I went skiing and sledding with the Oakley Meta Vanguard smart glasses—four reasons why they're better than GoPro for outdoor activities.
I used to love testing the best action cameras, giving me an excuse to get outside. Once, I even mounted five action cameras to my head and went skiing. But after a weekend with the Oakley Meta Vanguard, I might start using smart glasses exclusively for recording outdoor activities.
Here's why the Oakley Vanguards are some of the best smart glasses and four reasons why they're better than GoPro for outdoor activities, along with two ways they still fall short.
Four Things I Liked
Less Gear to Bring: Combining sunglasses and a camera means no goggles or action camera. This reduces bulk and simplifies gear management, though goggles might be preferable in very cold conditions.
Easier Recording: Voice commands let me start and stop recording on the Vanguards, and a small light gives a visual cue. This is more convenient than reaching up with a bare hand, which can be challenging in cold weather.
Highlight Videos: Paired with a Garmin watch, the Vanguards create highlight videos with overlays of stats, making it easy to relive your day.
Versatile Use: Beyond video, the Vanguards can track runs, show speed and time, control music, and read notifications, making them a versatile accessory.
Two Areas for Improvement
Clip Length: Vanguards limit clips to 5 minutes, which might be insufficient for longer ski runs. Dedicated action cameras offer longer recording times.
Aspect Ratio and Visibility: The portrait-oriented camera limits immersive landscape views, and a helmet visor blocks part of the view, affecting video quality.
Bottom Line
Oakley Meta Vanguards are great for casual video and photo recording while outdoors, offering convenience and versatility. However, GoPro provides better video quality and versatility for more demanding needs.
For casual users, the Vanguards are a fun choice, but for epic turns, GoPro is the preferred option.
