For extra-small head sized, the Flak XS is the way to go. If you want something that ranges for small to medium, then go for the Half Jacket! www.sportrx.com/oakley-flak-xs.html www.sportrx.com/oakley-half-jacket-2-0-xl.html Don't forget that you can reach out to our friendly, knowledgeable opticians for more tailored assistance at 888-831-5817!
Echoing your opinion, photochromic lenses are the most versatile, but if those aren't available, and you can only get one lens, I suggest a VLT of 35% to 20%. I have extensive experience using 35% VLT lenses in the areas of the US with the most intense sunlight and 35% is plenty dark enough (as long as you aren't in the desert with a lot of reflected light). 15% VLT is fine in the middle of the day, but is too dark early in the day or late in the day.
In my opinion many facts are wrong. - At least he spoke about photochromatic too which are really good. But apart from polarizing lenses those colored lenses don't change the contrast! And when I ride I want to enjoy the landscape and not see everything in a tinted style. For me grey is the way to go.
"certified optician since 1999" - aha, good, settles in with a coffee, for a nice, free consultation. Very nice video mate, learned quite a lot in 15 minutes...
I think it is a nice review about what a cycling sunglass should be capable of. A few years ago I went with Rudy Project Tralyx XL which is even a bit taller then the one shown here with 3 vent holes in the "glass". More coverage against wind and bugs and many times you simply forget you actually have sunglasses on. It also does not break or skratch, I guess this is an important topic that you have missed to mention. I have the photochromic black lens, which are godsend: when you start out they protect you from the afternoon sun, but as you move along and it gets darker the tint will follow. At their most transparent setting they are almost water clear, so I can still use them in pitch dark (sans LED bike lights) to protect my eyes against inquisitive bugs. Previously I had "normal" lenses and I had to take them off when the sun almost set. Taking two glasses or lenses and changing them would be a hassle for sure.
Thank you!! I am new to cycling and currently wear glasses - I have been trying to figure out if I "need" cycling sun glasses and not just use my normal glasses, but this answered everything. Great video - appreciate you
I've watched a few of your videos on riding glasses over the last couple of days. it's good to hear that you ride too as I value a riders opinion rather than some regular optician. I've just ordered some Oakley racing jackets troy lee edition frames after your positive reviews on the racing jackets. would the prizm trail lenses be OK for the road bike too? I am asking this as I need prescription lenses and they get very expensive for oakley prescriptions, I intend to buy some prizm road lenses just not straight away. I appreciate any help you can give. brilliant videos btw
Hello! Thanks for the kind words! I have used Prizm Trail on the road on very overcast or bad weather days. Its great for that. However, I would say that 95% of the time Prizm Road on a road bike is the way to go. If you are mostly a roadie I would suggest getting the Prizm Road lens first. We do sell lenses only in prescription so feel free to give us a call at 888-831-5817.
Been watching few of your videos recently - wanting to buy Tifosi Crit glasses. I think anybody reviewing glasses should always put them on to show how they look. (you did jus that) I don't have a store that stocks allot of the glasses i like so it's always order online, Crit was 1 of them.Thanks for the review it was very helpful.
Hi there! This is one of out older videos and since this edit we try to talk about sizing and put them on our face-nonetheless we ALWAYS appreciate your feedback! If you have specific questions about sizing you can always reach out to one of our certified opticians here www.sportrx.com/contact Thanks for tuning in!
Hey I'm looking for a pair of Oakley glasses with prizm road but I am worried that they won't have the same effect in contrast because I have a strong protan deficiency. Apparently I can't see the colour red. I was wondering if you have any input on which lenses would have similar affect to the prizm road with my colour blindness
Hi ! can you compare Tifosi Davos to Oakley Jawbreaker ? is there a big difference with optics quality ? are the AC Red lenses similar a little to Prizm? enhancing contrast or better get Smith Optics Pivlock Arena (with 3 lenses) ?
Hey Razorree! We will make sure to speak with Sunglass Rob and see if we can get a review of the Davos vs Jawbreaker in the future. In respect to contrast, the Smith Chromopop, and Oakley Prizm technology will provide the best optical experience but it is more expensive. The AC technology provided by Tifosi is a quality lens for cheaper and will provide good contrast.
Man, great video. I was looking for a pair! I thought to myself yellow based lenses with more light coming through would a good allround option. Thanks for you explanation. One love.
for Oakley prices i'd expect carbon fibre not plastic. what is that about $1500 worth of plastic on that table, cool and functional plastic sure but plastic none the less.
