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Prizm Road Rant!

So, I got my first pair of Prizm Road on a Targetline frame, hoping to make it a driving pair that'll stay in the car...



First off, the Iridium didn't turn out to be red as I had seen on one of the showpieces at the mall, but a very blue tint (which fortunately was still legit as confirmed by @IAMOBS). The iridium was pretty faint leaving my eyes visible - not a deal breaker though.

But what really turned me off was the the rosy hue that made the world feel like I was wearing girlie glasses. My eyes didn't get "adjusted" to the tint like they do with other lenses. Eg, 5 minues after I'd worn my DWPs, I'd forget they're even there, they feel so natural. Didn't happen with Road, the pinkishness is persistent. Talking of contrast, there is a bit of pop to it, but then DWP or Sapphire are equally good at upping the contrast. Oh, did I mention that this lens didn't do anything spectacular in terms of reading the road texture and spotting hazards? That's something my Sapphires and DWPs did equally well.

The weather yesterday allowed me to test the lens under several lighting conditions. Was it good for Sunny days? No, it had too high VLT%, it was too bright and to some extent bothersome. On cloudy days? Again was a dud, made the world too cold. I'd prefer Tungsten or Trail on a cloudy day. The only scenario I found this lens actually good was when the sun was golden and warm, but not strong enough - mornings and late afternoons.

Others who have used Prizm Road - what's your experience? What justifies the "road-specific" tag this lens brags, when other lenses perform much better? Do cyclists look for something else on the road, that motorcyclists and drivers do not look for?
I wear my Prizm road lenses in xsquared when there is snow on the ground in low light or when there is tree cover throwing shade on the road. They really make the dips and drops in the snow pop. For sunny days I wear my Prizm xsquared shallow water sunglasses. Each function excellent depending on how much VLT I need. Funny thing I’ve noticed though is that on long road trips I get physically tired if I don’t take the polarized lenses off occasionally to allow the light in to wake me up.
 
Been some days since the OP and have, in the meantime, returned the pair as it did not suit my need.
I will not disagree with those who say its a good lens - it IS a good lens, but probably not very versatile. I did give the lens significant trial before returning so that I could be absolutely sure. In my opinion, it worked best on clear sunny days when the sun was at ~45 degrees or lower (assuming mid-day is 90 degrees) and not really harsh. That's a very specific (and may I say, limited) use case for the lens.
 
it IS a good lens, but probably not very versatile.
A lot of the first generation Prizm sport lenses were quite specialized, and Oakley seemed to backpedal a bit and add "dark" versions, or iridium coatings to make them more versatile. The Baseball Infield/Outfield line, Prizm Trail, Golf, etc.
 
I'll throw my worthless trite opinion on top of the pile. I am a dinosaur and if it ain't broke, I don't fix it. Fire Iridium for the brightest of days on the road, and G26 for some partly cloudy days - NOT overcast, just with intermittent cloud shadows but still bright. BIP for "Other" days, which I define when i get out on the deck to check brakes and gears before I leave.

Averaging 100 miles a week for years now and racing 4-8 time trials a season. No issues and still no complaints.
The only time you'll read about me in the papers is if the braintrust at Lux decides to phase out FI.

Then everybody dies.


Morning!!
 
I'll throw my worthless trite opinion on top of the pile. I am a dinosaur and if it ain't broke, I don't fix it. Fire Iridium for the brightest of days on the road, and G26 for some partly cloudy days - NOT overcast, just with intermittent cloud shadows but still bright. BIP for "Other" days, which I define when i get out on the deck to check brakes and gears before I leave.

Averaging 100 miles a week for years now and racing 4-8 time trials a season. No issues and still no complaints.
The only time you'll read about me in the papers is if the braintrust at Lux decides to phase out FI.

Then everybody dies.


Morning!!
have you tried the most underused and least talked about lens here on oakley forum, oakley's photochromic lens?
 
The rose hue on most other Prizms like Daily or PBIP, when combined with their lower VLT%, makes them feel lot nicer on the eyes. DWP isn't exactly rosy, its more of a mellow copper tint.

@Tomtucker haven't seen a TR22 in real life, but I believe it should be closer to G26 with a higher % of magenta to it. Personally, I wouldn't mind a G26 for the road, in spite of it's extreme tint.

Check the Oakley SI collection at any Bass Pro Shop or Cabelas (US/CAN) we have both the TR22 and TR45 in a few styles. I showed off a pair of TR22 outside with a comptetive shooter yesterday he loved it.
 
I don't mean to be a huge a-hole, but OP is pretty much ranting about something no one forced him to buy and has been working for pro athletes as well as non-pro athletes. Literally in the basic form of subjectivity and some pointless remark of being a "girly rose tint", which has been working tint for many brands in various renditions. Prizm Snow/Field/Shooting all have varying degrees of rose tints, and perhaps we could say the same of Oakley's past G and VR series. Road is one of many options here. That's the point — it's an option for people it can work for.

It doesn't work for your eyes. Each to their own. Not the lens fault, or your eyes. It's just not a working combo. What's the goal of ranting about this? If someone thinks Diet Coke tastes like garbage, they don't have to go out of their way to rant about or it or be bothered in the slightest if they see it in a convenience store. "ThE cAn Is SiLvEr. It HaS sUcRaLoSe. WhY dOeS iT eXiSt?????"
 
but OP is pretty much ranting about something no one forced him to buy and has been working for pro athletes as well as non-pro athletes Literally in the basic form of subjectivity and some pointless remark of being a "girly rose tint", which has been working tint for many brands in various renditions.

Bravo keyboard cop, you chose to ignore the below quoted sections of my post to initiate a personal bashing. This was a post where I had sought opinions from others before I could take a call on whether to keep the lens or return it. I did not solicit your opinion over a personal contact. What bothers you?

Others who have used Prizm Road - what's your experience? What justifies the "road-specific" tag this lens brags, when other lenses perform much better? Do cyclists look for something else on the road, that motorcyclists and drivers do not look for?


Been some days since the OP and have, in the meantime, returned the pair as it did not suit my need.
........
I will not disagree with those who say its a good lens - it IS a good lens, but probably not very versatile
.........
That's a very specific (and may I say, limited) use case for the lens.
 
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