As one of the latest additions to Oakley’s lineup, we were eager to get our hands on the Oakley Cables sunglasses. But we weren’t exactly excited. After all, from the initial pictures, the Cables appeared to be a fairly standard full-frame pair of sunglasses. But after wearing these sunglasses for over a week, we were shocked by how they performed.
Keep reading for our full Oakley Cables review, plus what surprised us about these sunglasses.
Table of Contents
Oakley Cables Highlights
- Full-rim, high wrap frame design that takes inspiration from the popular Oakley Sutro
- Made of strong and lightweight O Matter frame material for all-day comfort
- High-wrap design that hugs your face better than almost any other Oakley
- Available with contrast-enhancing Oakley Prizm lenses for improved clarity and field of view
Oakley Cables Sunglasses Review
Our Sunglasses
We reviewed a pair of Matte Black Oakley Cables with Prizm Black non-polarized lenses. Currently, these glasses retail for $140 (Product Link), and are also available with Prizm Polarized Black lenses (Product Link).
Frame, Design, and Initial Impressions
When we first saw the original Cables in person, I remember being surprised at how boring they looked. Sure they’re inspired by the Oakley Sutro, but nothing jumps out in this frame, saying I need to have them.
Nonetheless, we vowed to give them a shot for science (or at least for review purposes). And to add insult to injury, we were able to get a good deal on a pair of arguably the most boring colorway for this frame (black on black). But this is where the griping stops. From here on out, we wanted to give these sunglasses a fair shot.
Putting the Cables on for the first time, what surprised me the most is the fit. Wow! While it could just be me, the wrap on this frame seems to perfectly hug my face. There were minimal spots of sunlight coming in around the frame, and it didn’t even feel like I was wearing sunglasses. And it seems we weren’t alone, since youtube “eyespy0099” had a similar take in his review of these sunglasses (video below):
The frame itself is made of lightweight O Matter, and since the design overall is pretty thin, this frame definitely feels light. It probably helped that I started wearing these after I finished reviewing the Holbrook Ti (which is made of titanium). Regardless, I found my Oakley Cables sunglasses to be very comfortable.
Prizm Lenses
The sunglasses we reviewed featured Oakley Prizm Black lenses, which are a part of the Prizm Everyday collection. Since we already reviewed these lenses before, we won’t go into too much detail on the lens itself. But overall, Prizm Black continues to be a staple lens that works well in bright environments.
Thanks to the high wrap and great fit, the Oakley Cables provided fantastic coverage and visibility. As we mentioned above, there were minimal spots of light peering in behind the frame, like you might find on lower wrap sunglasses like Frogskins.
Like most Oakleys today, all of the Cables colorways come with Prizm lenses. Currently, there are Prizm and Prizm Polarized lenses available. If we had to choose, we’d likely choose Prizm Ruby or Prizm Sapphire Polarized lenses to give a fun pop of color to these sunglasses.
Size and Dimensions
While Oakley has the Cables tagged as a “Large” frame, we’d say it’s more of a medium-to-large frame. Since its design is inspired by the large and in-charge Sutro, we weren’t sure if it would be just as large. Luckily, Oakley scaled down the size a bit. Though this size frame should still work for bigger heads, I think you could even pull it off with a smaller face.
We’ve listed the complete dimensions below for reference:
- Frame Width: 133mm
- Temple Length: 131mm
- Bridge Height: 14mm
- Lens Height: 39.3mm
- Lens Width: 63mm
Available Colorways
The current Oakley Cables lineup is available with 7 colorways, including various Prizm lenses, that we’ve included below.
- Matte Black / Prizm Grey
- Matte Black / Prizm Black
- Steel / Prizm Black
- Black Camo / Prizm Ruby
- Polished Clear / Prizm Sapphire Polarized
- Brown Tortoise / Prizm Tungsten Polarized
- Black Ink / Prizm Violet
You can also find the latest listing here: Oakley Direct Link.
Final Thoughts – Are They Worth It?
As we mentioned above, we had low hopes for these sunglasses going in. I mean, who wants a boring version of the Oakley Sutro? But the truth is, the Oakley Cables really surprised us.
This is one of the best fitting pairs of Oakleys we’ve worn recently, and they are absolutely worth it if you value a great fit in a simple design. Plus, if you’re looking for a more fun style, you can pick brighter lenses for a pop of color. Overall this could be one of our biggest surprises of the year.
We’d recommend the Oakley Cables for anyone who wants a great-fitting, large-coverage pair of sunglasses in a simple and clean O-Matter frame.
Are Replacement Cables Lenses Available?
Yes, replacement Oakley Cables lenses are available directly through Oakley (Product Link), along with a variety of aftermarket manufacturers.
We’d recommend taking a look at aftermarket lens suppliers, since they are usually 50%+ less than similar Oakley authentic lenses. To find our top picks, check out our comparison of the Best Oakley Replacement Lenses.
Where to Buy Oakley Cables Sunglasses?
Oakley Cables sunglasses are currently available through Oakley.com (Product Link). But unless they’re running a sale or you have a discount, it’s worth looking around online.
As we’ve talked about before, you can typically find discounted Oakleys (20%+ off) through aftermarket sites like our Oakley Forum Exchange and eBay. For more information, check out our full guide to Never Pay Retail For Oakleys Again!
Looking for More?
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