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Julbo EVAD-1

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Julbo EVAD-1
Basic Info
VR/AR Augmented Reality
Type Head-mounted display
Subtype AR Glasses
Developer Julbo, with ActiveLook display technology from Microoled
Manufacturer Julbo
Announcement Date 2019 (SILMO trade fair, Paris)
Release Date 2020
Price €499 (launch price)
Successor Julbo EVAD.2 (2024)
Display
Display Monochrome OLED microdisplay (ActiveLook), monocular
Resolution 242 x 205 pixels usable display area (Julbo); 304 x 256 pixel microdisplay (ActiveLook)
Image
Field of View 10° diagonal
Optics
Optics See-through projector and mirror module
Ocularity Monocular
Connectivity
Connectivity Bluetooth Low Energy
Battery Life Up to 12 hours (manufacturer claim)
Device
Weight 35 g
Sensors Gesture sensor, movement sensor
Input Hand gesture near the frame; ActiveLook smartphone app


Julbo EVAD-1 is an augmented reality head-mounted display released in 2020. It is a pair of connected sports sunglasses made by the French eyewear company Julbo for cycling and running, and it was the first pair of glasses to use the ActiveLook head-up display technology developed by Microoled.[1][2] A small monochrome OLED display projects training data such as speed, distance, pace and heart rate into the wearer's view, so the wearer does not have to look down at a watch or bike computer.[3][4]

The glasses weigh 35 grams, have a battery rated for up to 12 hours of use and connect to a smartphone over Bluetooth.[5][6] The launch price was €499.[1] In 2024 Julbo introduced a successor, the EVAD.2.[7]

Reviewed 27 September 2026. Checked every cited source (Julbo EVAD-1 FAQ pages, ActiveLook/Microoled posts and API docs, High-Tech Out, C'est bien d'être bien, Wielrenblad, CapoVelo, Cyclingreview, bici.PRO) against the launch, awards, successor, specification, software and reception text. About review dates.

History

Julbo unveiled the EVAD-1 at SILMO, the international optical and eyewear trade fair in Paris. The launch included a joint conference by Julbo, the ActiveLook team at Microoled and Materialise, the company that 3D printed the frames. ActiveLook gave the price as €499, with pre-orders starting in November 2019 and shipping planned for February 2020.[1] French outdoor blog C'est bien d'être bien reported on the product in September 2019 and gave February as the expected availability.[8] In a 2021 article, Microoled described the arrangement as a partnership with Julbo and said that Julbo, which had previously used only injection molding, recognized the benefits of 3D printing after a tour of Materialise's production facilities.[9]

At CES 2020, visitors to the ActiveLook booth in Eureka Park could try the EVAD-1 alongside ActiveLook's DK-1 hardware development kit.[10] ActiveLook later announced that the glasses were on sale through Julbo's website.[11] French site High-Tech Out published a hands-on test in July 2020.[12]

Awards

The EVAD-1 was named a CES 2021 Innovation Award Honoree in the Sports & Fitness category; ActiveLook's own technology was honored separately in the Embedded Technologies category.[13] According to ActiveLook, the independent jury of the ISPO Award also selected the EVAD-1 as a highlight product of the sport industry in 2021.[14]

Successor

Julbo introduced the EVAD.2 in autumn 2024, four years after the EVAD-1. It was announced for availability from October 2024 at €349 including VAT, with a head-up display, a SPECTRON monolens and a weight of 35 g.[7] The Italian cycling site bici.PRO gave the first model's price as €499.90.[15]

Design and hardware

Display and optics

ActiveLook is Microoled's brand for a package of electronics, firmware, lenses, optics and an OLED microdisplay designed as a high-brightness head-up display for glasses, with an emphasis on low weight, small size and low power use.[2] Julbo says the EVAD-1 display is not a color screen but a monochrome OLED screen chosen to reduce energy consumption.[3] Julbo gives the display resolution as 242 x 205 pixels.[16] ActiveLook's developer documentation describes the underlying microdisplay as 304 x 256 pixels with 16 grey levels, and recommends that software use a smaller central area because of optical constraints.[17] Microoled states that the complete ActiveLook display unit weighs 9 grams.[9]

The image comes from a miniature projector and a mirror mounted in the frame, which project the data into the wearer's field of view while the lenses stay see-through.[12][18] The position of the image can be shifted up, down, left or right with a "Screen offset" setting in the app.[19] Brightness can be set manually with a slider or left on the "Auto brightness" setting.[20]

