As we ramp up for football season, buying your first football visor can seem like a daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be.
We’re covering your top questions about Oakley Football Visors. Plus, what you need to know before you buy!
Table of Contents
Do I really need to use a football visor?
If you play football, then the short answer is: yes.
For a long time, they have been perceived as an optional extra, but there are so many reasons why football visors are an essential element of a player’s kit.
They are practical, safe, and strategic. And they’re easily attached to just about any helmet
Plus they can enhance the way you play the game beyond just protecting your eyes.
Keep reading as we dive into the benefits of a Football Visor and how Oakley Prizm Football Visors are changing the sport.
Will a football visor protect my eyes?
Of course! That’s exactly what football visors are made for! But let’s dive into it some more.
Football visors are designed to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays and any projectiles or fingers in your helmet.
Almost every football visor today is also made of shatterproof material to prevent any eye injuries from the visor itself.
Oakley visors have a particular advantage because they are made from impact-resistant Plutonite material.
Oakley Prizm Visor Review – Our Thoughts
Overview
Oakley has been in the business of producing quality lenses and visors for over forty years. And they have only continued to innovate during that time.
In addition to impact-resistant Plutonite material, Oakley visors feature HDOptics and are even available with Prizm technology (more on that in a second.
Plus Oakley uses injection molding to shape the shield with a unique optimized curvature.
And one of the most important features of Oakley football visors is an AFR treatment that prevents fogging and increases scratch resistance.
Our Prizm Gridiron Review
We reviewed a football helmet with Prizm Gridiron lenses (Product link), which are purpose-built for football.
When you first use the Prizm Gridiron lens, it’s a pretty stark difference from no lens. If you play football or played in the past you’re probably just used to the sun shining in your eyes. But as people who always has sunglasses on, this always bothered us.
Prizm Gridiron features a 23% Visual light transmission which is perfect for medium light conditions. The bronze base tint will give a warm color to the field but is also optimized to highlight the ball and field markings.
Overall, we found the green of the grass and the brown of the ball looking bolder and crisper with the Prizm visor.
Similarly, the brightness of the sun will be minimized to a less distracting degree, ensuring maximum performance capability.
Keep reading for our final thoughts and whether Oakley visors are worth it.
Are Oakley Football Visors worth it?
One hundred percent. But maybe not for everyone.
Now let’s be clear, we’re not saying Oakley Prizm Football visors aren’t awesome because they are!
But for pee wee football and young children, it’s probably not worth it since they’ll usually grow out of their helmets every 1-2 years.
On the other side, if you or your child is playing high school or college football, an Oakley Prizm visor is definitely worth it.
We’d definitely recommend Prizm Gridiron since it’s built specifically for Football. But if you prefer the darkest lens possible you’ll want to check out Prizm Black with an 11% light transmission.
Top Oakley Visor Lens Colors
Prizm Gridiron
Oakley’s patented Prizm technology not only protects your eyes but changes the way you see the world. And since it’s built specifically for football this lens highlights the ball and field with crisp colors. This is also why we chose this lens for our review above.
Gridiron Highlights
- Improves visual perception which, in turn, improves reaction time and overall performance
- Contrast enhancing built to highlight the ball and field markings
- Blocks reflected glare, so you’ll be able to see regardless of conditions
- Automatically adjusted tint levels providing optimum protection, day and night
Prizm Black
Prizm Black is the darkest football visor available with an 11% VLT. This is best for day time football but can also be useful for nighttime football in brightly lit stadiums.
Black Highlights
- High Definition Optics, which concentrate light and relieve strain on the eyes
- Injection-molded curvature, proven to enhance peripheral vision and eliminate distortion
- Dark tint means your opponents will have a harder time seeing your eyes adding a new level of intitimidation to your game
Prizm Clear
Oakley’s own clear visor is the industry standard throughout the NFL. That means every clear visor you see in an NFL game was made by Oakley. And just because it’s clear don’t discount this lens. Prizm clear offers several key benefits.
Clear Highlights
- Blocks harmful UV rays and protects your vision
- Offers an all-important shield against physical contact. Regardless of the design of your facemask, a clear visor will withstand whatever punishment your opponents can throw at it
- Improved anti-fog and scratch-resistant properties amplify visibility
Where can I buy Oakley visors?
Oakley visors are available from several big sports retailers and are often available when buying your helmet.
But if you’re looking to buy a Prizm Football visor separate from your helmet, you can head directly to Oakley’s website.
Most visors retail for $50-$100, with Prizm visors selling for around $90.
Unfortunately, Oakley football visors don’t often go on sale, but you can still find discounts during select sale weekends. Learn about Oakley’s biggest sales and their complete schedule in our full Oakley sales guide here.
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