Oakley Prizm?

**Dr_Moreau** · 10-23-2014, 01:05 PM

Need new googles for low visibility/flatlight conditions. Are oakleys prizm lenses as good as they claim for increasing the contrast? Or just marketing bs?

**nickwm21** · 10-23-2014, 05:05 PM

Hard to beat what smith is selling these days. Oakley lense still seem to scratch too easily.....

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**TexasGortex** · 10-23-2014, 07:10 PM

I tried them on in store and they seemed nice, but you can't exactly get a good read off fluorescent lighting. Smiths don't fit my face well for whatever reason, so I've been a long time wearer of Oakley. I like my non prizm yellow lenses well enough, but would never turn down improvement.

I'd also love to know what their deal is. Marketing wrote up a description with enough buzzwords to choke a horse. Its probably just renamed colors.

**gregL** · 10-23-2014, 09:10 PM

I tried the Prizm Rose (lightest tint) in flat light with light snow falling, and the Prizm Jade (medium tint) in mixed sun-to-shade and they really made the snow contours pop. Not sure if they will be better than my current standby (Smith Blue Sensor Mirror) in really flat low light conditions, as they seem to have a lower VLT rate, but I'm going to give them a shot this season.

**TahoeJ** · 10-24-2014, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by nickwm21

Hard to beat what smith is selling these days. Oakley lense still seem to scratch too easily.....

Funny, I've had the opposite problem. I like both, though.

**Dr_Moreau** · 10-24-2014, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by gregL

I tried the Prizm Rose (lightest tint) in flat light with light snow falling, and the Prizm Jade (medium tint) in mixed sun-to-shade and they really made the snow contours pop. Not sure if they will be better than my current standby (Smith Blue Sensor Mirror) in really flat low light conditions, as they seem to have a lower VLT rate, but I'm going to give them a shot this season.

Sounds good about the snow contours. Whats the VLT of the prizm rose? Cant find the info on oakleys webpage.

**TexasGortex** · 10-24-2014, 12:11 PM

I called Oakley (general customer service) this morning to find that out myself. They didn't have nunbers to give me on any of prizm lenses. We have any reps here?

**gregL** · 10-25-2014, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by Dr_Moreau

Sounds good about the snow contours. Whats the VLT of the prizm rose? Cant find the info on oakleys webpage.

I don't know, and our rep didn't have any numbers, but when I demoed them they seemed darker than the Blue Sensor Mirrors I was wearing a few minutes before.

**Dr_Moreau** · 11-02-2014, 02:15 PM

Not much first hand experience it seems but I went ahead and ordered anyway. Ill get back with a short review when I can but it will probably be awhile.

**TexasGortex** · 11-23-2014, 12:11 PM

Had a chance to check them out yet?

**TexasGortex** · 12-04-2014, 05:01 PM

I'm back with some updates. I ordered some lenses and took some photos to try and share. They are shitty quality (cellphone camera held inside a pair of goggles).

Today's conditions:
Overcast, fairly heavy mist, low and flat light. Sorry about the lack of snow.

No lens:

HI Yellow:

Rose Prizm:

VR50 Pink Iridium: [quick lens note: this is my mid-light lens and I really like it. It's NOT for bright days like most Iridiums. VLT 37%]

Prizm Jade:

Initial impressions?
-Both Prizms are REALLY red. I'm not likely to forget I'm wearing tinted goggles while using Prizms; My vision tends to compensate colors with relatively neutral lenses like the VR50 Pink Iridium or Dark Grey. Long wear of HI Yellow will do the same.
-The rose is quite a bit darker than the HI Yellow, but the contrast does seem better. In terms of VLT, I'd estimate they are somewhere near your standard orange cheapo goggle. I think the improved contrast will probably outweigh the loss of VLT for riding in miserable conditions. That said, I'm not impressed enough to leave my (trusted) HI Yellows at home when I test them out. Maybe after a few successful days.
-I'd say VR50 Pink Iridium and the Jade are close in terms of VLT (37% on the Pink). Jade wins on contrast (not by a ton), but the Pink is much much more color neutral. I think there is an argument to be made that the VR50 Pink Iridium is (was?) their best lens. This one will be close.
-Overall both lenses seem quite good. I bought them for my wife and I think she will really like them. I'm on the fence about upgrading my existing lenses for myself. The fact that I'm on the fence is a pretty huge compliment because I'm really cheap.

