THERE WAS A time when artificial intelligence felt like a distant concept, confined to Silicon Valley and sci-fi films. Now, it’s embedded in everything from how we shop to how we sleep. Fitness, with its enduring obsession with optimisation and marginal gains, was always going to be next. The question was never if AI would enter the space, but how.
The answer, increasingly, looks wearable. Not just strapped to your wrist or tucked into your pocket, but integrated into the gear you already use. With the Oakley Meta Vanguard, Oakley and Meta are making a compelling case that the future of training might literally be sitting right in front of our faces.
The Oakley Meta Vanguard isn’t just a pair of sunglasses with a few AI features bolted on, it reimagines running eyewear as a smart performance tool. It’s an ambitious bit of kit. So, does it deliver on its promises? This is what we found.
The look
The Vanguard doesn’t stray far from Oakley’s established design language, which is a good thing. The wraparound silhouette is performance-driven (again, a positive), with a sculpted, aerodynamic shape that feels like it’s built for speed as well as style points.
Spend a little more time with them and you will discover that there are differences in the details, though. The frame is slightly thicker through the arms to house the tech, but not so much bigger that it feels bulky. The whole package is surprisingly lightweight given what’s packed inside.
The PRIZM lens technology is a standout, delivering Oakley’s familiar contrast boosted, heightened colour punch. And fit is where they really excel. The Three-Point Fit system, combined with interchangeable nose pads, locks the frames in place even when sweat starts to build and your pace increases. Whether worn with a hat or helmet, they feel secure without becoming intrusive.
The specs
This is where things start to get interesting. The Vanguard does a lot more than simply track your runs while providing eye protection. Integration with platforms like Strava and Garmin allows for real-time performance monitoring without even needing to glance at your wrist. A simple “Hey Meta” prompt can surface stats like heart rate or pace through LED cues and audio feedback.
The built-in 12MP camera, capable of shooting up to 3K with a wide 122-degree field of view, adds another layer of opportunity. It’s not just about capturing content for social media (though it does that exceptionally well) but about reviewing performance from a first-person perspective. Features like slow motion and hyperlapse give it some room for creativity, while stabilisation ensures your footage remains usable even when you’re bouncing around and struggling to finish that last kilometre.
The Vanguard doubles as audio gear by delivering sound through open-ear speakers. These are loud enough to cut through wind and ambient noise, but open enough so that you can maintain situational awareness. The five-microphone array does a solid job of filtering out wind. If you wanted to make a voice while on a run, you could.
The battery life holds up too. Nine hours of general use and six hours of continuous audio is enough to get through most training sessions unless you’re an ultramarathon runner. If you are, pack the charging case and you can extend the battery life with a quick 20-minute charge delivering 50 per cent battery.
The test
We tested the Vanguard across a mix of runs, gym sessions and a few bike rides. What stood out most wasn’t any single feature, but how seamlessly everything worked together. There’s an initial adjustment period, particularly with voice commands, but once it clicks, the experience becomes intuitive.
On runs, the ability to check pace or heart rate without breaking stride is a huge upgrade. It removes that constant wrist-checking or phone-glancing habit and replaces it with something far less disruptive. The POV camera effectively captures your perspective in high definition and is much less hassle than lugging around a selfie stick or recording on your phone. Reviewing footage after a workout also provides some surprising insights that would otherwise go unnoticed, like how we handled inclines or when our pace was at its quickest.
Audio performance impressed more than expected. Podcasts and playlists remained clear even at speed, and crucially, situational awareness wasn’t compromised. You might be wondering how much awareness really matters. Well, this writer has been hit by a car while running on two separate occasions in the past year. So it matters quite a bit, actually.
There are limitations. In particularly windy conditions, voice commands can occasionally misfire. And while the design is impressive, it might not appeal to those who prefer a more understated look. But these are minor trade-offs rather than dealbreakers.
The verdict
Rather than just adding tech to eyewear for the sake of it, the Oakley Meta Vanguard integrates advanced features in a way that feels purposeful. It has the ability to enhance performance, simplify data access and capture moments without interrupting them. For runners, cyclists or anyone invested in their fitness, we’d recommend the Vanguard to take your training to the next level.
It might not replace your other wearables entirely, but it will complement them, fill in some gaps and, in some cases, make them feel slightly redundant. This is a glimpse into the future of what fit-tech can be. We suggest you get on the hype train before it leaves town.
