Health

Oakley Meta Vanguard hands-on: GoPro has some real competition

AnyFans 2025-09-18

By Mike Prospero

Tom’s Guide

Newsletters

View Profile

Search Tom’s Guide

More from Tom’s Guide

Meta is taking its smart glasses to the outdoors — and might give GoPro a real run for its money. Announced today at Meta Connect, the Oakley Meta Vanguard smart glasses are meant for those who want to record all their daring feats.

Plus, thanks to a partnership with Garmin, they’ll also be able to keep tabs on their vitals while they’re running, skiing, or biking. We had a chance to go hands-on with the Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses at Meta Connect 2025 — here’s our early impressions of these fun new specs, and how they compare to some of the best smart glasses..
Oakley Meta Vanguard: 5 things to know

3K camera has a wider field of view than Ray-Bans, and can take slo-mo video
9 hours of battery life
IP67 water resistance
Can be paired with Garmin watches to report heart rate and other stats
Available in October for $599
Oakley Meta Vanguard: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)
The Vanguards will be available for preorder today (Sept. 17) and go on sale in October. They’ll cost $499/€549/£499 and come in four frame and lens color combos: Black, Road, Sapphire, and 24K, the last of which is gold, and really looked stunning in person.

Fortunately, the lenses for the Vanguard are replaceable — a must if you’re prone to hard-core activities, or simply want to change your look. Lenses will cost $85 each.

Oakley Meta Vanguard: Design and fit

(Image credit: Future)

Swipe to scroll horizontally

$499/€549/£499

12MP/122º FOV

Battery life:

up to 9 hours

Water resistance

Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi
The Vanguard’s wrap-around design made me feel like Jose Canseco or Mark McGuire circa 1989 (minus the bulging biceps). While it’s a look that’s not for everyone, I did appreciate that their more immersive lenses did a better job at blocking the sun than other models.
They’re also very comfortable. At 66 grams, they’re heavier than the 52-gram Ray-Bans, but I barely felt the weight as I was wearing them.
The Vanguards are also designed to have a replaceable nose piece, to better fit your face. Unlike the Ray-Bans, where the camera is on the right side, the camera for the Vanguard sits in the bridge of the nose, so as to better capture your derrings-do.

Sign up to get the BEST of Tom’s Guide direct to your inbox.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
The Vanguard’s speakers and microphones have also been modified for the outdoors; the glasses have five microphones, and are designed to work even when you’re traveling at up to 30 MPH. Same for the speakers, which are louder than the Ray-Bans.
The Vanguard also has two buttons on one of its arms. One controls photos and video, and the other is customizable.
Oakley Meta Vanguard: Camera

(Image credit: Future)
Like the Ray-Ban meta gen 2 smart glasses, the Vanguard has a camera that can record video at resolutions up to 3K (at 30 fps). However, it has a wider 122-degree field of view, as opposed to 110 degrees on meta’s other glasses.
Additionally, the Vanguard can record 1080p video at 30 fps for up to 5 minutes, 1080p/60fps for up to three minutes, and 720p video at 120 fps. There’s also a time-lapse feature for when you want to record even longer videos.
You also get electronic image stabilization, and can select from low, medium, or high. Considering how well GoPro and Insta360 have perfected this feature, we’re curious to see how it works on the Vanguard.
Oakley Meta Vanguard: Garmin integration

(Image credit: Future)
One of the cooler things about the Vanguard is its integration with Garmin watches. When you pair your watch with the glasses, you can have it tell you your heart rate, pace, distance, and other metrics.
You can also simply say “hey meta, how am I doing?” and the glasses will give you a summary of your activity to that point.
When you’re finished with your ride/run/skiing, you can use the Meta app to overlay your fitness metrics on top of your video.
Oakley Meta Vanguard: Battery life
Because you’re presumably going to use them a lot more outdoors, the Vanguard have a longer battery life than their counterparts. Meta says the Vanguard will last up to 9 hours, though that will depend on how much you’re using the camera and features like electronic image stabilization.
The glasses come with a rather sizable charging case that can provide an additional 36 hours of battery life. And, you can get a 50% charge in just 20 minutes.
Oakley Meta Vanguard: Early verdict

