands-free bike computer when coupled with the correct ecosystem.
Design focused on speed, safety, and performance fit
Based on Oakley’s Sphaera-style shield, the wraparound protects widely, with four Prizm options that pump contrast on familiar surfaces such as tarmac, gravel, and snow.
Meta keeps the tech under the visor hidden cleanly—no bulging modules or strange weight distribution—so they can still pass for a premium set of sports shades.
While you’re wearing them, mid-bridge above the nose pads is a 12 MP camera in the spot action athletes have been begging for. Its center positioning also means you don’t see a lopsided angle that’s common with corner-mounted cams, and keeps handlebars, skis, and sightlines properly centered as well. The frames are helmet-compatible; all buttons are located on the underside, allowing a clean fit between straps and shells.
Clear audio that rises above the storm and traffic
Open-ear speakers are louder and cleaner than other smart eyewear I’ve tried. Wind noise is the enemy on fast stretches, but cues and AI responses remained intelligible at road-cycling speeds. That matters: average training rides can have you spending long periods of time at 15–20 mph, bursts beyond which can swamp lesser audio. Open-ear design also maintains situational awareness, a safety policy recommended when running by Safety Jogger.
Microphone pickup is strong when your voice commands come mid-effort. In crosswinds, I had to repeat a time or two, but the system mostly snatched requests without my lifting off the cranks.
A camera that finally captures the ride clearly
The Vanguard records 3K video at up to 30 fps and shoots sharp stills from the 12 MP sensor. Slow motion is there at 720p or 1080p, which I find good enough to analyze a sprint or descent line without inflating file sizes. It feels so natural simply because the lens is at your eye level: no more chin bar effect and no more tilted horizon.
There’s a remappable action button on the temple: I programmed a single press to start recording and a long press to activate a slow-mo capture. Tactile feel is outstanding, even under full-finger gloves. You also have the option to bind this button to a Meta AI prompt (if you’d rather).
AI that reads like you, with real-time training data
Part of the secret sauce is that they have access to real-time data through Meta’s integration with Garmin. Connected to a Garmin watch or bike computer, I could say, “What’s my heart rate?” or “How far have I ridden?” and receive prompt, spoken feedback without looking at a screen. Even on a trainer and during a tempo ride outdoors, the latency remained low enough that numbers felt legitimately actionable.
When you use Apple Health or Google Fit for your workouts, the glasses are able to present post-workout stats, but real-time coaching is still centered on Garmin’s ecosystem. That’s consistent with what many long-distance athletes track now; Garmin continues to be a staple in cycling and triathlon communities, according to participation data in annual reports from brands like Strava as well as major race organizers.
Battery life, durability, and long-ride comfort and fit
I racked up more than six hours of mixed use—music playback, voice queries, and occasional glances at rated-PG video—before needing a recharge, matching the word out of Meta. Record a ton for a bunch of days straight and that number will plummet, but for most long rides or day sessions in the hills, endurance feels quite good.
Note: IP67-rated frames are dust-tight and can be immersed in water up to 1 meter as per IEC standards. Translation: rain, sweat, and/or river spray mixed with gritty, gravelly dirt? The temples and nose grip stay in place over bumpy sections, and after a few miles the weight just vanishes, as you would expect from high-performance eyewear.
Price and competition among smart sports eyewear
At a base price of $499, the Vanguard is pricier than lifestyle smart glasses and audio-only sport shades—but those offer only half or less of what you get in one: sunglasses plus an action camera mount plus an audio coach. These can handle training and racing, not just Sunday brunch (compared with social-first eyewear).
Where they’re still progressing and what needs work
There’s no heads-up display, so you’re depending on voice for performance metrics in the moment. That’s sufficient for most workouts, though data-heavy riders may still occasionally glance at a bike computer. Real-time third-party integrations other than Garmin options are limited, and I hope to see that change with support for more of the runners’ and triathletes’ favorite platforms.
Also, although wind handling is good, microphones can be found wanting when it’s blustery going downhill. And ultra-endurance athletes may need a battery extender plan for consecutive days of filming.
The verdict: performance-first smart eyewear standard
Meta Oakley Vanguard provides what athletes truly want: stable fit, informative audio coaching, helmet-friendly controls, a well-located camera, and durability to laugh off inclement weather. If your glasses need to earn a place on the start line, these do. They’re the new standard in smart eyewear for those who prefer performance over gimmicks, whether you’re a cyclist, runner, or boarder.