- ENGO 2 AR glasses offer lightweight, battery-efficient performance for runners and cyclists, but fall short in comfort and display clarity.
- Navigation via gesture controls is inconsistent, and the monocular HUD can obstruct vision and slide out of alignment during activity.
- Tech giants like Meta and Google are developing more advanced AR fitness glasses, hinting at a competitive future for wearable workout displays.
Augmented reality (AR) glasses are inching closer to becoming a practical tool for fitness enthusiasts, offering real-time stats like heart rate, pace, and power directly in a user’s field of view. The ENGO 2 smart glasses, designed for athletes, demonstrate how this technology could reshape how runners and cyclists engage with their workouts. Paired with a Garmin Fenix 8, the ENGO 2 overlays fitness data in a small HUD on the lens — a concept that’s compelling but not quite ready for mainstream adoption.
The lightweight design, weighing just over an ounce, makes the ENGO 2 ideal for long runs or rides, offering a 12-hour battery life that surpasses bulkier AR competitors. However, the simplicity comes at a cost. These glasses forgo features like speakers, cameras, or AI assistants, focusing instead on data projection from external devices. This specialization keeps them light and efficient, but also limits their standalone functionality.
Despite their streamlined build, the glasses struggle with comfort and usability. The HUD’s placement at the bridge of the nose can obstruct the center field of view, and the glasses tend to slide with motion. The display itself, though readable, is small and sometimes blurry, especially for those with vision issues. Navigating between data screens is also frustrating, as the motion sensors for swiping often miss hand gestures and lack an intuitive way to return to previous screens.
While not a full product review, these early impressions highlight the ENGO 2’s strengths in battery life and lightweight design, but also underscore the need for refinement in display clarity, comfort, and interaction. These issues will need to be resolved before AR glasses can become a reliable part of the everyday runner’s gear.
Big tech players like Meta, Google, and Samsung are working on their own versions of fitness-focused smart glasses, with features like gesture-based controls, biometric tracking, and improved displays. As these companies refine their hardware, AR glasses could evolve into a powerful tool for real-time performance monitoring — provided they can strike the right balance between usability, tech capabilities, and comfort. For now, the dream is alive, even if it’s still a few strides away from the finish line.
Would you want to try AR glasses like these for your workouts?