Frame and lenses

The glasses use Julbo's REACTIV photochromic lenses, which reviewers list as covering categories 1 to 3.[12][21] Wielrenblad Magazine described the lens as a photochromic Reactiv Performance lens with an anti-reflective coating.[18] Two bridge and nose pad sizes, standard (S) and narrow (N), come in the box, and the temple ends can be bent to fit.[22] Julbo did not offer a prescription lens option; its support page says the company was working on one.[23]

Julbo advises against running water or immersion when cleaning the projector and mirror, and recommends compressed air and damp cotton buds instead.[24]

Battery, sensors and connectivity

Julbo rates the battery at up to 12 hours of operation.[6] The battery is built in and can be neither removed nor replaced.[25] Two reviews describe charging through a micro-USB port.[21][18] In High-Tech Out's test, a 58-minute bike ride used about 10% of the battery.[12]

The glasses connect over Bluetooth Low Energy. Julbo's support page says most Bluetooth devices have a range of 10 meters and work best within about 60 centimeters of the connected phone or watch. Because the link is low-energy Bluetooth, headphones or earbuds can be connected to the same phone at the same time.[26][27] A sensor on the frame detects a hand passed in front of it, which is how the wearer switches between data screens.[12][21] The glasses also have a movement sensor that can be switched on or off in the app.[28]

Software and features

The EVAD-1 is set up and used through the ActiveLook app, which Julbo lists as compatible with iOS 9.0 and later and Android 6.0 and later.[29] In High-Tech Out's test, the data was grouped into three screens under a permanent activity timer: current and average speed in km/h; distance and cumulative elevation gain; or heart rate and pace in min/km. For heart rate, the tester paired an optional chest strap with the app.[12] The order and content of these fields could not be customized; Julbo's support page says this option was not available and was being worked on.[21][30]

Recorded activities can be exported from the app's history as GPX files and shared by email, message or phone storage for use in other fitness services.[31] Garmin GPS watches connect through the "Activelook Head-up Display Sport Glasses" app from the Garmin Connect IQ store.[32]

Reception

High-Tech Out's Moctar Kane found the glasses comfortable, the data easy to read and the gesture control effective. He criticized the price, noting that comparable non-connected photochromic Julbo glasses cost about €170, and found that heart rate data was missing from the stored activity history.[12]

In a December 2020 test, C'est bien d'être bien praised the display of data directly on the lens, the photochromic lenses and the ventilation. The reviewer also wrote that the EVAD-1 did not feel finished ("pas abouties"), citing glitches in the ActiveLook app, the lack of data customization and the fact that the glasses could not be rinsed under water.[21]

Wielrenblad Magazine's 2021 review found that in a forward-leaning cycling position the projection sat in peripheral vision and only became noticeable when the wearer focused on it, but that in an upright position it was prominent and distracting.[18]