I have access to a DSLR and I tried doing the whole custom white balance, proper photo shoot thing, but they all look like shit. I'm open to suggestions on a better testing method. Holding goggles up to a DSLR lens isn't cranking out decent results. Maybe rig up a light proof tube/box to mount the goggles to?

**Knipping12** · 12-05-2014, 01:41 AM

We just got them in at the shop this week in the black, rose, and jade. The impression I got while messing around outside with them was that the rose is pretty intense and definitely adds a lot in terms of making the contrast pop in low light. I still thought the rose was a little too high VLT for everyday use. The jade was exactly what I expected - still had the awesome contrast pop while being a little darker and more usable. Definitely a bit greyer though, as to be expected. The black seemed pretty dark, and I'm not 100% sure who exactly is struggling for visibility on bluebird days so they seemed like an odd concept to me. All in all, the jade was money for a one-lens system and the rose was exceptional in low light.

**Dr_Moreau** · 12-11-2014, 07:22 AM

Tried the prizm rose, liked them seems to offer a slight benefit over my yellow POC-lenses, dont have any oakley HI Yellow to compare with. Visibility was to good to do a propper test though, will get back when I get to try them i in low visibility.

**TexasGortex** · 12-14-2014, 09:34 PM

I took the Prizm Rose and HI Yellow out today at Beaver Creek. Low and flat light, moderate to heavy snowfall all day. I prefered the rose. These are excellent lenses. Nothing is perfect in flat light, but they were a marked improvement over the yellow. The only situation I think the yellow would win is lack of light (night dark, not clouds dark), not lack of contrast; They are quite a bit brighter.

I'm sold, I'll be keeping them. Money well spent.

**johnnyg82** · 01-06-2015, 02:39 PM

I used the rose at the Tremblant 24hr from midnight until 2am, and although initially seeming dark, I got used to it quickly. At night, it's better than you would think, it was definitely better than I initially thought after trying them on at home and switching back and forth between the HI yellow.

**whyturn** · 01-07-2015, 08:30 AM

Smith blue is still high bar IMO

**SupreChicken** · 01-07-2015, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by whyturn

Smith blue is still high bar IMO

High bar for flat light or night or both? For flat light, I like the smith blue as much as the oakley HI Yellow. HI yellow is better for me under the lights.

Anyone willing to say that the Rose or Jade prizm is better than the smith blue in flat light?

**NorViking** · 01-11-2015, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by SupreChicken

High bar for flat light or night or both? For flat light, I like the smith blue as much as the oakley HI Yellow. HI yellow is better for me under the lights.

Anyone willing to say that the Rose or Jade prizm is better than the smith blue in flat light?

I just got to try my new Smith IO/7's this weekend. Terrible weather, snowstorm and really flat light.
With the Smith's I got the Red Sol-X, the Blue Sensor and the Photochromatic (red sensor with pthotchromatic inner lens).
I also got Oakley Rose Prizm and Black mirror Prizm lenses for my wifes Oakley's. She used to have bright yellow and some black ones.

I put the Blue Sensors in the Smith's, and my wife got the Oakleys with Rose Prizm. We switched goggles during the day.

First of all, I really, really love the IO/7's and the Blue Sensor lens (didn't try the other lenses, since visibility was as bad as it gets). Ok, replacing lenses wasn't as easy as I expected, more complicated than on the Cebe's I already had. But the lens is hands down the best I have ever tried for flat light. Amazing!

When we switched goggles, I immediately noticed that the Rose Prizm was darker that the Blue Sensor. But contrast was still awesome, I would say better that the Oakley hi-yellows. There wasn't anything in the slope that cough me by surprise.

We switched several times to compare. My favorite was the Blue Sensor, but the Rose Prizm was absolutely excellent too. I believe the only reason I prefer the Blue Sensor was that they were lighter. Maybe they fooled me to believe that I saw more with them. But bottom line is that both lenses was absolutely fantastic in flat light. Best I ever tried.

