These New Oakley Sunglasses Clear Fog With a Flick of a Switch

Photo credit: Courtesy of Oakley
Photo credit: Courtesy of Oakley

From Bicycling

Price: From $223
Type: Performance cycling
Lens Options: PRIZM, Polarized, Photochromic

Of the many frustrating things that can happen mid-ride, few are more vexing than the limited visibility that occurs when your glasses fog up. Oakley's new Flight Jacket addresses this with a nosepiece that with the flip of a switch increases airflow to reduce fogging.

To activate greater airflow, you grab the switch with your thumb and index finger and pull down. This pushes the lenses further away from your face for better ventilation. To push them back into place, you press against the nosepiece with your index finger. Although not unique (we recently reviewed these Kask glasses with a comparable feature), the design is impressive.

When the glasses are in not in the fog-fighting position, the multifunctional nosepiece causes the frame to sit slightly further out from your face than many sunglasses, which also increases airflow below the lens. Additional padding on the nosepiece makes the Flight Jackets feel more comfortable than similar frames.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Oakley
Photo credit: Courtesy of Oakley

Lots of Style and Features

At first glance, the Flight Jacket looks like the next generation of Jawbreaker, but it is quite different. Aside from the new nosepiece, there is no frame above the brow, which gives you a larger field of view when your head is tilted down while riding. The overall look is pretty cool, if you’re into that throwback-yet-ironically-futuristic aesthetic. As one of our testers put it: "You have to wear them like you mean it."

The consensus on the group rides I tested them on was that they looked good and are nearly indistinguishable from the Jawbreaker to an untrained eye. If you’re into a more classic frame, these may not be for you. And unlike the interchangeable lens of Jawbreaker, the Flight Jacket is designed to allow a lens to be removed but is not optimal for switching them out frequently.

Fit and Lens Options

The glasses are available with Oakley’s PRIZM lenses, which filter light and fine-tune colors to enhance detail. PRIZM Polarized and photochromic lenses also are available. In total, Oakley offers eight lens and frame combinations to choose from. Flight Jackets also include a set of interchangeable arms in a shorter length, which I opted for to better fit my face and helmet. You have to snap them on and off, so I did this before the ride. It's a good idea to play around with them first because when you pull the nosepiece toggle, the arms shift and may interfere with your helmet.

Due to the extra features, these glasses feel slightly heavier than the Jawbreaker and a lot heavier than minimal glasses like the EVZero. That said, the added comfort helps. I tested them on road and gravel where, despite some gnarly terrain, they stayed secure and didn’t bounce up and down on my face. If you regularly ride with a cap, you won't benefit from the extended field of vision. But if not, you'll likely enjoy the the larger lens.

Flight Jacket Ride Testing

Getting the hang of the fog-prevention switch is a little tricky. I’d recommend practicing it a few times off the bike before attempting to use it on a ride, but once you're acclimated, the switch is easy to operate with one hand while riding. And sure enough, when fog starts to creep up on the lenses, a quick pull clears it away. In the past, I would have been forced to take my glasses off and stow them in my helmet until things cooled down.

In addition to the Flight Jacket, Oakley also developed a similar model, the Field Jacket (from $223 at Sportrx.com), which has the same airflow innovation, but with a dual lens for athletes who need a prescription option.

Overall, the Flight Jacket works exactly as intended. If you've rarely had to deal with your glasses fogging, then it's probably not worth the investment for you. But if you find that fog is constantly plaguing your rides, you live in an area with unpredictable weather and tough climbs, or you simply love having the latest gear with all the bells and whistles, then the Flight Jacket is a good bet. (And if you roll up to the group ride wearing them, expect all your ride friends to ask to try them on.)

Buy Now $223

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