Hey guys. I think I'm going to order a pair of Oakleys and I'm trying to decide on some alternate lenses. I want to get something that I can use both after dark and in the rain. So, yellow or clear? I've never used yellow, but I know some guys swear by them. They also offer a vented lens, I assume to prevent fogging. Any experience with these? Would they allow too much air flow around the eyes? I wear contacts and they dry out quick if I get too much wind in them. Oakley also offers an anti fog lens that isn't vented, just coated I guess. So, yellow, clear, vented, anti-fog? What say you?
Also, what are your thoughts on polarized vs non? I have had polarized glasses before that I did not really care for, but that may be because they were cheap pieces of junk. Oakley claims their polarized lenses are better than the norm.

 

I wear Oakley or Wiley X Gargoyles. I have several lenses for the Oakleys. I like vermillion better than yellow. May as well order a set to test out. Everyone likes something different so you might like yellow better. yes the Oakley polarization is better, and Wiley X is just as good.


As to the eyes drying out, it may not be the kool kid thing to do but get some protection over the face with a clear shield built into the helmet. Rocks to the face are no fun and last year I got one so good it broke my face shield. I know guys who have lost teeth from stones. Once you get enough miles on you will be hit in the face, no way around it. It will also keep your eyes from being dried out, oh and protect the brain too.

 

I've got the Wiley X air rage. They've got a little snap in foam piece that seals up pretty good around my big nose.

 

Yellow is great day or night. I use it on the face shield of my helmet and a pair of goggles. Works when I ride to work in the morning sun, and home at night.

If you can't do transitions lenses, I do think that's the best option.

As far as polarized vs. non, I much prefer polarized. But it's not a must like the proper tint.

 

maui jim amber good for sunny, or overcast days. best I have found for me.

 

What say me is I'd get the yellow ones, mainly for better vision at night...at least that's what that advertise.

 

Safe to say you're talking about the M Frame Oakley glasses. These area good set for riding with a helmet, the stems slide into my full face nice, not all glasses can do that and the lens are great protection too from debris. I don't care for yellow, didn't like the colored tint it gave everything. I like Oakley as a brand, but they over hype their optic technology and cost more then plastic should. Whiley-X are outstanding too

 

I have the Wiley Xs as well with the snap in foam piece and they are excellent motorcycle sunglasses.

Mine are Rx as well.

 

Thanks guys. I was pretty much leaning toward yellow lenses for night and rain, but the only yellow lenses available for the model of frames that I'm looking at are the vented variety. They may be great, but I'm still on the fence about whether or not they would allow too much air through. My contacts drying out isn't nearly as big of a problem as it used to be on my Sporty with no windshield. Much better since I got the Road King. I used to wear the Panoptx with the foam seals, but that isn't necessary behind a windshield.
So has anyone ridden with any of Oakley's vented lenses? These are the same style as the Jawbone vented lenses. It would be great if they actually prevented fogging in the rain. I also worry that the vents, even though they are small may actually allow water to get on the inside of the lenses. I would love to hear if anyone has any firsthand experience. Thanks again.

 

I'm assuming half or 3/4 helmet without shield, so my experience is this:

Any pair of glasses is going to get water in behind them sooner or later in the rain--vented or non-vented. Same with fogging, since your face is warm, your eyes provide plenty of moisture (not to mention sweating in the summer), and the rain is going to cool the outside of the glasses. Anti-fogging compounds applied to the glasses will slow down the process, but won't stop it forever (ask any SCUBA diver). In a hard rain, the vented style of glasses will have water on the inside quicker than a good pair of non-vented anti-fogs.

For your contacts, the non-vented styles are going to be better, as the vented styles are designed to keep a small bit of air directed through air pocket created between the glasses and your face. This constant movement of air is going to dry your eyes quicker than a non-vented.

In hot weather a non-vented style will not allow the sweat around your eyes to evaporate, and will quickly become uncomfortable (if they don't start to fog on the inside). The vented style is better in this instance.

For longer distance rides in heavy rain, a good vented full-face helmet works well. If you're wearing a half or 3/4 helmet and your full-face is 1000 miles away at home when you run into a full day of rain, the best thing I've used was a pair of semi-vented goggles from Wiley-X, where the vents were filled with an open-cell foam. The current version appears to be the Wiley-X Spear. This allowed air to pass through, and broke up most of the larger water droplets before they could drip. Water vapor was much easier to deal with than dripping water.

For night driving, I've tried yellow, light amber, and clear lenses from dusk to full dark. The yellow lenses are great for dusk and overcast days. They provide better definition (clear up some of the haze) at these times of the day, and work well in city driving where there are plenty of streetlights. For full-on dark though, you start straining your eyes. The light amber tint works well in mostly overcast and that dusk just prior to sunset or just prior to sunrise. For full-on dark, back-road driving/riding though, you can't beat clear.

I've found that the Wiley-X XL-1 glasses fit my face better than any of the Oakleys, and even though the lenses are changeable, I currently have three pairs that I use. Primary daytime is sunglasses with a reflective blue coating and dark brown tint; dusk gets the light amber--I'd use yellow, but Wiley-X doesn't make a yellow lens for them; dark gets the clear. Having the Ultra, I've found that the velcro on the Wiley-X belt pouches holds onto the side of the tour-pak liner quite well, so I put the spare two pairs (along with extra lenses) in one, and the goggles in a similar case are just below it.