PERFORMANCE

If your average pair of stylish frames serve as a raincoat for your eyes, the Oakley Sutro is more like a scuba diving suit. These shades are quite large, but nothing quite protects your eyes from the elements like the Sutro.

They are designed for endurance cyclists that need optimal protection from wind, sun, and rain without affecting their vision.

While other frames can create blind spots in your peripheral vision, the design of these large frames feels like you aren’t wearing anything at all! Your vision is protected from the elements without limiting your vision in the slightest.

These sunglasses are designed with cyclists in mind, but they work in a myriad of conditions. For runners, these shades keep your vision crystal clear while running on the trails, and have no blind spots so you can keep your eyes in tune with your surroundings.

I feel these shades work best when running on urban sidewalks where you need a keen eye on cars, cyclists, and fellow pedestrians.

LENSES

The lenses on this design are made to shield your eyes from the sun and protect them from UV rays without dimming your vision. They are crafted with PRIZM Lens Technology that essentially transforms your vision from standard definition to high definition!

While I don’t exactly understand the science between PRIZM technology, I do understand that it enhances your vision the way that it reorganizes light before reaching your brain.

PRIZM tuning filters out specific wavelengths of light and fine-tunes them for a clearer quality. Much like a camera, when your eyes are overexposed to light it often washes out many colors. PRISM lenses redefine wavelengths for crystal-clear vision. What looks washed out from the naked eye suddenly looks rich and colorful with these lenses.

While the PRISM lenses help to sharpen your vision when the sun is at its peak, it’s also important to note that these lenses are also non-polarized and provide 100 percent UV protection.

Just like you wear sunblock to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, you also need to protect your precious vision from UV rays as well.

Unlike budget-friendly shades, the Oakley Sutro doesn’t just dim your vision in sunlight, it actually enhances your vision!

FRAME

The frame of the Sutro is lightweight, durable, and fit’s well to most heads. It is composed of Oakley’s O Matter that is composed of thermoplastic Nylon composite materials that are incredibly flexible. What users love most about the construction of this frame is that it is incredibly lightweight and fits snuggly on most heads.

It slightly flexes to fit the shape of your head, and will not leave creases or marks on your face after wearing them all day long.

While Oakey’s O Matter is incredibly comfortable and resilient, it’s important to note that it behaves differently in warm or cold weather. Due to the fact that it is composed of a thermoplastic material, it means that it can become a bit stiff and rigid in colder climates.

Users found that it was much more flexible in warmer weather, but became very stiff when training in colder climates. It doesn’t affect the durability of the frames, but it may slightly alter the overall fit.

SIZE

One of the downsides to these shades is that they are only offered in one sizing option. Most users felt that this design fit their heads perfectly, but users with larger heads ran into a few problems. If your noggin is slightly larger than average, you may notice that the arms of this design may start to dig into your temples over time.

They are flexible and resilient enough to fit securely, but they won’t be quite as comfortable when worn all day long.

The tiger fit for larger heads isn’t a dealbreaker, but it is something worth noting. Oakley offered XL sizing options in some of their other designs, but that isn’t an option with the Sutro.

DURABILITY

I found that one of the most impressive features of the Sutro was its insane durability. This is a pair of sunglasses that you can drop, sit on, stash in your backpack or pocket without worrying about it breaking. The frame is composed of O Matter plastic that is incredibly durable and lightweight and built to last for decades.

Users found that the lenses held up just as well as the frames over time. While it’s always best to clean your lenses with a microfiber cloth to prevent scratching and scuffing, sometimes we just don’t have time to whip out a cleaning cloth in the middle of the run.

I, sadly, am very guilty of cleaning my shade with the bottom of my cotton t-shirt, and I know I’m not alone. The good news is that many users wiped their lenses down with their t-shirt, and found that the lenses maintained that out-of-the-box look even after 100 miles.

COMFORT

A lightweight pair of sunglasses often translates to comfort, and the Oakley Sutro has you covered. These shades weigh in at just 32 grams and are so lightweight that you may even forget that you are wearing them!

The mark of a comfortable pair of sunglasses is forgetting to take them off once you retire indoors, and these shades fit that description. Using 100 percent plastic-based materials, they fit your head like a glove and never dig into your face.

Sure, they’re lightweight and comfortable, but how do they hold up once you build up a sweat? There is nothing that I hate more than glasses that treat my nose like a slip-n-slide. I have too much to worry about when out for a run, and adjusting my glasses shouldn’t be one of them.

The bridge of these glasses is treated with something Oakley calls Unobtainim (don’t worry, no Na’vi were exploited in the manufacturing process!).

The proprietary rubber compound is found on the bridge of the nose and temple tips. It is resistant to sweat, and won’t slide down your face when the heat is on.

STYLE

The Oakley Sutro effortlessly blends style with performance. When it comes to biking glasses, they need to hit a few marks to keep your vision clear and unobstructed, and that often translates to big, bulky frames.

Oakley could really lean into the cataract glasses aesthetic, but instead, they kept it modern (thank goodness). Of all of the cycling glasses out there on the market, I found the Sutro to be the most modest and understated.

What I also love about the style of these frames is that they come in a ton of unique color options in the frames as well as the lenses. Color options include neutral shades such as black and white, 90’s-inspired primary colors such as blue and red, and even 80’s styles that blend punchy earth tones.

Somehow, Oakley managed to expertly blend throwback fashion trends with a modern feel. When wearing the Oakley Sutro, people will take notice of you!

PRICE

The Oakey Sutro isn’t their most expensive design, but it is quite expensive when compared to other budget-friendly frames. Sure, there are more affordable designs out there on the market, but none hold a candle to the Sutro’s performance, durability, and fit.

These frames walk that fine line between style and performance like no other. Plus, the high-end lenses that transform your vision into ultra HD make these frames well worth the investment.

Sure, you could buy a new pair of fragile budget-friendly frames once a year, or you can invest in a highly durable design that will withstand decades of abuse!

The Oakley Sutro is designed for cyclists, but it’s a great choice for those engaging in any type of outdoor sport. Whether you are running, walking, hiking, skiing, or rock climbing, these frames are built for high-intensity sports.

Another great product we reviewed is the Oakley Holbrook XL Polarized Sunglasses, so make sure to check it out as well.

The frames may be shockingly large, but they are designed that way for a reason. By using a larger frame and lenses, these glasses prevent wind and rain from irritating your eyes, and also won’t obstruct your peripheral vision. Smaller and stylish frames are cool, but often create blind spots out the corner of your eyes.

By wearing a pair of Sutro frames, you gain a clear and unobstructed view of the road ahead, much like you aren’t wearing anything at all. These frames are incredibly lightweight, durable, and boast frames that transform a washed-out landscape into Ultra HD.

They’re a little more expensive than similar options out there on the market, but they are well worth it!