A while back we told you about the Oakley Tombstone, a pair of frameless shooting sunnies we wanted for riding. As we lamented the lack of a frameless option designed for cycling, it seems the American optics giant did in fact something up their sleeve – the EVZero.
- Oakley Tombstone: shooting glasses we want for cycling
- Oakley Radar EV Path Prizm sunglasses
- Oakley Radar Pace glasses deliver coaching straight to your ears
Back in the 90s Oakley released the original version of the Zero frame, which they claimed were the “lightest performance sunglasses in history.” Unfortunately they weren't particularly good looking, and were discontinued.
Oakley EVZero: their lightest sports glasses yet
The larger Range version of EVZero looks perfect for road cyclists
We couldn’t dig up how much the original Zero weighed but this new version, available in the Path and slightly larger Range lens shapes, is claimed to weigh a feathery 22g and 24g respectively — lighter than the Spy Daft (28g) and the Smith Pivlock Arena Max (29g). Long-established roadie favourite the Oakley Radar Path weighs 30g.
The EVZero also gets Road and Trail versions of the Prizm lens, Oakley's newest optic technology where special tints are used to block specific spectral peaks and colour wavelengths to enhance contrast, and improve clarity in a range of light conditions — there’s photochromic and standard lens options too.
Oakley EVZero: Distortion-free vision
Here's the Path variant of Oakley's new EVZero glasses, which'll likely prove popular with runners
The American outfit also points out the EVZero's lens is designed with "Polaric Ellipsoid geometry for maximised peripheral clarity in its sweeping field of view". Removing the marketing speak, this means vision should be distortion free, even near the edges of the lens.
Oakley EVZero: Features and price
There’s no indication as to whether the lenses (or arms rather) are interchangeable, a feature we’d happily trade a few grams for, but based on absence of replacement lenses on Oakley’s website we’d say they’re fixed.
The EVZero also sees slender earsocks made from Oakley's 'O-Matter', and no-slip 'Unobtainium' rubber on the nosepiece and temple tips to keep the sunnies securely attached to your face.
Available now, the EVZero will set you back $170/ £140 / AU$220 for the Prizm version, $190 / £170 / AU$270 for the photochromic, and $160 / £130 / AU$200 for the standard lens.
We’ve got a couple of pairs of EVZero’s on the way, so stay tuned for actual weights and a full review.