The Oakley Velo Kato construct on the earlier Kato design with a number of updates and new options. The standout function of those glasses is the massive wraparound, visor-like lens. Utilizing Oakley’s PhysioMorphic expertise, the lens not solely wraps round all planes to create a spherical wrap throughout and down the face, but additionally extends out as a form of nostril cowl.
This enables the lens to be as near the face as doable with out being in touch on to any half. Usually with cylindrical lenses there are gaps on the aspect or they will sit too shut within the centre.
Development
This lens additionally options one other Oakley staple, the Prizm lens expertise. Designed to reinforce distinction and scale back glare, this makes recognizing modifications in highway floor, texture, or obstacles simpler. These Sapphire lenses are significantly closely tinted, with Class 3 lenses that enable for 12% mild transmission.
Prizm Street for instance permits a 20% transmission. These lenses are additionally hydrophobic, oleophobic, scratch resistant, and affect resistant, so readability of imaginative and prescient ought to stay excessive even over time and in poor climate situations.
One other keep it up function is using Unobtanium on the arms of the glasses and the nostril piece. That is Oakley’s proprietary grippy materials that goals to maintain the glasses securely on the face whereas not degrading over time or after publicity to sweat. A ribbed texture on the arms can also be focused at protecting the glasses in place.
The place issues begin to actually differ from the earlier Kato is the body. This now extends extra above and under, which ought to give a bit extra lens safety particularly when inserting them on a floor. Oakley have additionally added what they name circulation conditioner tabs on the perimeters to direct the circulation of air higher when paired with the Velo Mach aero helmet launched together with these glasses and Tudor Professional Biking.
To additional assist this facet of efficiency, the arms are hingeless and don’t fold – just like the previous Professional M frames from 20 years in the past. To account for this a a lot bigger zip up laborious case is provided with the glasses together with spare nostril pad and cleansing material. Lenses nonetheless can’t be modified. As a substitute one of many eight totally different color or lens choices have to be purchased in full for various lens choices. Weight is available in at 41g.
A inflexible body means an even bigger case.
(Picture credit score: Andy Turner)
How we used the velo katos
Out of the field, the Oakley Velo Kato are fairly totally different to every other glasses I’ve used earlier than. Taking them out of the field, they instantly really feel extra akin to a visor with arms. It’s not a standard design, with the Alba Optics Mantra being the one different present pair I’ve seen go hingeless within the pursuit of efficiency.
Placing the glasses on my face is the place they actually do impress. Oakley’s PhysioMorphic len is much like different spherical lenses, in that bending round a number of planes permits the glasses to wrap across the face with out leaving gaps at both the perimeters, the highest or the underside.
Our faces are spherical, not cylindrical, and it’s a gripe of mine that the majority biking sun shades now use cylindrical lenses which go away openings for daylight, wind, rain.
The place the Velo Kato differs and is pretty distinctive in comparison with different manufacturers, is that the lens is formed to suit over and across the nostril, relatively than that includes a reduce out. It’s the identical as the usual Kato, and to a lesser diploma the Encoder glasses. It seems a bit like Scicon’s ‘aero beak’ utilized by Dylan Groenewegen, however loads neater. The lens additionally homes the attachment for the nostril piece, impressively all of that is one single piece of polycarbonate.
Oakley lenses incorporate form with out adversely effecting the optics
(Picture credit score: Andy Turner)
Staying with the lens, each Velo Kato choice makes use of Oakley’s prime quality Prizm lenses, designed to reinforce colors and distinction, and scale back glare. Out on the highway this works brilliantly.
Using in dappled mild situations underneath timber, the Prizm lenses work to carry out the shadows and subsequently modifications within the highway floor. It’s nonetheless among the finest lens applied sciences accessible and makes for excellent optics. Moreover using early within the day or late at night time with low solar, there have been no problems with glare even in direct daylight.
