You could say I’m a bit of a running purist. Apart from wearing at least two running watches – a side effect of testing/reviewing at least a couple of those at any given point – and the best running shoes, I hardly ever use any running accessories, no matter how much I like running headphones. Hence why I was so surprised that I genuinely and thoroughly enjoyed wearing the Oakley Re: SubZero sunglasses for running.
Oakley very kindly provided me with a pair of Re: SubZeros, and since I liked the way they looked and the specs (it’s only 24 grams!), I was looking forward to trying them. Of course, as soon as the sunnies landed in the office, all my fellow editors started commenting on how Oakley makes very peculiar looking sunglasses and how the nose piece of the Re: SubZero pushes the glasses away from their face/eyes.
Me being me, I completely disregarded these comments; after all, most T3 editors are not quite into fitness as much as I am, so to say, and their perception of certain products differs from mine. I liked how the Re: SubZero looks, and it sat perfectly on my face. Not to mention, there are two spare Unobtainium nose pieces included in the box, so people can swap them in and out if they wish.
Anyway, I put the glasses on for my lunchtime run and expected them to bob up and down annoyingly, as most sunnies do, but to my surprise, they sit perfectly still on my nose. Better still, the sunglasses actually shielded my eyes from the sun, which is not a bad quality to have if you ask me. In fact, the Re: SubZero felt almost invisible on my face.
How do the Re: SubZeros keep the weight down without making the glasses feel flimsy? It's thanks to an innovation that Oakley calls a PhysioMorphic Geometry, which allows for a lens design with an extended wrap and rigidity in key areas. It essentially mimics the structural properties of a frame without a frame. Pretty nifty.
The sunglasses have also been outfitted with Oakley's Prizm Lens Technology which enhances colour and contrast so you can see obstacles clearer. It's like looking at the world through an Instagram filter!
The only downside of the Oakley Re: SubZero is its price: not everyone will be able to justify the $246/£201/AU$298 price tag. However, those who can afford them won't be able to stop wearing the sunnies. It's worth checking our Oakley discount codes page to see if you can lower the cost. I like them so much that I'm thinking about not sending them back once I'm done with the review, even if I have to pay for them.
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Check out the Oakley Re: Subzero at Oakley's website.
Matt Kollat is a journalist and content creator who works for T3.com and its magazine counterpart as an Active Editor. His areas of expertise include wearables, drones, fitness equipment, nutrition and outdoor gear. He joined T3 in 2019. His byline appears in several publications, including Techradar and Fit&Well, and more. Matt also collaborated with other content creators (e.g. Garage Gym Reviews) and judged many awards, such as the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance's ESSNawards. When he isn't working out, running or cycling, you'll find him roaming the countryside and trying out new podcasting and content creation equipment.