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review

Oakley Radar Path Photochromic eyewear

9
£205.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Expensive, but a sound investment in versatile eye comfort for years to come.
Weight: 
30g
Contact: 
uk.oakley.com/

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Oakley Radar Path sunglasses with light-sensitive lenses are so comfortable you can hardly tell you're wearing glasses. The photochromic lenses make them spot on for all but the gloomiest or persistently bright conditions and deal for changeable light. They're a sound investment in versatile eye comfort.

Available in both standard unisex and a women's fit (suitable for narrower faces), the Radar Paths come from the more technical end of Oakley's range, aimed at those looking for high levels of performance for sport. These aren't glasses you'd buy for mooching about the shops (although you could, you'd just look a bit daft), these are glasses for riding, running, skiing or wherever else your eyes need protecting.

Weighing in at just 30g they are no heavyweights, although you'd not want to carry them around in their semi-hard protective zip case if you're on the bike. The frames allow you to easily swap lenses for changes in light levels or just different needs and are available in several colour options for both the women's and unisex versions. The protective case has slots for spare lenses, and these are available reasonably easily, from around £40.

The point of trying out the photochromic option, though, was to try and get the best of all worlds, a pair of glasses suitable for most light conditions, without having to fiddle about changing lenses.

In use these were extremely comfortable, with the narrower 'women's fit' being just right for the size for my face. My other half tried them on and found them too narrow, so this shape is strictly one for the ladies or men with narrower/smaller face. The initial colour of the lenses as you take the glasses out of the case is a fairly light brown tint. This was suitable for all but the gloomiest days.

The photochromic element was pleasantly subtle, with no real sense of the colour of the lens changing in brighter light, just a constant feeling of comfort for the eyes. Only the absolutely fiercest sun had me thinking I might need darker glasses, but as we all know, those aren't conditions we encounter in the UK all that often. For the vast majority of the three main riding seasons these cover a range of tints that's just right.

The quality of the Oakley optics here was as good as you'd expect. You're paying £205 for a reason and that reason is the clarity, durability and exceptional quality of the lenses. Looking through these was relaxing for the eye, with good clarity of vision and great field of view with no obstructions.

The size and shape of the lenses meant that eyes were well protected from the wind and dust, with no risk of looking over or below the glasses and no problems with peripheral vision. There was no issue with interaction with a helmet either, with the arms fitting easily over helmet straps with no trouble or discomfort.

These glasses mark a significant initial investment, but for most riding conditions they will give relaxed and effective performance for years to come, especially considering you can replace the lenses for just £40 or so. The likelihood of you needing to, however, is pretty small.

Verdict

Expensive, but a sound investment in versatile eye comfort for years to come.

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Oakley Radar Path Photochromic

Size tested: Blue

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Sports sunglasses with light-reactive lenses.

Spot on for all but the gloomiest or persistently bright conditions. Ideal for changeable light.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Lightweight stress-resistant frame material

Vents for cooling

Optimized peripheral view and side coverage

Impact resistant

Interchangeable nose pads

Different lenses available

Also available as men's/unisex version

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
10/10

Solid and well made with excellent quality optics

Rate the product for performance:
 
10/10

Spot on. Comfortable, protective, good tint with adjustment for most light levels

Rate the product for durability:
 
10/10

Oakley last well and you can even replace the lenses at a sensible price.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
9/10

Pretty light. No feeling of weight when wearing

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
10/10

Comfortable both as a frame and also in the action of the lenses/optics on the eyes.

Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

It's a lot of money, but it's a sound investment.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well indeed.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Comfort, clarity of optics, feeling of not wearing sunglasses

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing really. Maybe some more attractive colours?

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Definitely

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

Highly effective cycling sunglasses offering great protection, good comfort and relaxing for the eyes. Expensive, but worth it.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 37  Height: 1.65m  Weight: 67kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, general fitness riding, mtb,

 

Lara has been riding bikes for longer than she'd care to admit, and writing about them nearly as long. Since 2009 she has been working as part of the road.cc review team whilst championing women's cycling on the side, most notably via two years as editor of the, sadly now defunct, UK's first and only women's cycling mag, erm, Women's Cycling. 

Believing fervently that cycling will save the world, she wishes that more people would just ride a bike and be pleasant to each other. 

She will ride anything with two wheels, occasionally likes to go fast, definitely likes to go far and is always up for a bit of exploring somewhere new and exciting. 

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6 comments

Avatar
arrieredupeleton | 11 years ago
1 like

Note to self: Don't lose or break stuff. Right. Message understood.

More importantly, I think the review should tell us how compatible these are with which helmets. If you don't stick them in the vents (upside down of course) you won't get that pro look.

Avatar
russyparkin replied to arrieredupeleton | 11 years ago
0 likes
arrieredupeleton wrote:

Note to self: Don't lose or break stuff. Right. Message understood.

More importantly, I think the review should tell us how compatible these are with which helmets. If you don't stick them in the vents (upside down of course) you won't get that pro look.

this is mildly amusing to me as i had a lovely giro helmet but the roc-loc disrupted the arms of my glasses so i sold the helmet on ebay. took my glasses to the shop and bought a helmet that worked with them. unfortunately the one that worked best was an s-works prevail  2 . that was an expensive day...

Avatar
aslongasicycle | 11 years ago
0 likes

I've had mine 6 years. I have a lens for every condition. The original pearl frames got really scuffed up, so they replaced them after 4 years for £20!
THAT I call value!

Avatar
Lara Dunn | 11 years ago
0 likes

I've yet to lose or break a pair of sunglasses of any type yet arrieredupeleton! Despite my best efforts on and off-road!

Avatar
arrieredupeleton | 11 years ago
1 like

'but for most riding conditions they will give relaxed and effective performance for years to come,'... unless you lose them, they fall out your back pocket, you crash, they get scratched or the kids wreck them. Sorry but I'll stick to the disposable DX knock-offs for about £7.

Avatar
Chuck replied to arrieredupeleton | 11 years ago
0 likes
arrieredupeleton wrote:

'but for most riding conditions they will give relaxed and effective performance for years to come,'... unless you lose them, they fall out your back pocket, you crash, they get scratched or the kids wreck them. Sorry but I'll stick to the disposable DX knock-offs for about £7.

So don't lose them, scratch them or let the kids play with them?

As above I've yet to lose or scratch up a pair of sunglasses, and for £200 I certainly wouldn't!

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