Excellent Video you should put out a video on knock off glasses and save people’s eyes .. fine men and women Are getting burnt and losing out And there’s not enough service dogs for the blind .....
Hello Sal Ban! You can check out our Best Oakley Cycling Sunglasses video here: www.sportrx.com/blog/best-oakley-cycling-sunglasses/ Thanks for reaching out!
I feel Oakley has gave up some of the mirror effect some . I would love to have best of both worlds good tint on the outside and good clean vision inside the lens too .
Hello! Some Prizm Mirrors are more subtle (aka 'Flash mirrors') to allow more light to pass through the lens and combine with the base tint to achieve a specific contrast type. The Prizm Golf, for example, has a very subtle mirror that allows onlookers to see the eyes of the person wearing the lenses. Alternatively, a lens like the Prizm Ruby has a solid mirror that blocks more light and shields the wearer's eyes from being seen. Solid mirrors perform best for people with high sensitivity to bright light in overtly sunny environments.
Tried many different sunglasses for road bike and I can tell you that Rudy project Tralyx XL is the best. It’s got adjustable nose pads, and temples where Oakley JAWBREAKER have a lack of. Thus its fitting is absolutely perfectly adjustable, especially if a shape of your nose is narrow and not high enough.. You can adjust them to sit a bit higher on your face so it becomes perfect for triathletes who position aggressively on bike and you don’t end up looking through a little gap between the top of glasses and helmet.
Hi Pocha thank you so much for your feedback and telling us about your experience with the Rudy Project Tralyx sunglasses! How long have you been using the Tralyx sunglasses?
Hello Rodrigo! The Turbine Rotor has all the sport functions you will need. The Unobtanium grip on the temples and nosepad will keep the frames in place because the sweatier you get, the sticker and tackier it becomes. This sunglass also provides great coverage with the shield lens. I would say the only downside is that it is not available in prescription but if you don't need one then you are good to go!
Thanks for commenting and leaving us a message!Quick question was there a particular brand you prefer over another? This will help us narrow down some suggestions for you :)
SportRx Unfortunately, I don’t. I am new to riding. I was hoping for something not horribly expensive. I would say I have pretty bad luck finding Oakley’s that fit my face. Also, I think the Jawbreakers are at my absolute max price point. Even at that point, I don’t know if I could talk my wife into that price. Lol. Last note, I live in SF and the fog is a major issue.
Thanks for the prompt response back! I spoke with our top opticians and they recommended looking at the Oakley Half Jacket 2.0, Oakley Bottle Rocket, Oakley Flak Beta, Tifosi Tyrant 2.0, Tifosi Wasp, and the Nike Rabid. I have attached links to all the options so you can check them out on the website :) www.sportrx.com/oakley-half-jacket-2-0.html www.sportrx.com/oakley-bottle-rocket.html www.sportrx.com/oakley-flak-beta.html www.sportrx.com/tifosi-tyrant.html www.sportrx.com/tifosi-wasp.html www.sportrx.com/nike-rabid.html
I live in Florida, u still recommend lighter lens? Big Oakley fan. I understand what you are saying about the full frame. I look on top of my current sunglasses when on the bike. What do you recommend
Road riding in Florida I would go with a rose based polarized lens with some kind of mirror coating. The rose base still gives good pop and contrast and the polarized and mirror help with how bright it gets out there.
Hello! Although it is most popular among cyclists, it could be used for mountaineering. The wraparound fit, vented lens, and Unobtanium grip make it a fine candidate for any athletic need. Thanks for reaching out! If you have any additional questions or would like m ore recommendations you can contact us here(www.sportrx.com/contact) to speak to a certified optician!
Thanks! I thought they would work good. I don't like the sun getting behind the lenses when I am climbing. It could be deadly if I cannot see clearly at all times.
i ride an ebike,mostly need them for wind protection and tent,but dont want to wear a pair that looks more like cycling frame as i ride my ebike in an upright position...is there any suggestions?..ty in advance
Check out the Oakley Mainlink: www.sportrx.com/oakley-mainlink.html - It has great everyday/lifestyle design with sport details to keep them on your face! If you want something with more wrap, then the Straightlink might be the answer: www.sportrx.com/oakley-straightlink.html
The Smiths are nice while they last, I have had a set with the prescription insert and there are multiple issues, the prescription nosepiece fits so tight it will crack the lens, I have had two lenses crack right up the middle when inserting the nosepiece and the plastic on the temples gets brittle after time in the sun, after about a year of use in the florida sun I went to change the lens and the temple broke right off in front of the hinge. Smith has been good with there warranty replacing the broken parts but as I needed a new prescription anyway I have now replaced them with Oakley Flak 2.0 with prescription oakley photochromatics and am much happier.