**capulin overdrive** · 01-11-2015, 03:34 PM

Smith Sensor are way better than the Rose Prizm in low light snowy days.

**gregL** · 01-11-2015, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by SupreChicken

Anyone willing to say that the Rose or Jade prizm is better than the smith blue in flat light?

Not yet. I'm keeping the Blue Sensor Mirrors in the quiver. The Prizm Rose (the lightest Prizm lens) is quite a bit darker than the BSM (the Rose works fine on bluebird days) and so far the Blue Sensor Mirror seems better in low light (typical PNW variety). If the ambient light level is high but there's a fog layer or mist, I'll probably go with the Rose Prizm. Haven't really used the Prizm Jade this season.

**SupreChicken** · 01-11-2015, 04:22 PM

This is a helpful thread. I know there are those out there (pfluff) drinking the anon m2 cool aid. I love the swap mechanism. Has anyone compared the anon m2 yellow and blue lagoon to smith blue or oakley hi yellow or prizm rose for contrast in flat light. Flat light is the bane of several good days each season when it's soft, but I still can't see. Such as it is in the PNW. Sounds like smith blue sensor is the move.

Can anyone vouch for the anon flat light options?

Or is there nothing that can challenge the smith blue sensor?

**NorViking** · 01-12-2015, 01:11 AM

Originally Posted by capulin overdrive

Smith Sensor are way better than the Rose Prizm in low light snowy days.

That was my first impression too. But then I got second thoughts after using them and swapping between the two of them for a while. Yes, the Rose Prizm lens is darker, and paints everything red in an unusual way. But it still made me see everything in low, flat light. I couldn't really say that the Blue Sensor revealed anything the Prizms didn't. Contrasts and details seemed pretty equal too me.
But being lighter, maybe the Blue Sensors gave me more confidence?

**surfNski43** · 01-12-2015, 06:44 PM

I've been rocking the Spy Doom lately with the happy lenses and I love them. Happy bronze with green spectra for sunny days and happy rose with blue spectra for low light. Can't compare to Smith or Oakley but visibility is great. Colors really pop with the bronze lens, and can see everything with the rose when it's white out. One complaint though is the strap attachment to goggle. A pin in the strap feeds through a slit in the goggle which I've pulled out a couple times pulling my goggles over the brim of my helmet. Easy enough to reattach but annoying. On sale now at steep and cheap for 50% off as well so great deal for anyone looking for good goggles at a relatively low price

**NorViking** · 01-17-2015, 01:35 PM

Got to switch from Smith Blue Sensor to the Photochromic Red Sensor today. One word: WOW!

Conditions was very changing; from cloudy and partly flat, to sunshine and later dusk. Not very flat like in fog/snow, but shady grey and dusk. Quite challenging.

Again, me and my wife was switching between her Oakley Rose Prizms and my Smiths. We both loved the Smiths, they were the clear favorite.
I am still impressed with the Rose Prizms, they provide great contrast and visibility in challenging conditions. But the visual impression is still dark and very red, so they don't kind of give the level of confidence I like. My wife was almost unhappy with them, but found the Smiths awesome. I tried to tell her it was mostly due to the visual impression, and that real visibility was pretty equal. Didn't help much. And by all means, I do agree. The Smiths give a better visual impression, provide more overall light and are at least as good in challenging light. So the choice is obvious for us; the Smith Red Sensor Photochromic wins, easily.

So, back to the Red Sensor Photochromic lens.
I hoped it would be my choice 70-80% of the time. I am now convinced they will be used much more that that! I also have the Blue Sensor and the Red Sol-X. Frankly, they won't be used much after trying the Photochromic. It is pretty, damned close to the Blue Sensor in flat light (Ok, I haven't tried them in fog and snowstorm yet). And they didn't get as dark as the Red Sol-X in bright sunshine, but dark enough for anything else than a very bright, sunny spring day at high altitude. Extremely impressive! For my use, they will probably be on more than 90% of the time, since I mostly ski in varying conditions with a combination of shade, forrest and naked mountains. The versatility of this lens is pure genius. Love them!