BleeqUp Ranger smart glasses review

The market for smart glasses is becoming increasingly crowded, but the benefit for consumers is that makers are also producing technology that caters to specific audiences. And the BleeqUp Ranger does exactly that, in unashamedly action-capturing style.

These smart sports glasses integrate an action camera, open-ear headphones, walkie-talkie and premium lenses into a single device that remains remarkably lightweight. The frame weighs a mere 49 grams (1.7 oz) – which will be one of the first things you notice when you put these on.

This model features a quality Zeiss continuous lens set into the lightweight TR90 thermoplastic frame that contains all the smart features controlled by a variety of sensors along the arms. The use of TR90 is a good move for sports glasses, as the material offers a good deal of flexibility and impact resistance. So the glasses hug your face without adding pressure to the nasal bridge or behind the ears. While it’s a one-size-fits-all deal, the nose piece can be adjusted three different ways for a comfort fit.

BleeqUp

Now, I can’t say these glasses suit me – but that’s certainly no criticism of BleeqUp. I recently had a group of friends try them on and I was surprised at how good they looked on most people who weren’t me. But they do stand out in a crowd, like a lot of colored-lens wrap-around sports eyewear; if you’re looking for everyday smart glasses, this specialized model might not be the right fit.

Given their audience, the glasses come with full UV400 protection, blocking 100% of harmful UVA and UVB radiation up to 400 nm. An interior anti-reflective treatment minimizes glare in bright sun, and the glasses offer decent visibility in fading daylight. The lens has a Ri-Pel coating that allows for water and sweat to bead up and slide off the surface, rather than obscuring vision. This is particularly handy if you end up caught in the rain while out on a run or ride.

Built into the frames, positioned between the eyes, is a CMOS sensor capable of recording point-of-view footage at 3K resolution (at 60 frames per second) or downscaled 1080p video. There’s also Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) powered by a Qualcomm processor, which does a decent job of smoothing out head movements while filming video, but I wouldn’t say it’s better than other smart glasses that offer the same.

A four-speaker open-ear array positioned around the frame’s interior provides surprisingly crisp playback with music and podcasts, and communication – via call or the walkie-talkie function – is clear thanks to a five-microphone, wind-reduction setup. Your ears stay uncovered, though, so the audio is ideal for riding in traffic but won’t offer the immersive sound experience some riders or runners might be after.

But where the glasses falter is when it comes to their smart functionality. The physical buttons work fine, but the touch-sensitive temple pad used for adjusting volume (via sliding motion) and skipping tracks (by tapping) is a bit temperamental. I found that if I tried to double-tap to skip a song while running, I’d end up pausing the audio – or it wouldn’t register at all, so I’d just operate this on my phone. At other times, I managed to hit the sensors while tucking my hair behind my ear while running.

BleeqUp

The 260-mAh built-in lithium battery will power through activities for many hours – though I only clocked around four hours of continuous use until I’d had enough sunlight for one day – but there’s a catch. Filming will drain the battery fast, so you’ll get about an hour’s worth of filming out of one charge. (BleeqUp does offer a dedicated backup external battery, which you can also use while filming, however it’s not included.)

From what I was able to determine, the tracking and mapping technology felt on par with the phone apps I’d normally use. That said, you can also connect to fitness trackers via the BleeqUp app (though my Apple Watch is without a charging cable at the moment, so my smart-tech system is a little less smart right now).

The glasses are confined to 32 GB of memory, which fills up pretty quickly if you’re snapping video at 3K – unless these clips are frequently offloaded to your smartphone via integrated Wi-Fi link. I found this fairly easy to do, but it’s something to be aware of if you’re looking to be “hands free” for any length of time. The company claims that this storage capacity will be enough for 4.5-5.5 hours of video.

The companion app is straightforward and also features an AI function to turn your videos into highlight reels ideal for social media or sharing. You can skip the AI editor and mark your own highlights in the videos you record, and do some fairly basic editing.

As for the video capture, it’s activated with one of the more user-friendly controls on the right arm. It shoots true point-of-view (POV) footage up to 3K resolution, and you can toggle between 16:9 landscape and 9:16 portrait formats. You’ll shoot 1,920 x 1,080 in landscape mode and 1,080 x 1,920 in portrait. Sure, you’re not shooting high-definition video worthy of the big screen, but the quality is fine for social media sharing. Images, meanwhile, come through at 4,656 x 3,496 (4:3 ratio).

The transition from sun to shade is a little janky – as you’ll see in the video above – but that was also shot as the light was fading, and I was moving my head around quite a lot.

I didn’t have a chance to experiment with the AI highlights editor as much as I’d have liked, but having seen what others have created online, it does a good job of turning a selection of videos and images into a full video, adding extra angles and detail that suggests you’ve been working out with a team, not just a single pair of sunglasses.

You can expect the features across the board to continually improve, with BleeqUp developers being particularly active with app and firmware updates.

It’s worth noting that these glasses only charge via a proprietary cable, which clips onto the back of the right arm. The cable itself (to a USB-C port) is quite thin, so if it gets damaged or you lose it, you won’t be able to fuel up your glasses without a replacement. The lens is also swappable, so if you damage them or feel like a different color, they can be bought from the company for far less than replacing the entire set (they range from US$49 to $79).

This video from BleeqUp runs through the various operations, which gives you an idea of the controls and functionality.

So what’s this walkie-talkie function? Well, it may not be a whole lot of use if you’re flying solo, but it essentially lets you create a local network with friends so you can communicate on-the-go. I imagine this would be really handy when out on a group ride.

The Ranger comes in a sturdy protective case, with an additional soft bag for the glasses and other accessories, including a clip-on frame to accommodate prescription lenses if needed.

BleeqUp

Right now, the BleeqUp Ranger with Zeiss lens is on sale for $373.15 (June 23-26), 15% off the usual price of $439. They come with free shipping, a year’s warranty and 30-day returns. It’s worth mentioning that the companion app doesn’t require a subscription, either. Right now, the BleeqUp store also has package deals that include the extra battery.

Source: BleeqUp