Cool vid man... wish It were out a week ago as I ordered prescription ice iridium Flak 2.0 XL.... i guess it will be fine as my existing glasses are dark, so plenty experience riding with dark lenses. Can you get prescription prizm road lenses, or just the usual greys, blacks, browns and iridiums?
You can get Prizm Road lenses in Rx in the Flak 2.0 XL. Its a great set up. If you bought them from us we are happy t exchange them for you. Just give us a call at 888-831-5817.
Hi there! Symptoms include double vision, watery eyes, light sensitivity, pain between your eyes and forehead, burning eyes, eye strain, headaches, etc, just to name a few. Many of which can be treated with corrective eyewear.
Hi, I frequently do night-ride and some day-ride once awhile. Do you think that a photochromic glasses will suit my need? Or I should opt for the interchangeable lens feature?
You should get both! Interchangeable lenses are nice to have, even if you don't plan on using them right away. You may decide later that you would like a different lens, right? We have a great lens that we designed and call the Day & Night (www.sportrx.com/prebuilt-guide#DAYNIGHT), which is amazing for wear in the sun and in full night. However, you cannot beat Oakley's Prizm Road for a daytime cycling lens! It is one of the absolute best lenses currently available for cycling. Then you can get a clear pair for riding at night. That is always the best solution, as far as function is concerned. Let us know what you end up doing; we'd love to hear your experience!
hey... thx for the advice... I ended up getting this www.nrcocchiali.com/it/prodotto/x1rr/ . Its a photochromic glasses. I would say it works great for me when cycling at night and doing decent at morning. And It costs a lot lesser than Oakley and Rudy Project, I suppose I made the best choice within my budget :D.
Hey SporRx: great informative video. Let me take this a bit further to a conversation about prescription cycling sunglasses. Right now I'm using a pair of non-athletic sunglasses that block the wind nicely, but are just too heavy. I sweat and they fog and just don't want to stay on. I noticed Adidas Raylor which look the part, but your site's description is contradictory: it says "no insert needed" in one part of the product description, and "insert needed" in another. I'm looking for lightweight so, I'm not too keen on a double set of lenses. Do "prescription cycling sunglasses" that are lightweight exist? Or am I looking at contacts as a solution?
Hi Peter! We actually just posted a video about best prescription cycling glasses, you can check it out here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jyt7EzfREgg.html If you still have more questions, feel free to contact us and we will help you out!
Hi Peter! You rock back. If you like email you prescription to rob@sportrx.com. We will look it over and suggest some frames we think would be a good fit for your Rx.
My problem with any cycling sunglasses I've tried...microdrops of sweat fly onto the inside of the lens near the bridge of the nose. Even on a 45F degree day the salt builds up on the inside of the lens and after 5 or 6 hours of racing I can't see clearly through the lens anymore. Find me a pair of glasses that doesn't do that and I'm a customer.
That sounds frustrating! What kind of frames have you been wearing? Do you need them in prescription? One thought is something like the Radar EV (www.sportrx.com/oakley-radar-ev-path.html). The shield lens should help with blocking the wind that may be contributing to the drops getting on the lenses in the first place. Let us know if this is similar to the frames you have been wearing!
should my lenses be polarized or not? what about the percentage of tint? darker the better or not? what do you think about chromographic lenses for biking?
That is a great question! There are different schools of thought on that. It is not an absolute yes/no, unfortunately. Polarized lenses help to cut glare bounces off other objects, which can be helpful, but it can affect depth perception and MAY be an issue with some digital displays, especially older displays. If those things won't be an issue for you, then you could go either way!
Do you have some advice on models for people with a really small face ? I recently tried Smith Arena and they are too wide for me (prominent ears effect :D).
Oakley Quarter Jacket and Tifosi Wasp are good options, check them out: www.sportrx.com/oakley-quarter-jacket.html www.sportrx.com/tifosi-wasp.html If you need help choosing the model that fits you best, our certified opticians would be happy to help you! You can contact us here: www.sportrx.com/contact
Great video Rob, your honesty really shows in your videos and I would love to do business with you if I lived in your area! Until then it's the Oakley Store for my Custom's obsession :)
We can still help! You don't need to be local to take advantage of SportRx's services. While you can't do custom Oakleys through anyone but Oakley anymore, we can still do lenses for them! Don't hesitate to give us a ring for any help that we may be able to provide. 888-831-5817
Hi Keith! You can take a closer look at the Jawbreaker(www.sportrx.com/oakley-jawbreaker.html) and Tralyx(www.sportrx.com/rudy-project-tralyx.html) on our site! Thanks for commenting!
