When it comes to running tech, I’m a bit of a nerd.
Latest Forerunner by Garmin? Yes please. Newest caffeine gel aimed to improve performance over a long-distance run? Where do I sign?
So when I heard that Oakley was releasing a pair of smart sports glasses with secure fit, open-ear speakers, mics and advanced Garmin and Strava integration, as well as a live-action camera, I was keen to test them out.
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Would these replace my Oakley sunglasses, over-ear earphones and phone camera in one fell swoop?
Or would I find them gimmicky and uncomfortable, consigned to the underwear drawer with my old Spibelts, overused running visors and sports bras?
I’ve been running in the Oakley Meta Vanguard Sunglasses with Meta AI ($788; Amazon Australia). Here’s how I found them.
The specs
At $788, these are some of the most expensive sports sunglasses that money can buy.
Reason being? They have some of the greatest tech embedded in them ever seen in the sports wearables industry.
Oakley’s Meta Vanguards promise to take your athletic performance “to the next level”.
You can capture action-packed moments via a video and still camera, get live workout metrics, listen to your playlist and more — all with the simple touch of a button (or the speaking of the words “hey Meta”).
One of the best features of these glasses has to be the centred, ultra-wide 12MP camera with a 122° field of view.
For the first time ever from a sports glasses perspective, you can record, share and relive your race and once-in-a-lifetime moments as they happen.
Get razor-sharp 3K Ultra HD videos and try multiple capture modes like slow motion and hyperlapse when recording your runs.
And there’s no need to worry if you’re running a particularly bumpy hill.
With adjustable stabilisation, you can control your preferred stabilisation level for your videos or let your glasses auto-select the best option.
Another of the standout features is the Garmin and Strava integration.
Pair Meta AI with activity tracking apps for real-time and historic performance metrics, health signals and summaries, while always staying present and in the zone.
A speaker is hidden in each sunglass arm that points towards your ear for listening to music, calls or Meta’s AI chatbot.
You can control things either with your voice or by using the touch panel on the right arm of the sunglasses.
The testing
At first glance, these are some stylish glasses.
While they have impressive Meta AI capability, they still look as good as the traditional Oakley glasses we all know and love.
My only gripe? As someone with rather a small head, they do look somewhat big and chunky on my face when I put them on.
Upon taking the glasses for their first run around Manly and Fairlight, I was pleasantly surprised by how well they sat on my tiny face and stayed put.
Not only this, but the sound quality of the music is absolutely fantastic.
You may not quite get the level of bass you get from your over-ear headphones, but everything else is there.
I also love that it just stops when you take the glasses off. Perfect when you’re just stopping running and going straight into talking to someone.
Next, the camera is altogether very impressive.
I’ve had a lot of fun over the past month recording slow-mo videos, photos, hyperlapses and more while out running.
It’s obviously no iPhone camera, but for capturing footage on the go without having to whip your giant iPhone out of your tiny running shorts pocket, the glasses are epic.
I also love how you don’t have to come out of the moment in order to capture it — perfect when enjoying a trail run around Manly Dam and wanting to remain present.
You can also ask Meta AI Chatbot questions about your pace, the weather or anything that’s on your mind.
I’ve often found myself racking my brains while out on a run to think of something to ask the AI and drawing a blank, but I imagine this might be useful for people who are keen to interrogate the world around them while out running.
I prefer to zone out somewhat and let thoughts come to me more absent-mindedly.
It would also be useful for those wanting to call, message or send photos hands-free to friends.
The best feature of all, however, has to be the smart integration with Garmin and Strava.
Running nuts will love to ask Meta what their pace, distance, cadence and heart rate are as they are running.
The Garmin integration also allows you to overlay your statistics from the wokrout over a five-second video from your activity, so followers (and yourself) can see things like your distance, pace, elevation etc.
This is very cool, very shareable and a neat feature to enjoy.
The verdict
Having run with these glasses for the past month, I can safely say they are the best smart sports glasses I have ever seen or experienced.
They are obviously incredibly expensive, but they are also incredibly clever.
If you’re a runner with even a passing curiosity for excellent sunglasses, sound quality, Garmin integration and video capability, you will love them.
Ditto I think a cyclist or a skiier would also get a lot out of them.
They look sleek, sporty and the real deal — and they are too.
The sound is clearer than I could have ever imagined, they are comfortable, stable and perhaps the best thing for me?
The ability to take photos and videos mid-run without having to think about it, remove a phone and unlock it from your pocket, and then put it away again.
A game-changer.
For more information and to shop the Oakley Meta Vanguards for yourself, head either to the Oakley website or Amazon Australia.
