What's so great about Oakley sunglasses

Sunglasses are one piece of equipment that is often overlooked by athletes. I can’t count the times I’ve seen people with $5000 bikes, Zipp wheels and then cheap $20 sunnies. People are always saying to me “Why pay $200 for something I can get for $20?” Well, the answer is you are not getting the same product! Ever since it’s conception, Oakley has poured lots of time and money into making the best sunglasses on the market. The reality is that with Oakley’s, you are paying for the technology that went into making the world’s best sunglasses. Here are some reasons why Oakley’s are a great investment.

Lenses- All Oakley lenses offer 100% UV protection from UVA, UVB and UVC rays. Many glasses say they filter 100% of UV rays but don’t filter UVC, or only filter 30% of the rays. They can claim they filter 100% UV because glasses only have to meet the standard of filtering 30% UV light to claim 100% protection. This means that most other glasses will only filter 30% and may not filter out UVC rays. All Oakley lenses exceed ANSI standard for safety glasses. You can find video’s of their lenses being shot with a shot gun and not breaking. What this means for a cyclist is, if a rock gets kicked up by a car in front of you, you can be positive you aren’t loosing an eye!

All of Oakley’s recent sport specific glasses have interchangeable lenses. This allows you to pick what lens is optimal for the day’s lighting condition. Oakley also offers photochromic lenses. These lenses change with the varying lighting conditions to ensure that you always have the proper tint, no matter what Mother Nature throws at you. In my experience these lenses are fantastic for long rides in Calgary where the weather can change so drastically over a long ride.
Polarized lenses are also available. Polarized lenses means that light waves are only allowed to pass through the lenses in a single plane. This technology reduces glare and thus improves vision. Polarized glasses are excellent for any activity, but especially driving, water activities and cycling. Oakley pours all this technology into their lenses while still offering distortion free optics.
Hydrophobic- All of Oakley’s sport specific glasses come with a hydrophobic coating on the lenses. This coating helps prevent water from leaving streaks. This means that if you are a heavy sweater like myself, or are wearing them in the rain, you will still be able to see no matter what hits the lenses. This permanent coating also allows skin oils and fingerprints to be easily wiped off.

Frame and fit- Oakley offers a vast array of frames (both men’s and women’s), to ensure you find one with the optimal fit. They use a 3 point fit (nose and 2 ears) each with a unobtainium rubber. This rubber actually grips more as it gets wet to ensure the glasses don’t move around.
Custom- If you’re a nerd like me, you always want your kit to match. Fortunately Oakley now offers most of their glasses in custom colors. This means you can pick the frame shape and color, lens shape and color, earsocks, icons and even get the lens laser etched with your name or whatever your heart desires.

If you have any questions or this has sparked your interest in Oakley, please feel free to come into Speed Theory and have a chat with me. You can try on some pairs and find the perfect glasses for you.

Happy training,
Grant