Oakley Jawbone Sunglasses offer a sports frame with tons of innovation. But can they stand up to our review for a week of cycling and wearing them around town?
Keep reading to find out in our full Oakley Jawbone Sunglasses review. Plus, answers to your top questions, including the differences between the Jawbone and Racing Jacket.
Table of Contents
Background and History
Jawbone Release
Oakley released their Jawbone Sunglasses in 2009 as their flagship sports frame. And this innovative sports pair would lay the groundwork for Oakley sunglasses today.
Since the early days of the Razor Blade sunglasses, wearers could swap their lenses based on conditions. But this didn’t mean it was easy.
Especially for full framed pairs, it often requires a firm but gentle grip in just the right area and still could end up with potential damage to your glasses. This is where Oakley Jawbone sunglasses came in.
Innovation and Rename to Racing Jacket
The Jawbone offers wearers the ability to quickly swap lenses by releasing the lower jaw, which gives complete access to the lens. This innovative lens swapping is now known as Switchlock technology and featured on various Oakley sunglasses, including the Racing Jacket, Jawbreaker, and Radarlocks.
Then in 2012, Oakley renamed the Jawbone to the Racing Jacket and released a new generation of the frame. While there are minor differences across the pairs, they are very similar.
You can read more in our Oakley Racing Jacket sunglasses. Plus, keep reading as we detail the differences between these frames.
Oakley Jawbone Highlights
- Full-frame sports design with Switchlock quick release system for easy lens swaps
- Unobtainium earsocks and nose pieces for added grip when wet from rain or sweat
- Impact resistant Plutonite lens material that offers 100% protection against UVA, UVB, UVC and harmful blue light up to 400nm
- Oakley lenses with High Definition Optics (HDO) for optical clarity and no distortion
- Reduced distortion thanks to Oakley’s cushioned lens system
- 8.75 base lens geometry for added peripheral vision coverage
- Three-point fit for added comfort all-day in a lightweight O-Matter frame material
Oakley Jawbone Sunglasses Review
Our Gear
We reviewed a pair of black Oakley Jawbone sunglasses with stealth black icons, and black Iridium vented lenses.
And while we had a great time wearing these sunglasses, there was one big takeaway.
Keep reading to see what we learned in a week of wearing our Jawbones.
Frame, Weight and Design
The Jawbone features a full-frame design made of O Matter, Oakley’s lightweight nylon plastic. As a result, the full sunglasses weigh in at under 30 grams!
This lightweight design combined with Oakley’s release of Switchlock technology means the Jawbone is made for cyclists and athletes.
And the design of this frame centers around this Switchlock technology. Even the name “Jawbone” refers to the opening and closing of the feature.
Switchlock Technology
The Switchlock technology in the frame allows the wearer to quickly release the lower jaw via a hinge and change lenses. This significant innovation was used in almost all of Oakley’s marketing materials for the Jawbone.
Over the course of our week review, we used the Switchlock technology several times to swap between Black Iridium and Fire Iridium lenses. And every time, the Switchlock jaw was easy to use.
We prefer using Switchlock over the traditional friction fit lenses, where it always feels like you’re seconds away from breaking your sunglasses.
Across many colorways, Oakley included an extra set of lenses plus a carrying case that had storage for extra lenses. This helped them further market and push the Switchlock lens swap technology. Instead of requiring wearers to buy an additional pair of lenses, they already had them!
They’ve done similar releases on other pairs where this lens swap was a primary technology, such as the Flak and Fast Jacket lines.
Overall, the Jawbone laid the foundation for Switchlock to become one of the biggest innovations in Oakley’s eyewear in the last 20 years. Read more in our full Oakley Switchlock guide.
Lenses
And complimenting the Switchlock technology is Oakley Jawbone lenses.
For the Jawbone, Oakley released both vented and non-vented lenses. These vented lenses are designed to help avoid fogging by providing improved airflow behind the lenses.
We tried out vented Black Iridium lenses while cycling, and the difference was definitely noticeable. We typically have some fogging when wearing a neck gaiter in the winter. But with the vented lenses, there was none.
The biggest thing we missed on the Jawbone – Prizm lenses. Because the Jawbone was released in 2009, you won’t find the latest contrast-enhancing lens technology in this model. Instead, you’ll find traditional impact-resistant Plutonite lenses in a variety of colors, which still filter our UV rays.
And the colors definitely add a pop of color!
Colorways
Jawbone sunglasses were released in a variety of colorways and limited editions.
