If it looks a touch nostalgic, it’s because the new Plazma design from Oakley is inspired by the classic Racing Jackets, a design that’s still going strong in our kit bag after many years of use! These may look chunky compared to a lot of more recent half-framed designs, but Oakley pitch these at the prescription market, with those frames able to accommodate high prescriptions with thicker lenses.
We tested an off-the-peg set, though, where prices range from £113 to £183 depending on the lens choice. We opted for the zingy yellow ‘Matte Retina Burn’ frames with rose-tinted Prizm Road lenses on the basis that these are the ones sported by Jan Frodeno and what’s good enough for him is probably a good choice for our (rather more humble) training/racing aspirations! First up, we liked the look of these which were sporty without being as ‘out there’ as some more recent releases.
Thanks to those Prism lenses, clarity was great and we found they gave enhanced visibility on sunny days and while riding or running in areas of dappled light (under trees etc). Oakley’s Impact Protection testing reassures us that our eyes would be protected from debris, too. The frames felt light and thanks to the nose pads and ear socks didn’t budge, even on our sweatier testing days. Finally, despite the solid frames, the curved design and dipped arms meant that over-the-shoulder visibility was still good. A soft bag/cloth is included, but the hard clamshell case is an extra £20.
Verdict: Timeless design, perscription-friendly, great lenses
Score: 90%
Interested in bagging yourself a pair of tri-specific sunnies? Check out our best sunglasses for triathlon reviewed