There’s an idiom about looking at the world through rose-colored glasses. And if shooting better would make your outlook on life a little rosier, Oakley’s Prizm lenses are the literal adaptation. Oakley SI was one of my favorite surprises at Media Day, and in the time since the show has ended, the Prizm lenses have continued to impress me. Like I said in the Media Day article (here), I didn’t expect this type of improvement from Oakley, because their product is already so good.
Yet here it is, just about eight months after first receiving my T&E pair of Radar frames with Prizm lenses from Oakley, and they still impress me every time I put them on. Eye fatigue has become a thing of the past on longer range sessions (which is extremely helpful to me at all-day pistol matches), the front sight on my weapon jumps out at me for follow up shots, and the spectrum of highlighted colors is perfect for shooting. Even the brown color of cardboard targets pops against a (wait for it) BROWN backdrop.
I didn’t just use these glasses for a week and base my article off of that experience: I have literally been using these glasses almost every day for the past eight months, and they really are as good as they sound. Without a doubt, Oakley did their homework on the Prizm line. Per Drew Wallace, Product Manager with Oakley Defense, Oakley SI developed the Prizm lenses (both the TR22 and the TR45) in conjunction with the Army Marksmanship Unit, which is a group of people who know what they want and get it. Oakley SI spent about eight months working with the AMU at Fort Benning, GA, and over that period of time they received valuable feedback from some of the most discerning shooters in the country. The compounding of dyes in the lenses boosts target acuity and contrast against almost any background, and not having to strain as hard to see the target or the front sight against a variety of backgrounds allows longer range sessions with less loss of focus or eye fatigue. To you, the shooter, that translates to better results for a longer period of time. It also means you’ll be using a product designed from the ground up to perform for shooters.
Although the review sample featured in this article was the Radar Range frame, the Prizm lenses are also available with the Ballistic M Frame or Flak Jacket glasses (also available as bright/low light replacement lenses for each). For right now, they’re available direct from Oakley Standard Issue or through a handful of online retailers. I don’t say things like this very often, but if I could recommend only one accessory regardless of the type of shooting you do or the type of guns you prefer, this would be it for 2014. All of the options include features such as permanent anti-fog coatings on the inside lens surface, interchangeable nose pads, and hydrophobic/oleophobic coatings on the lenses to (1) prevent any smudges and (2) allow moisture (water, sweat, etc.) to run off of the lens without the normal amount of vision obstruction. A lot of these things don’t necessarily sound like deal-closers until you use them. But after using them, they’re all I use. HP
-Colt Driver; www.OakleySI.com; Oakley Prizm, MSRP varies
Product Photos by kChanko Photography
View through the lower-light Prizm lense on a medium-to-bright day
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