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Meta's smart glasses all have a sporty look, but the new Oakley Meta Vanguard lives up to the aesthetics. I had the chance to wear them while running on the treadmill on Meta's campus before Connect, and I could instantly tell they were exactly what I'd been looking for.
I've been trying to make the old Ray-Ban Metas work as a running companion for years; I even wore Ray-Bans during a half-marathon this year. But battery and hardware issues made them an imperfect companion — issues that the new Vanguard design seems to have resolved.
Oakley Meta Vanguard's redesigned fit and nine hours of battery life are vital upgrades for athletes. My last-gen Ray-Bans slide constantly down my face or bounce on my nose while running, while the Vanguards stayed secure during a treadmill sprint.
And where the last models can't be trusted to survive a long workout, this model gives you enough buffer room to survive a marathon with full streaming and occasional photos.
Fitness-ready hardware and software coming together
The Oakley Meta Vanguards are six decibels louder than the Oakley HSTNs. In my demo, I appreciated the rich audio above the loud whirring of a treadmill and the chatter of demos around me, keeping the Meta AI responses audible.
But beyond the hardware, what most excited me was how Meta focused the software and intangibles to make Vanguard work well during runs (or any other sports).
Exhibit A: You can sync a Garmin watch to your Vanguard glasses and hear your workout stats at any time, without having to look down at your watch and swipe through widgets.
Meta had me strap on a Garmin Forerunner 570 running watch and start walking on a treadmill. I asked, "Hey Meta, what's my current pace?" and "What's my heart rate?" and received prompt and timely answers, because of the Meta AI-Garmin Connect integration.
I switched to a hard run and was able to keep asking Meta AI questions about my form and speed while keeping my eyes facing forward. I appreciated that I could ask about any stat Garmin tracks, without worrying about swiping through watch menus to find it.
Meta's rep told me this feature only works with a few Garmin workout types, like Running and Walking, for now, but that they plan to expand it. He then explained that if you're following a Garmin course, you can program your glasses to auto-capture photos at mile markers or landmarks, which is a fascinating idea.
I'd love to see Meta expand its live workouts to more fitness brands in the future. For now, you can sync Meta AI with an Apple Watch or Android watch with Health Connect, and see a personalized summary of how this activity compares to past efforts.
This isn't quite as exciting as hearing your stats mid-workout, but at least it's a free alternative to Strava AI and Garmin Connect+ summaries.
Action photos just got even easier
Capturing candid, stabilized shots mid-workout is a specialty of Meta AI glasses, and I took a few 3K photos with Vanguard that came out clearly. They're the same quality as current Oakley HSTN photos, but I appreciate that the 122º wide-angle lens is centered now, so it's a little easier to judge what you're capturing.
What I'm even more excited about, though, is that Meta is introducing new shortcut commands you can say without the Meta AI preamble. Most notably, you can simply say "Photo" to trigger a capture, saving you time and making it more likely you'll capture a cool moment.
You still have the photo/video button, but Meta added a second configurable Action button next to it that you can use to trigger specific shortcuts, such as slow motion/ hyperlapse videos for capturing an epic extreme-sports moment, or controlling your music.
Best of all, the Vanguards have an IP67 rating — compared to IPX4 on the current models — that makes them much better suited to both extreme sports and everyday workouts, with no fear that rain or sweat will break something.
Who are they for? (Besides me)
The Oakley Meta Vanguards definitely aren't as well-suited to everyday wear as the Ray-Ban Metas or Oakley Metas; they're mainly designed for workouts. But in that specific use case, they're truly exciting.
Wearing them at Meta Connect, I found them comfortable and securely fitted enough that I could see myself taking them out on every run, protecting my eyes and giving me the music and photos I need to stay in the zone.
They're certainly suited for extreme athletes, as the Red Bull sports demo on stage at Connect proved. But I think anyone who works out regularly will benefit, especially if they like to share their progress on social media or save memories from races.
Meta is launching the Oakley Meta Vanguard in Black with Prizm 24K and Road lenses, or in White with Black or Sapphire lenses. It will cost $499/ €549/ £499 in 17 countries in North America and Europe, and you can preorder it now before the October 21 launch.
