Call me the victim of successful marketing, but ever since I was about 12 years old I wanted to own a pair of Oakley sunglasses. Back then there was less competition, and few would disagree that Oakley held the top spot among sports eyewear brands. When I finally did get a pair of Oakley’s a few years ago my childhood yearnings were justified, as I’ve been very impressed with their crystal clear lenses and sporty yet classy design.
While some of their early models have become highly sought after classics, Oakley churns out a slew of new and revised designs each year, not to mention special edition releases for major events like the Tour de France. Much like last year’s release, Oakley has announced three new sunglasses that make up their 2015 Tour De France collection including two performance models and one casual style with unique colorways, accessories and tiny Tour de France logos on the lenses…
The first piece of the collection is a special edition of the Prizm Road Jawbreaker, which Oakley calls the ‘ultimate sport design’. The Prizm lenses fine-tune colors to achieve visibility enhancing contrast, and use Oakley’s High-Definition Optics (HDO) technology for excellent clarity at all angles. With cyclists in mind the Jawbreaker’s frames provide a wide field of view in the upper peripheral area.
Color wise, the Tour De France edition Jawbreakers come with matte grey smoke frames and an indigo Prizm lens intended for changing light conditions. This model provides a ‘standard’ fit, and features Oakley’s Switchlock system for easy lens changes. The jawbreakers also include surge ports to keep cool air flowing, and Unobtanium earsocks and nosepads for a comfortable fit that stays put on sweaty faces.
The Prizm Road Jawbreakers come with a sport soft vault hard case, a printed Tour De France microfiber bag with an additional lens pouch, and a spare nose pad. The cost is $240 USD.
The second Tour De France edition model is the Prizm Road Radarlock Path. The Path’s HDO lenses are designed to extend your upper field of view, and offer a leaner top-to-bottom shape for those who find traditional lenses touch their cheeks. The lenses also include pronounced top vents to prevent condensation buildup, and filter 100% of UVA, UVB, UVC and blue light up to 400nm.
The special edition Radarlock Path frames come in grey smoke, fitted to the indigo tinted Prizm Road lens. The lightweight and resilient ‘O-matter’ frames offer a standard fit, and utilize Oakley’s Switchlock system for no-hassle lens changes. The Tour edition Prizm Road Radarlock Path glasses come with a printed Tour de France microbag and a spare nose pad. The retail price is $260.
Oakley’s special edition Turbines feature a much simpler and more casual look, and do not include high-performance features like lens vents or the Switchlock system. The HDO Plutonite lenses are intended for bright light conditions and filter the sun’s harmful rays like those found on the Radarlock Path. The O-matter frames provide a standard fit, with a three-point design that holds your lenses in proper optical alignment while eliminating pressure points that frames with more pronounced ear hooks can create. Unobtanium pads are inset in the arms to keep your styling spectacles in place.
The special edition model will be sold with grey smoke frames that feature interchangeable icons, and are matched up with black iridium lenses. The Turbines come with a printed Tour de France microbag, and sell for $170.
Oakley’s 2015 Tour de France Collection is now available online and at authorized dealers.
