Pros: Looks, wrap around, ventilation with real vents, performance when moving really works
Cons: not for medium or small heads. No hinges means potential storage issues
The Bottom Line: Great looks and feel...if you have a face that can fill them. Vents work well. Only the lack of hinges keeps me from giving it five stars.
rookshark's Full Review: Oakley Half Jacket Xlj Sunglasses
I picked my racing jackets up on eBay, and promptly sent them into Oakley for new lenses. The previous lenses had some severe flaking….due to what I have no idea. I replaced the gold lenses the black frames had with another pair of the gold iridium lenses.
Let us start with the size of these frames. I have a big head, and these still look big on me. I am not complaining though, I wanted something with maximum protection, and the good wrap around design that Oakley has been known for in the past with their jacket frames. Still though, these are the biggest frames I have ever owned. If you are of medium to small stature, these might work for you or feel like they fit…but I highly doubt you will like the way you look with them.
There is no hinge, like it or not, which makes storage something of an issue if you are on the go, unless you like wearing them around your neck while inside, which is what I normally have done. Unlike other sunglasses I have tried this with, there is never any worry these might slide off due to the hinge opening. That being said...I see no big advantage to being hinge-less, and the only real disadvantage seems to be storage when you are on the go.
They also hold well to your head with the special sticky rubber ear socks and nose pads. The nose pads have a texture to them that all of my other Oakelys have not had. Putting them on does not require any pain or contortionist-like methods to fit them properly (hello XX metals) and once they are on, the feel is good….not perfect to where you forget you have them on like the half jackets, but not nearly as heavy or fatigue inducing as the XX metals.
My eyebrows do tickle the top of the frame if I move them for whatever reason, but after a short time wearing them, it is not noticeable. They rest high enough off my cheek that I have to smile for a picture before I notice them touching the frame. I thought they might be more obtrusive what with the lovely vents placed at the top and bottom about half way into each lens (plus two more vents placed oddly enough right where the hinges on other frames might be located.)
Coverage is good even with the vents, you won’t notice much light coming into your eyes through them (occasionally the top vents let some in if I am looking above horizon level.) One area where I do notice more light entering is below the bridge of the nose. I can not get them to sit any tighter against my nose to prevent this, and noticed some coming above the bridge as well, but really….overall the sensation is about as good as it gets and still looking stylish. The lenses themselves wrap very nicely to the point where I feel like most of my peripheral vision is addressed. I have to look hard to one side or the other to see the frame looming.
Durability seems to be ok…but I still would not like to probe the limits of the flexibility of the frame. Normal twisting and stresses are ok, but push to hard and a little creaking can be heard.
I can not attest to its performance during racing in the motoring sense, but did test them for running. Despite foggy, humid conditions, I did not have any tear trails coming down the lenses, and it took a while for the lenses to fog up, and even then I could tell the vents were helping in the worst of conditions.
Long story short…I have had purpose built sunglasses for running that not do as well. I was pleasantly surprised, and using them for running I noticed that after putting them on, the vents were never intrusive letting light in or an over abundance of air, and that the only downside was taking them off and on while moving…with no hinges, there is no room for error or you poke yourself or get them not fitting properly. In non-foggy conditions, running with them is fine (since you do not have to take them off) as even after an hour running, they tightly hugged my face with the ear socks and nose pads working very well amongst the sweat, without feeling any pressure or discomfort from the frame.
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