The Oakley Sub Zero is back again – but not as you knew it

The glasses are a part of the brand's new MUZM collection which re-releases Oakley designs with modern technology

Oakley

Published: May 12, 2022 at 4:00 pm

If Oakley’s redesign of the Sub Zero sunglasses wasn’t enough of a makeover for you, the brand’s new Re:SubZero sunglasses might be just the ticket.

Launched today, the sunglasses take the rough idea behind the Sub Zeros, with a low claimed weight of 24g and a bug eye-like design. But Oakley has introduced a larger lens which provides greater coverage and softened the Sub Zero’s aggressive angles.

The Re:SubZero is part of a new collection called the MUZM collection which will see Oakley release new versions of sunglasses from its back catalogue. Oakley describes the MUZM collection as “a unique curation of iconic styles that are re-released with new interpretations and infused with today’s technology”.

This isn’t the first time Oakley has searched its archive for inspiration. There was the Oakley Heritage Collection in the early 2010s, which looked to the 1980s with versions of the Razor Blade and Eyeshade.

But in a more contemporary twist, the Re:SubZero sunglasses will be introduced via an augmented reality-enabled journey. This will use graphics to provide insight into the sunglasses and an explainer of the different elements of the design, according to Oakley.

Oakley says the sunglasses will be packaged in a “floating chamber” to highlight the lightweight design.

Retro inspiration, modern tech

The sunglasses weigh just 24g. - Stan Portus / Our Media

The Re:SubZero glasses have several modern technologies, which feature in many of the best Oakley cycling sunglasses.

The frame design uses Oakley’s PhysioMorphic Geometry, said to allow a lens design with “extended wrap and rigidity” without a frame and create a “mask-like fit”.

The glasses incorporate the Oakley logo into the frame's hinge. - Stan Portus / Our Media

Oakley has fitted the glasses with its Prizm lens technology, which is said to enhance colours and contrast.

There are Unobtanium nose pads in different sizes included with the Re:SubZero allowing people to tailor the fit.

The glasses have an attachment design that utilises the Oakley logo to connect the lens with the arms.

Are the Oakley Re:SubZero sunglasses for cycling?

Skateboarder Aori Nishimura appears in the Re:SubZero campaign. - Oakley

Oakley says the Re:SubZero sunglasses are ideal for running and training, and doesn’t mention cycling directly.

But Oakley does say the glasses are for “everyone who likes to physically move and improve their lives through sport” and “staying active beyond the traditional field of play”. So we’ll take that to mean they can be cycling glasses, too.

The athletes in Oakley’s campaign for the new glasses include Aaron Jones, the American football running back for the Green Bay Packers; Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse; and Japanese professional skateboarder Aori Nishimura.

How much do the Oakley Re:SubZero sunglasses cost?

Oakley hasn’t provided a retail price at the current time but we expect it to be somewhere around the £213 / $268 retail price of the Sub Zero sunglasses.

The Re:SubZero will initially be available in four colours: steel with a black matt lens; carbon fibre with a ruby matt lens; blue with a sapphire lens; and black with a dark golf lens.