Motocross and dirt bike riders have a new lens choice this summer: the Oakley Prizm MX. Oakley first introduced Prizm lenses for goggles in 2014 for snow sports, and has since rolled the technology into summer sports such as cycling, trail running, golf, fishing, and even cricket.
Oakley’s original design intent when creating Prizm was to fine-tune the wavelengths of light that are most sensitive to the human eye, in an effort to boost contrast and detail. The desired effect is to cut down on harsh light while minimally impacting color. This is exceptionally important in snow, where much of the white terrain can blend together in flat lighting. In the motocross model, this feature is tweaked to enhance the texture of dirt for better recognition of bumps, ruts, and mud, especially in the shadows.
Prizm lenses are composed of unique mixtures of differently colored dyes and a clear resin. Oakley says its Prizm composition works only with injected molded lenses, which the company brands as Plutonite, and not with Lexan plastics, so buyers will have to pick between the Airbrake and Mayhem Pro style frames if they want swappable lenses.
There are three choices of Prizm lens tints: for really sunny days, MX Black Iridium is best at cutting glare; the reflective green MX Jade Iridium lens is tuned for rides through the shaded woods; and the MX Bronze option is the happy medium that’s usable in the widest range of conditions, though it lacks the cool-looking Iridium coating. Should those colors not do it for you, it’s a safe bet that Oakley will release additional options in the future.
