I’ve never been tech-savvy. When it comes to gizmos and gadgets, I’m rarely enticed, mainly because I assume I won’t be able to work them or they’ll sit gathering dust in my closet. I didn’t jump on the smartphone bandwagon until 2019, and I won’t shy away from arguing for the superiority of landlines.
But here’s my Catch 22. I love being outdoors and enjoy documenting my activities. A scenic run on a beautiful day? That’s something I’d share with my friends and family. An overhead wave and a perfect turn? Yeah, I’d love to show my grandkids that down the road to prove that I was, in fact, cool in my day.
So, when Oakley dropped its Meta AI Vanguard glasses, it piqued my interest. A pair of glasses that allows you to listen to music, answer phone calls, capture video and images, and that tracks your workouts completely hands-free? It sounded like a piece of technology I could get behind.
In short: The Oakley Meta AI Vanguard glasses ($499) are designed for high-intensity and performance activities. They deliver hands-free music, communication, photography, and videography while on the move. The technology leverages Meta AI to deliver training insights, manage settings, and share workouts. Prizm lenses provide a clear field of vision, with sharp colors and contrast. For athletes who want to record, track, and share their workouts, these are a great tool for the job.
Check out GearJunkie’s guide to the Best Sunglasses for the Outdoors.
How I Tested
The Meta Vanguard glasses were created with athletes in mind. They were built for activity and designed to perform well across a wide range of conditions. Accordingly, I wanted to put the glasses to the test in various environments and conditions across multiple spots. I spent some time testing the glasses on Oahu, Hawaii, hiking, walking, running, and stand-up paddling.
In addition to my testing in Hawaii, I brought my Meta Vanguard glasses to California, where I had the opportunity to test them during an unseasonably warm March getaway to Lake Tahoe. There, I wore these glasses on walks through snow-covered neighborhoods, on bike rides, and on an early-season stand-up paddle, complete with snowy mountain peaks as a stunning backdrop.
I spent a final month testing the glasses near my second home in Santa Cruz, Calif. There, I logged some additional time wearing my Meta Vanguard glasses hiking, walking my dog, and running.
Set Up
As I mentioned before, I am far from a tech guru. I was nervous that setting up the Meta Vanguard glasses would be tedious and stressful. I was worried I’d be unable to do it without help.
Once I received my glasses, I followed the step-by-step instructions included with them, downloading the compatible app as instructed. The app offered an introduction to all the glasses’ features, explained how to use each one, and then instructed me to try them myself.
The setup and instructions were surprisingly easy to follow. I easily paired the glasses with my phone and the app, and after completing the introductory steps, I was in action. It felt almost too easy.
Sizing & Fit
I have a relatively small face, and in general, most glasses are a little large for me. The Meta Vanguard glasses were no exception. Because they’re an oversized pair of shades, they look especially large on my face, giving me a bit of a dorky, bug-eyed look. Not a big deal, but I don’t think the style is designed for folks with smaller faces.
Despite the large frames, the glasses fit better than I expected. For low-intensity activities like walks, they work fine, but for running or standup paddling, I did find myself regularly scooting the glasses up so they wouldn’t slide off my nose.
I didn’t mind this for recovery workouts, but I wouldn’t wear them for races or on important training days. My husband, on the other hand, has a normal-to-large face and found that they fit him well.
Hands-Free Capture
My absolute favorite feature of these glasses is the ability to capture activities hands-free. My go-to hobbies are surfing, running, standup paddling, and hiking/walking with my dog. Because the glasses are water-resistant and not waterproof, I opted not to wear them surfing, but I’m a competent paddler, so I did wear them often while paddling.
I split my time between Oahu and California, and am blessed to be treated to some incredibly scenic paddles. I often want to take photos or videos while paddling, but when I’m training, I don’t want to stop to get my phone out. With the Meta Vanguard glasses, you can press a button on the side to take a photo or video, or simply say, “Hey Meta, take photo.”
I found myself using the voice software as I could easily take a photo or video without breaking my stride, or in this case, stroke. So cool. Something to note: If you’re wearing a hat or visor, the brim will often be in your photo.
Open Ear Audio
The open-ear audio on the Meta Vanguard glasses is a really cool design. I have small ear canals, and most in-ear headphones hurt my ears. I can typically only wear them for about 30 minutes. The open-ear audio on the Meta Vanguards is similar to that of Jawbone headphones. It uses built-in open-ear speakers in the temples that deliver audio directly into the ear canal.
I love this design for a few reasons. First, it allows me to listen to music without the pain from an in-ear headphone. Second, the open-ear design lets you hear outside noise. That is extremely important for your safety on busy roads or trails.