Hello! The main benefit of a polarized lens is to cut out glare. Since glare is found where sunlight is present, polarized lens options only exist with darker tints. Thanks for reaching out!
Good question! You should check out our video "Are Oakley Sunglasses Worth It?" where we do a series of quality tests to both Oakley sunglasses and other brand & non-brand sunglasses. Here's a link to the video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hUDkCsOxtjg.html
Somehow yes. I've tried real oakleys and fakes and they feel the same. The real oakley lenses peel of after a year or so. My dad bought real ones and.. They didn't last. But i have to admit the optics of these shades are nice particularly the prizm roads.
I had some Foakleys. They look fine and work ok for a few months. The frames usually break at the pivot & sometimes at the nosepiece. If you are the kind of person that loses sunglasses all the time, then get cheap ones but don't expect them to last.
I still love my tifosi.. Cheap... lenses are replaceable and also cheap.. The nose piece removes with one screw and u can get replacement nose pieces for under 20 online. The wire in them tends to break if u adjust them to much.. But all in all for under 100 bucks with 3 pairs of lenses u can't go wrong plus if Ur riding and they do fall off (which they won't) but if they do you won't worry like u will with some 400 dollar Oakley's.. If memory serves me correct I got mine for 50 dollars with 3 pairs of regular lenses a few years ago if u want better lenses that's where u can climb to the 100 dollar pairs
Can you suggest a pair of cycling glasses that are also cool and great to be used everyday in the car and around town? Great video from a man who knows what he is doing!
The Split Jacket was a great frame! It has been discontinued for some time. That is why it is not included. Do note the Racing Jacket, though! That is a very similar style and equally as amazing!
Hi! Those are both great glasses but we decided to only feature the Radar EV as its the newest member of the Radar family. We feel, for cycling specifically the Radar EV is best as the EV stands for extended view and has better better fit in the cycling position.
Hey, Darren! Which lenses are you referring to, specifically? It's the mirror coating on the front of the lenses that causes that color effect. The function of the mirror is to take the edge off of excessive light. The more light reflecting back, the less light making it through the lenses. The lenses in this video range from dark to bright conditions. Our guess is that the rainbow lens you may be referring to is for brighter conditions.
Hey Reime! This video was made two years ago and 100%, unfortunately, didn't make the list. However, we are currently making a new cycling sunglass guide video that will feature some of 100%'s new sunglasses.
Hello Hellas Ducatisti! Of course it is! The Jawbreaker is a tried and true model. The O-matter frame is insanely durable and the Plutonite lenses are highly impact resistant. You are definitely get what you pay for and then some with the Oakley Jawbreaker. Thanks for reaching out!
I just wanted to add one of my all time favorite sunglasses... Zero RH+ Mythos.... Ultra-super-duper lightweight, incredible grip, adjustable nose bridge, interchangable lenses... the lenses are FLEXIBLE and wont break!!!!!! My favorite sunglasses EVER.
Thanks you for commenting on the video Giannofman! We appreciate it when viewers leave personal reviews on the sunglasses they are using. How long have you had the sunglasses?
I've used an older version of them for 4 years straight, they are worn off!! This summer I bought the newest version. They are definitely more durable, !!surely feel more durable!! and lighter with minimal bolts on them (only 2 tiny ones) !!! I forget I wear them, and ride them 4-5hours hard road rides... Next week I am getting a trail mtb, I'll check them on the trails too!!!
Hey Alonso! Thank you for the kind words about the videos, we are happy to hear they are to your liking. Would you be using the sunglasses mainly for cycling?
We would have to say go with the Prizm Road lenses then! The Prizm Road lenses enhance vision in both bright light and shadows. This helps riders spot differences on the texture of the road, so traffic lights become more vibrant + the white/yellow lines are easier to distinguish.
Two great points. Wind protection is a must for all of us, and many of us ride into the evening when it gets dark, especially this time of year when it gets dark so early. There are some great options from Oakley with Transitions lenses that would do the trick for sure.
We don't carry anything that would be considered a goggle, but we probably wouldn't recommend it. The issue with fogging would likely be way worse with a sealed goggle. We could be wrong, though!
