Oakley PRIZM™ lens technology is a favorite among athletes all over the world. From snowsports to baseball, to mountain biking, there’s a reason it’s the gold standard among active individuals. The engineers at Oakley are always innovating and have created different PRIZM™ lenses that enhance your vision for a variety of sports and activities. With mountain bikers, trail runners, and cyclists in mind, Oakley created PRIZM™ Trail and PRIZM™ Road lenses. Wondering which lens is right for you? We go over the differences and similarities, and highlight a few popular Oakley sunglasses for the road and trail. Keep reading to find the right lens for you in our Oakley PRIZM™ Road vs Trail guide.
Oakley PRIZM™ Road vs Trail
1. PRIZM™ Lens Technology Overview
2. Oakley PRIZM™ Road Overview
3. Oakley PRIZM™ Trail Overview
3.1 PRIZM™ Road vs Trail Similarities
3.2 PRIZM™ Road vs Trail Differences
4. Prescription Oakley PRIZM™ Lenses Only
5. Prescription Oakley PRIZM™ Road and Trail Sunglasses at SportRx
6. Why Trust SportRx?
Oakley PRIZM™ Road vs Trail Video
PRIZM™ Lens Technology Overview
Oakley introduced PRIZM™ Lens Technology in 2014 and it took the optical world by storm. It remains the best lens on the market due to its ability to boost contrast. But not all environments are similar, which is why Oakley engineers developed specific PRIZM™ lenses unique to each sport and activity. PRIZM™ lenses improve your visibility, depth perception, and make your sport more enjoyable.
Oakley PRIZM™ Road Overview
PRIZM™ Road was specifically designed for open road environments. It is the go-to lens for cycling, marathon running, and driving. This lens works best in consistent bright conditions. It has a bit less pop in contrast than PRIZM™ Trail, but offers more protection from the sun with a VLT of 20%. If you are constantly riding in sunny conditions and need an even darker lens, you can check out our PRIZM™ Road vs Road Black comparison. PRIZM™ Road Black is much darker with a VLT of 11%.
One of Oakley's newer models, the BiSphaera is great for cycling, hiking, and running. Similar in style to the Flak, the BiSphaera features a sleek and modern wrap around design. It has interchangeable lenses and is helmet compatible. PRIZM™ Road lenses have a deep purple and red hue as seen in the image below.
Oakley BiSphaera in Matte Black with PRIZM™ Road lenses
Shop Oakley BiSphaera with PRIZM™ Road lenses
For comparison, check out the Radar EV Path with a PRIZM™ Road Black lens. Another popular multi-sport sunglass, athletes love its vented lens that offers ample coverage and visibility. PRIZM™ Road Black has a dark appearance with a rose base as seen in the image below.
Oakley Radar EV Path in Grey Ink with PRIZM™ Road Black lens
Shop Oakley Radar EV Path with PRIZM™ Road Black lenses
Oakley PRIZM™ Trail Overview
PRIZM™ Trail is best suited for mountain biking, trail running, and hiking. This lens provides intense contrast in and out of shadows so you can see every detail of the trail ahead of you. This is helpful to see changes in terrain and dips in the dirt. With a VLT of 36%, PRIZM™ Trail works great in overcast conditions, and at dawn or dusk. For bright and sunny trails, we recommend PRIZM™ Trail Torch. You can see the differences between the two in our PRIZM™ Trail vs Trail Torch blog.
Check out the popular, multi-sport Oakley Flak 2.0 XL with PRIZM™ Trail lenses. This sunglass is one of the most well-known Oakley frames worldwide. Athletes love the wrap around design, semi rimless frame, interchangeable lenses, and helmet compatibility. PRIZM™ Trail lenses have a purple and pink look to them as seen in the image below.
Oakley Flak 2.0 XL in Polished Black with PRIZM™ Trail lenses
Shop Oakley Flak 2.0 XL with PRIZM™ Trail lenses
For comparison, take a look at the Oakley Sutro, a popular shield-style sunglass with an Oakley PRIZM™ Trail Torch lens. Trail Torch lenses have more of a red and orange appearance as seen in the image below.
Oakley Sutro in Matte Grenache with PRIZM™ Trail Torch lenses
Shop Oakley Sutro with PRIZM™ Trail Torch lenses
PRIZM™ Road vs Trail Similarities
- Boosted contrast makes details in your environment easier to pick up on
- PRIZM™ Rose base tint
- 100% UVA, UVB, and UVC protection
- Both PRIZM™ lenses are offered in prescription
PRIZM™ Road vs Trail Differences
- PRIZM™ Trail has a VLT of 36% (allows more light through the lens).
- PRIZM™ Road is darker with a VLT of 20% (allows less light through the lens)
- PRIZM™ Trail has a more intense contrast boost
- PRIZM™ Road still provides contrast but is not as intense as Trail
Prescription Oakley PRIZM™ Lenses Only
Damaged your favorite Flak 2.0 XL PRIZM™ Road lenses? Have an updated prescription? Or maybe you want the option of swapping between PRIZM™ Road and PRIZM™ Trail lenses. At SportRx you can order prescription PRIZM™ replacement lenses for your favorite Oakley sunglasses. To learn more, check out our Prescription Replacement Lenses page. If you have any questions, reach out to our friendly Sports Opticians.
Prescription Oakley PRIZM™ Road and Trail Sunglasses at SportRx
At SportRx we specialize in prescription sport eyewear. When you shop with us, your purchase is covered by the See Better Guarantee. Try your frames for 45 days. If you don’t love them, send them back for a full refund. We also accept FSA and HSA cards as payment for prescription Oakley sunglasses. If you have any questions on building your perfect pair of prescription PRIZM™ Oakley sunglasses, give us a call! We’re happy to help.
Why Trust SportRx?
With over 25 years of experience in the prescription sport eyewear industry, we’ve seen it all. We know what makes a pair of Rx sport glasses great, and what makes a pair fall short. Our Sports Opticians share the same passions as you. When they’re not in the lab, they’re hitting the trails themselves. No matter your sport, no matter your prescription, we can’t wait to help you build the perfect frames for your passion.