(Image credit: Future)
GoPro could have some real competition here. Whenever I go skiing or biking, I like to bring one of the best action cameras with me to capture whatever it is I’m doing. However, the idea of having the camera integrated into my glasses themselves has real appeal — especially if the electronic image stabilization is legit.
Now, I doubt that the quality of the Vanguard’s camera will come anywhere close to a GoPro (which has a far bigger sensor), but the Vanguard has other uses outside of photography and video could make it the more appealing device for those who don’t necessarily want to capture 4K video.
And, those who already have one of the best Garmin watches will also find additional appeal in the Vanguard, as it’ll save them from having to look down at their wrist while they’re running or biking.
We can’t wait to put the Oakley Meta Vanguard through their paces as we work up a sweat, so stay tuned.
More from Tom’s Guide

Meta Hypernova smart glasses: Rumors, leaks and everything we know
I just tried Ray-Ban Meta’s latest AI updates
Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses review: What I love (and what’s .missing)

Mike Prospero

Social Links Navigation
U.S. Editor-in-Chief, Tom’s Guide

Michael A. Prospero is the U.S. Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide. He oversees all evergreen content and oversees the Homes, Smart Home, and Fitness/Wearables categories for the site. In his spare time, he also tests out the latest drones, electric scooters, and smart home gadgets, such as video doorbells. Before his tenure at Tom’s Guide, he was the Reviews Editor for Laptop Magazine, a reporter at Fast Company, the Times of Trenton, and, many eons back, an intern at George magazine. He received his undergraduate degree from Boston College, where he worked on the campus newspaper The Heights, and then attended the Columbia University school of Journalism. When he’s not testing out the latest running watch, electric scooter, or skiing or training for a marathon, he’s probably using the latest sous vide machine, smoker, or pizza oven, to the delight — or chagrin — of his family.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

I spent my first 24 hours with the Oakley Meta HSTN glasses — they’re brilliant except for one glaring problem

I was wrong — Oakley’s Meta smart glasses actually look better than the Ray-Bans, and they bring massive upgrades

Ray-Ban Meta vs Oakley Meta smart glasses: Biggest differences explained

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) hands-on: I’m a skeptic, but I’d wear these AI glasses

I just tested the futuristic Rokid Glasses — bringing AR and AI together to make Meta nervous

Ray-Ban Meta 3 Smart Glasses rumors: Everything we know so far

Latest in Smart Glasses

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 2) hands-on: I’m a skeptic, but I’d wear these AI glasses

I know the one thing Meta needs to win the smart glasses race at Meta Connect — and it’s harder than it looks

Meta Connect 2025 LIVE — New Ray-Ban Gen 2 smart glasses with Conversation Focus

YouTube video reveals new Meta smart glasses and wristband right before Meta Connect

This is the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it sign that Meta glasses are recording

Amazon could reportedly launch its own AR glasses to take on Meta next year

Latest in Reviews

Oakley Meta Vanguard hands-on: GoPro has some real competition

I hate wearing a watch to bed but want to track my sleep — the Garmin Index Sleep Monitor is the wearable I’ve been waiting for

Apple iPhone Air review: What I like (and what I don’t)

I tested the Withings Sleep Analyzer to see if it really is the gold standard for sleep tracking

Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max Review: The Battery Life is Bananas

Apple iPhone 17 Pro review: Biggest upgrades in years

Jose Canseco’s daughter Josie Canseco steals spotlight at Reform Alliance Gala in black gown with high slit; Brooks Nader drops 2-word reaction

AnyFans 2025-09-16

Health

Hot News_tariffs news_big country news_anyfans news

Oakley Meta Vanguard hands-on: GoPro has some real competition

Jose Canseco’s daughter Josie Canseco steals spotlight at Reform Alliance Gala in black gown with high slit; Brooks Nader drops 2-word reaction

Copper Water: Ancient Health Hack Or Risky Trend? Learn The Truth

Dodgers Get Huge Injury Updates Impacting Critical Phillies Series

CM visits flood-affected areas of Ahmadpur Sharqia to review rescue, relief operations

Oakley Meta Vanguard hands-on: GoPro has some real competition

You Might Also Like

Jose Canseco’s daughter Josie Canseco steals spotlight at Reform Alliance Gala in black gown with high slit; Brooks Nader drops 2-word reaction

Copper Water: Ancient Health Hack Or Risky Trend? Learn The Truth

Dodgers Get Huge Injury Updates Impacting Critical Phillies Series

CM visits flood-affected areas of Ahmadpur Sharqia to review rescue, relief operations