Specifications

  • Display: Monochrome OLED microdisplay (ActiveLook), monocular[3]
  • Resolution: 242 x 205 pixels (usable display area, per Julbo)[16]; 304 x 256 pixel microdisplay[17]
  • Field of View: 10° diagonal
  • Weight: 35 g[5]
  • Battery life: Up to 12 hours (manufacturer claim)[6]
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth Low Energy[27]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Julbo announced ActiveLook glasses at Silmo". ActiveLook. Microoled. https://www.activelook.net/news-blog/julbo-announced-activelook-glasses-at-silmo. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "What is ActiveLook®, the embedded technology in our EVAD-1 connected glasses?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/what-is-activelook-the-embedded-technology-in-our-evad-1-connected-glasses. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Is the ActiveLook® display on the EVAD-1 connected glasses a colour screen?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/is-the-activelook-display-on-the-evad-1-connected-glasses-a-colour-screen. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  4. ↑ "How are connected EVAD-1 glasses different from a classic bike meter or a connected watch?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/how-are-connected-evad-1-glasses-different-from-a-classic-bike-meter-or-a-connected-watch. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Gianni Pericolo (2021-01-13). "Julbo Dazzles with New EVAD-1 Smartglasses". CapoVelo. https://capovelo.com/julbo-dazzles-with-new-evad-1-smartglasses/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "What is the autonomy of the EVAD-1 connected glasses?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/what-is-the-autonomy-of-the-evad-1-connected-glasses. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Julbo introduces the new EVAD.2: the high-tech cycling glasses for ultimate performance". Cyclingreview. 2024-11-11. https://cyclingreview.nl/en/julbo-introduces-the-new-evad-2-the-high-tech-cycling-glasses-for-ultimate-performance/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  8. ↑ Julien (2019-09-13). "EVAD-1, Julbo lance des lunettes connectées". C'est bien d'être bien. https://cestbiendetrebien.com/evad-1-julbo-lunettes-connectees-2019/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "People want sports eyewear that's smart, not smart glasses for sport". Microoled. 2021-02-01. https://microoled.net/people-want-sports-eyewear-thats-smart-not-smart-glasses-for-sport/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  10. ↑ "Successful CES 2020 for ActiveLook". ActiveLook. Microoled. https://www.activelook.net/news-blog/successful-ces-2020-for-activelook. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  11. ↑ "EVAD-1 by Julbo, the first ActiveLook glasses, are now available for sale". ActiveLook. Microoled. https://www.activelook.net/news-blog/evad-1-by-julbo-the-first-activelook-glasses-are-now-available-for-sale. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 Moctar Kane (2020-07-07). "Test Julbo EVAD-1 : les données au coin de l'œil". High-Tech Out. https://www.high-tech-out.net/test-julbo-evad-1-les-donnees-au-coin-de-loeil. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  13. ↑ "ActiveLook® : CES 2021 Innovation Award Honoree". ActiveLook Blog. Microoled. https://blog.activelook.net/?p=158. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  14. ↑ "Prestigious ISPO Award for the Julbo EVAD-1, the first sport glasses to embed the ActiveLook® technology.". ActiveLook Blog. Microoled. https://blog.activelook.net/?p=169. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  15. ↑ Fabio Dal Pan (2024-11-28). "Julbo's EVAD.2, the second generation of smart glasses". bici.PRO. https://en.bici.pro/technique/trends/Evad-2-Julbo-second-generation-smart-glasses/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "What is the display screen resolution on the EVAD-1 connected glasses?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/what-is-the-display-screen-resolution-on-the-evad-1-connected-glasses. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "ActiveLook API Documentation". GitHub. ActiveLook. https://github.com/ActiveLook/Activelook-API-Documentation/blob/main/ActiveLook_API.md. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 "Julbo EVAD-1 Fietsbril Review". Wielrenblad Magazine. 2021-09-23. https://ridersguide.nl/julbo-evad-1-fietsbril-review/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  19. ↑ "How do I adjust the screen on my EVAD-1 connected glasses?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/how-do-i-adjust-the-screen-on-my-evad-1-connected-glasses. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  20. ↑ "How do I set the brightness on my EVAD-1 connected glasses?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/how-do-i-set-the-brightness-on-my-evad-1-connected-glasses. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 Julien (2020-12-13). "Test des lunettes connectées Julbo EVAD-1". C'est bien d'être bien. https://cestbiendetrebien.com/test-julbo-evad-1/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  22. ↑ "How can I adjust the temples and bridge on my EVAD-1 connected glasses?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/how-can-i-adjust-the-temples-and-bridge-on-my-evad-1-connected-glasses. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  23. ↑ "Do you have a prescription lens option for EVAD-1 connected glasses?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/do-you-have-a-prescription-lens-option-for-evad-1-connected-glasses. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  24. ↑ "How do I clean the EVAD-1 connected glasses projector?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/how-do-i-clean-the-evad-1-connected-glasses-projector. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  25. ↑ "Can the EVAD-1 connected glasses battery be changed or replaced?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/can-the-evad-1-connected-glasses-battery-be-changed-or-replaced. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  26. ↑ "What is the extent of Bluetooth performances on EVAD-1 connected glasses?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/what-is-the-extent-of-bluetooth-performances-on-evad-1-connected-glasses. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 "Can I connect my Bluetooth headset / ear buds at the same time as the EVAD-1 connected glasses?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/can-i-connect-my-bluetooth-headset--ear-buds-at-the-same-time-as-the-evad-1-connected-glasses. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  28. ↑ "How do I enable the movement sensor on my EVAD-1 connected glasses?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/how-do-i-enable-the-movement-sensor-on-my-evad-1-connected-glasses. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  29. ↑ "How to adjust, configure and use EVAD-1 glasses using the ActiveLook® app?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/how-to-adjust-configure-and-use-evad-1-glasses-using-the-activelook-app. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  30. ↑ "How can I customise my display screens by choosing the projected data for the EVAD-1 connected glasses?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/how-can-i-customise-my-display-screens-by-choosing-the-projected-data-for-the-evad-1-connected-glasses. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  31. ↑ "What type of file can be extracted from the ActiveLook® app?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/what-type-of-file-can-be-extracted-from-the-activelook-app. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
  32. ↑ "How can I connect the EVAD-1 connected glasses to a GPS watch?". Julbo. https://www.julbo.com/en_wo/faq/evad-1-connected-glasses/how-can-i-connect-the-evad-1-connected-glasses-to-a-gps-watch. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
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