We’ve included the table below for quick reference.
| Frame Color | Lens(es) |
|---|---|
| Atmos Black Splatter | Black Iridium Vented |
| Atomic Orange | Persimmon Vented Fire Iridium Vented |
| BMX Chrome | Jade Vented Positive Red Iridium Vented Violet Iridium Vented |
| Bunker Blue | Grey Vented |
| Bunker Blue | Fire Iridium Vented Black Iridium Vented |
| Carbon Fiber | Grey Vented |
| Crystal Black | Grey Vented |
| Echelon Carbon Fiber | Ruby VR50 Photochromatic Vented |
| Infrared | VR50 Photochromatic Vented |
| Jupiter Camo Green | H.I. Yellow Vented Positive Red Iridium Vented |
| Lemon Peel | Clear Vented Fire Iridium Vented |
| Livestrong Polished Black | Black Iridium |
| Livestrong Polished Black | Black Iridium H.I.Yellow |
| Matte Black | Black Iridium |
| Matte Black | Black Iridium Polarized |
| Matte Black | Grey Vented |
| Matte Black | Black Iridium Vented G30 Iridium Vented |
| Matte Black | H.I. Yellow Vented Black Iridium Vented |
| Matte White | Persimmon OO Black Iridium Polarized |
| Matte White | Persimmon VR28 Black Iridium Polarized |
| Matte White | Blue Iridium Vented |
| Polished Black | Black Iridium Vented Light Grey Vented |
| Polished Black | Persimmon Positive Red Iridium Polarized |
| Polished Black | Persimmon OO Red Iridium Polarized |
| Polished White | Clear Vented G30 Iridium Vented |
| Polished White | H.I. Yellow Vented Jade Iridium Vented |
| Polished White | Light Grey Vented Violet Iridium Vented |
| Polished White | VR28 Vented Positive Red Iridium Vented |
| Retina Burn Green | H.I. Yellow Vented Black Iridium Vented |
| Silver | Black Persimmon Grey Transitions Vented |
| Silver | Clear Black Photochromatic |
| Sky Blue | VR50 Photochromatic |
| STPL Matte White | Grey Vented |
| Shade Station Sulphur Yellow | Black Iridium Vented |
| Team Light Blue | Grey Vented |
| Team Vegas Gold | Grey Vented |
Size and Dimensions
The Oakley Jawbone is a medium to large frame with great peripheral coverage. This means it will look great on most face shapes and sizes, especially for cycling.
We’ve included the full dimensions below for reference:
- Lens Height: 40.7mm
- Lens Width: 61.7mm
- Bridge size: 18mm
- Temple Length: 126mm
- Frame Width: 128mm
And don’t forget to check our Oakley Sunglasses Size guide for more sizing information and to find your perfect fit!
Final Thoughts – Are They Worth It?
We love the Oakley Jawbone sunglasses, but unless you’re a collector, you’re better off buying the updated Oakley Racing Jacket sunglasses. Since the Racing Jacket is a current pair, you’ll have an easier time purchasing the frame, including accessories and prescription lenses.
But if you love the original Jawbone design and history, this is still a fantastic pair of Oakleys packed full of innovation!
Read more on the differences between the Jawbone and Racing Jacket below!
Oakley Jawbone vs. Racing Jacket – What’s the Difference?
While the Jawbone and Racing Jacket sunglasses are incredibly similar in design and function, there are some notable differences.
The biggest differences between the Jawbone and Racing Jacket are:
- Name: As mentioned above, the name was changed from Jawbone to Racing Jacket (or New Racing Jacket).
- Lenses: While Jawbone and Racing Jacket lenses are interchangeable, the Jawbone only featured vented lenses. That means for non-vented lenses you’ll want to look at the Racing Jacket.
- Icons: Arguably, the biggest difference between these frames, icons are not swappable between the pairs since the Jawbone icons are not removable. Instead they’re glued into place, compared to the Racin Jacket icons which are easily removed and changed.
But the Jawbone and Racing Jacket do have the same lenses, earstems, and parts. This means you can swap all of these parts between the pairs.
For the complete list of differences between the Jawbone and Racing Jacket Sunglasses, check out member Cacatman’s full write-up here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where to Buy Jawbone Sunglasses?
If you’re looking to find a pair of Jawbone Sunglasses for sale, the first option to consider is the Racing Jacket (Product Link).
As we mentioned above, both pairs are very similar from a functional perspective. And the Racing Jacket is available directly from online retailers. This means it will be easier and cheaper to buy.
But if you want a Jawbone or a specific Racing Jacket colorway, you’ll want to check out aftermarket sites like our Oakley Forum exchange areas or eBay. Doing a quick search, we found several Jawbone colorways available like these Retina Burn Greens for under $200.
But be sure to do your due diligence and know how to spot fakes!
Where to Buy Replacement Jawbone Lenses?
While Oakley doesn’t sell Jawbone replacement lenses anymore, you can still buy them from aftermarket suppliers.
A wide variety of jawbone lenses is available from aftermarket suppliers, plus they’re usually cheaper than original lenses.
To find your best options, check out our guide to the Best Oakley Replacement Lenses.
Want More?
Are you a fan of the Jawbone? Join our community of over 35,000 members and let us know your thoughts in the thread below!