The glasses sync with your phone. That lets them play your music, podcasts, audiobooks, or anything you’d listen to on your phone. You can also receive text messages and phone calls.
Although I typically prefer to avoid phone calls during workouts, I had a lengthy chat with my mom while on a 4-mile paddle. The audio is really clear, and if you’re on a call, the person on the receiving end can also hear you well. The only time I noticed any trouble hearing the audio was when it was especially windy or noisy out.
Oakley Vanguard + Meta AI
The Meta AI software in these glasses is an incredible training tool. Like Siri or Alexa, you can ask the glasses questions by saying, “Hey Meta,” and then asking your question. But on top of that, you can sync your glasses with a Garmin device or fitness app to enhance your training experience.
I train with a Garmin watch, so I allowed the glasses to sync with my Garmin. Through the Meta AI app, you can track your fitness stats and receive workout summaries.
For example, on my most recent run, my Meta AI summary said, “This 29-minute run covered a distance of about 3 miles, with a steady pace averaging 9:23 minutes per mile. Your average heart rate was 136 beats per minute, which is 20 beats per minute higher than your average over the last 30 days, suggesting a more intense effort. The pace was relatively consistent across the first three segments, but slowed in the final segment, which may be due to fatigue.”
I’m a fitness stats nerd, so I found this feature super-fun. I’ve been focusing on standup paddling, surfing, and walks lately, with the occasional run, so the summary felt accurate to me.
You can also ask Meta while you’re on the move for updated stats, such as pace and heart rate. I found that the summaries were great for both walking and running. However, they didn’t provide much information about surfing and standup paddling.
Battery Life
According to Oakley’s website, the Meta Vanguard delivers 6 hours of continuous audio and 9 hours of daily use on a single charge. Additionally, the case adds 36 additional hours, and the full charge takes just 30 minutes. The USB-C charging cable is not included.
To put their claims to the test, I played music on my Meta Vanguards during my workouts and workday. After roughly 5.5 hours of continuous music, with a couple of phone calls through my glasses’ speaker, the glasses finally died. The charging time was spot-on at about 75 minutes. I love that I can recharge the glasses through the case, like AirPods.
Drawbacks
In general, I’m not a fan of having my phone with me when I work out. Spending time in nature is my favorite form of meditation, and I like to chat with friends or be alone with my thoughts while I train.
I don’t love that to use any of the features of the Meta Vanguard glasses, you must have your phone with you. In many ways, I feel like this defeats the purpose of the glasses, aside from providing a hands-free way to take photos and videos.
As I mentioned, the one-size-fits-all doesn’t work well for someone with a small face. For low-impact activities, it works fine, but for sports where you’re moving your head a bit, the glasses slide around. I’d love to see Oakley add some sizing options to be more inclusive for folks with smaller faces.
The audio on these glasses is solid, but adjusting the volume doesn’t work great. To adjust the volume, you slide your finger along the touchpad on the right temple. I managed to get it to work fine when I was setting up the glasses and wasn’t wearing them.
However, every time I was wearing them on a walk, run, or paddle and attempted to make the adjustment, it rarely worked (or not to the extent I wanted). Instead, I ended up using the voice commands, but it was tricky to find that just-right volume.
It also seemed like my music would randomly get louder or quieter when I wasn’t making adjustments. I’m not sure if it was using smart technology to compensate for outside noises, but it was weird.
My favorite feature of the Meta Vanguard glasses is their ability to take hands-free photos and videos. The photos aren’t quite as high-quality as iPhone photos, but they’re close.
The videos, on the other hand, often turned out a little bouncy and somewhat nauseating. I don’t know if there’s really a way around this, since your head moves as you work out, but unless you keep it fairly still, the videos were a little funky.
Finally, there’s just something about wearing a camera on your face that’s a little weird. If people notice it, it can make for some awkward “I promise I’m not filming you right now” conversations.
Oakley first released the Meta Vanguard AI glasses in late 2025, and they’re a very cool piece of technology. At $499, they’re pricey, but they’re essentially a pair of sunglasses, headphones, and a camera all in one. Plus, the ability to sync them with a third-party training device or app is very cool. So, you get a lot of bang for your buck.
For athletes who want a more hands-free way to film, photograph, track, and share their workouts, these Vanguards are a great tool. There are still some kinks to work out, but the technology will only get better as Oakley dials the design.
Beyond being a useful tool, they’re also just fun to use. I really enjoyed the Meta AI workout summaries, the ability to listen to music and still hear the world around me, and snap quick photos or videos without even touching my phone.
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