Oakley EVZero Blades

Oakley's EVZero Blades are a lightweight pair of sunglasses that offer excellent clarity in bright conditions and a 'barely there' feel, while the lack of frame across the top of the lens gives an unobstructed view. However, they also feel flimsy and didn't fit securely on my face like my go-to Oakley Radar EVs.

The EVZero Blades are, according to Oakley, 'inspired by streetwear culture and global influencers'. It says the design 'taps into the fashion meets sport-performance style trend', but I found the glasses to lean more towards fashion.

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Let's start with the good stuff. The Prizm Ruby lens is lovely, providing great clarity with no distortion. It casts a very nice tint on the road that is both comfortable on the eyes and lets you see clearly. There is no distortion while wearing the glasses, and the hydrophobic coating does a good job of keeping the lens clear of rain and sweat.

The lack of frame at the top of the glasses is great for field of view, especially when you get down in the drops and start looking up the road. The frameless design and thin build of the arms also mean they're very light, weighing in at just 22g.

However, I found the EVZero Blades kept slipping down my face, severely detracting from the ride. I would have liked a little more pressure from the sunglasses arms to prevent this.

The pressure on the side of the head is dependent on the system – frame and lens – not flexing too much. With a frame across the top of the lens, you add strength and there is less flex. A frameless design can, as this one does, suffer from too much flex, resulting in a flimsy feel and/or too little pressure placed on the side of the head by the arms.

Larger heads might get on fine with the EVZero Blades, which are a standard fit, but I wear a M/L helmet so it's not a peanut noggin.

For me, they lose out massively on the road when compared to the Radar EVs, and all the weight saving from the frameless design only saves 6g – though they are nearly £20 cheaper.

In fact, if the EVZero Blades fit you well, they're not bad value – they're certainly not the most expensive sunnies out there. The Radar EVs are £161, and Roka's GP 1X are £215.

However, you can get very good glasses for less: Ekoi's Perso Evo 9 sunnies are a great option at just £85.

> Buyer’s Guide: 28 of the best cycling sunglasses

Overall, I'd say the EVZero Blades are good, but there are more secure options out there with the same great lens. I'd suggest you try before you buy, to check that the fit and lightweight feel are for you.

Verdict

Great lens and lightweight feel, but check the fit as the frameless design won't suit all faces