The arms of the Velo Kato slotted properly into the vents of the POC Cytal
(Picture credit score: Andy Turner)
The sheer measurement of the lens offers full face protection. This does nonetheless have the aspect impact of being much more polarizing within the model stakes. Each single one who has seen them has had a remark about them, they usually differ in both seeing them as very cool, or simply manner an excessive amount of.
I fairly just like the locked-in sensation of placing them on and seeing nothing however the lens, utterly unobstructed by bits of body or mild. This offers ski-goggle like safety; nice for colder begins the place wind chill tends to make my eyes water.
Transferring onto the body, and this can be a little bit of a wierd one. An enormous change is now that the arms, the place the lens attaches to, prolong throughout the highest and backside of the lens extra, providing safety towards impacts if they’re put onto laborious surfaces. On the aspect there are ‘circulation conditioners’, however at current there is no such thing as a aero information to assist this having an impact on efficiency. The POC Propel aero glasses for instance declare a modest 1 watt saving, so count on one thing round that and resolve for your self if it is worthwhile.
The shortage of hinges although is an odd alternative as Oakley ditched this design ingredient again within the noughties once they stopped making the Professional M frames, the glasses of alternative for Lance Armstron.
These are heavier glasses at 41g, so weight saving isn’t a consideration. Stashing the glasses away in helmet vents can also be simple because the arms have a level of flex and the grippers maintain them safe in vents or on the face. It does imply that for packing they take up extra room they usually can’t be stashed on the highest or rear neck of a jersey or in a pocket.
Maybe most frustratingly, you may’t change lenses or get replacements, you’ll want to purchase one other pair of glasses. This additionally means no prescription lens choices can be found akin to RX clip appropriate glasses just like the KOO Hype. All this does detract from their practicality, however in some ways in which’s the purpose. The Velo Kato has been made to go quick and provide you with a transparent view of the highway forward.
With out hinges, the Velo Kato frames are extra springlike which holds them in place properly.
(Picture credit score: Andy Turner)
Oakley velo katos: Worth
£271 is some huge cash to pay for a pair of sun shades. Provided that Oakley have Prizm lens glasses choices such because the Oakley Sutro accessible at £159, the Velo Kato comes with an enormous premium. A stage of that would be the PhysioMorphic lens expertise which requires an awesome deal extra manufacturing than different lenses, and the worth is identical as the usual Kato.
It’s a indisputable fact that the standard of the lenses is great, and the massive wrap round lens offers a virtually unrivalled area of view with none obstruction. It does even have a novel look that’s sure to show heads and draw consideration if that’s what you need. Nevertheless it’s inconceivable to put on this in any manner that could possibly be described as understated. It’s a assertion piece.
There are additionally sensible points such because the arms not folding, no alternative lenses that means for a transparent lens you’ll want to shell out one other £271, and no prescription inserts. It’s a formidable piece of equipment that does carry out properly, however there are each extra sensible and much better worth choices accessible on the market. Nevertheless if you need one thing that appears distinctive, and impressively for Oakley possible received’t be seen on the group experience fairly often, this can be the pair of glasses for you.
Oakley velo katos: Conclusion
The Velo Kato give ski-goggle-like safety on your eyes
(Picture credit score: Andy Turner)
The Oakley Velo Kato glasses are a correct assertion piece. Practicalities are forgone in favour of out and out efficiency to the nth diploma. The PhysioMorphic is a marvel of lens engineering and wraps across the face each defending you from the weather and giving unparallelled field of regard. Add to that the identical nice high quality of optics to be anticipated with Oakley Prizm lenses, and you’ve got an actual excessive performer right here. However for £271, it must carry out that properly, and a few.
An absence of arm hinges and incapacity to change lenses detracts massively from the worth and practicality of those glasses to the extent that these actually are surplus to most individuals’s necessities. In order for you a pair of glasses that may do all of it, these usually are not those. However if you need one thing totally efficiency oriented, cash no object, then the Velo Kato definitely hit the mark.
