Smart glasses and sport: Oakley Meta Vanguard, Garmin and Strava

Smart glasses are no longer just for filming everyday life. With the Oakley Meta Vanguard, the trend is reaching endurance sport: cycling, running, trail running. The idea: bring camera, open-ear speakers, voice assistant and training data together in a single accessory.

Garmin and Strava integration

This is the selling point that makes the difference. Paired with a compatible Garmin watch or bike computer, the Vanguard can automatically trigger video clips during your outing. You can also ask out loud for your heart rate or pace, as measured by the watch. At the finish, the videos can be assembled with your stats overlaid, ready to share on Strava.

What the reviews say

• The American cycling magazine Velo describes them as the first smart glasses to bring a real benefit on a performance-focused ride.
• Tom’s Guide praises being able to access your data without looking at your watch, but points out that a dedicated action camera is still better for pure video.
• Engadget finds them “sporty to a fault”: they are not designed as everyday sunglasses.

Battery life: reading the figures correctly

Meta quotes up to 9 hours, but reviews point out that this is mixed use including a lot of standby. When filming and listening to music, expect considerably less. The supplied charging case gets you going again quickly.

Who is it for?

The Vanguard is aimed at regular athletes, especially those who already use Garmin and Strava. For occasional or city use, a more versatile model such as the Oakley Meta HSTN or a Ray-Ban Meta will often be a better fit.

Discover the Oakley Meta Vanguard and its Prizm™ lenses.

Sources

• Velo, «Garmin Teamed Up With Oakley and Meta to Make Smart Glasses We Actually Want to Wear» – velo.outsideonline.com
• Tom’s Guide, «I tested the Oakley Meta Vanguard for a week» – tomsguide.com
• Engadget, «Oakley Meta Vanguard review: Sporty to a fault» – engadget.com
• VeloPlayer, Oakley Meta Vanguard field test – veloplayer.com