Oakley EVZero Range Prizm Trail Review

Think sports sunglasses and one brand comes to mind - Oakley. The EVZero Range are the brand's latest pair of lightweight sunnies, and come packed full of optical and material tech, including Prizm lenses (which we'll get onto later).

• These are the best sports sunglasses

How did we get on testing out the feature-laden Oakleys? Read on to find out.

Design

The EVZero Range glasses are, well, not exactly subtle.

The large facade is dominated by the singular blue/purple polarising lens, which has an aggressive, angular shape to them.

They certainly look menacing, and make you look the part if you're working out (which is the reason you're buying these anyway) but you're not going to be wearing them around town on the weekend (at least, we hope not).

The arms are made from Oakley's “O Matter” material, which is incredibly lightweight, and flexible, meaning it should survive impacts if you bite the dust.

The glasses have a “three-point fit” hold, which eliminates pressure points on your skull, pinching behind your ears rather than resting on them like traditional sunglasses. They're certainly very comfortable, and barely noticeable when you're wearing them for long periods of time.

This is aided by the soft earsocks and nosepads, which are made from Oakley's “Unobtainium”, which is kind of like a soft rubber, for increased grip.

Ventilation is also key when it comes to sports sunglasses, and the EVZero allows for plenty of air movement thanks to their lightweight design.

The glasses weigh in at 23g.

Performance

The optical performance of these sunglasses is the best we've tested, and considering the amount of technology Oakley puts in the lenses, that's exactly what you'd expect.

These shades use Prizm lenses, which fine-tune individual wavelengths of colour - boosting contrast and highlight nuances that would otherwise be missed if you weren't wearing sunglasses.

The specs we reviewed had 'Prizm Trail' lenses, which are intended for off-road use. They enhance reds and browns, which, hopefully, helps you avoid nasty stuff like sand, rocks, roots, and branches.

They also don't block out too much light, so are perfect for transitioning between shade and bright light, which happens frequently in woodland.

Despite not being the darkest shades around, they're still made from 'Plutonite' which protects from 100-percent of UVA, UVB and UVC rays.

These lenses are so efficient at tuning the light, they're not at all suitable for road/everyday use, giving everything a very harsh orange tint.

Luckily for you, Oakley also offers the EVZeroes with a Prizm Path lens, which enhances bright light and shadows for enhanced road capabilities.

The lens also packs Oakley's High Definition Optics (HDO) to offer clear, sharp and undistorted transfer of light.

As we previously said, these are the best performing sunglasses we've tested.

Accessories and features

The EVZero Prizms come with both a soft pouch and hard nylon case. Both good quality, offering adequate protection.

Verdict

In terms of optical performance, the Oakley EVZero Prizms are easily the best sunglasses we've reviewed. The lens technology that Oakley has included here make them a real standout performer.

The frame design is lightweight, comfortable, and durable, but the styling and harsh colour tuning mean that these shades aren't suitable for everyday use. If you're looking for sport-specific sunglasses which give slight advantages in a competition - these provide them.

• These are the best sports sunglasses