Oakley Prizm lenses offer the latest in contrast-enhancing technology. And now with the addition of Oakley Prizm Trail Torch lenses, your sunglasses can be built for trail biking, riding, and running.
Keep reading for our full Oakley Prizm Trail review. And check out our complete guide to Prizm Lenses for more.
Table of Contents
What is Oakley Prizm Trail?
Oakley Prizm Trail lenses are designed specifically with contrast and color enhancing to highlight terrain, spot hazards, and brighten the environment around you in wooded trail conditions.
The original version of Prizm Trail has now been largely replaced by Oakley with Prizm Trail Torch lenses. Both are very similar, but we’ll cover the exact differences further down.
Overall Prizm Trail is designed for medium light conditions that you’d find on a wooded trail or forest. You can find the full benefits of this lens below.
And if you’re looking for a lens for bright light or sunny conditions check out our full Prizm Road review.
Prizm Trail Lens Benefits
- Enhances red and browns to increase visual clarity on off-road terrains such as trails and wooded runs
- Optimizes colors in the environment around you so plants appear more vivid
- Lighter lens color helps you adapt easily to both shadows and bright light
- Protects from 100% of UVA, UVB, and UVC rays
- Made of impact-resistant Plutonite material
What Color are Oakley Prizm Trail and Trail Torch?
From the outside, Prizm Trail Trail Torch has a red orange color thanks to its rose base color.
Looking through the Prizm Trail you’ll get some amber/orange tones. And the lens definitely has a distinct brightening effect.
Plus the Iridium costing on this lens deepens the red color and offers a mirrored effect to hide your eyes.
Similarly, the original Prizm Trail lens is an orange-pink color with purple hues from the outside. You can see the comparison of both lenses below.
Prizm Trail vs. Prizm Trail Torch
As we mentioned earlier, Prizm Trail and Trail Torch are similar lenses, but there are some key differences. First, as you can see above, Trail has a more purple and orange tint than the fire red Trail Torch appearance.
In terms of brightness, the Prizm Trail Torch is just slightly darker at 36% visual light transmission (VLT) compared to Trail’s 35%.
Check out the table below for the complete comparison of both pairs. And keep reading for our full review of each lens to see which we prefer.
| Prizm Trail | Prizm Trail Torch | |
|---|---|---|
| Light Transmission | 36% | 35% |
| Base Tint | Rose | Rose |
| Light Conditions | Medium Light / Wooded Trails | Medium Light / Wooded Trails |
| # of Frames Available | 1 | 10+ |
Are Prizm Trail Lenses Polarized?
No, Prizm Trail and Trail Torch Lenses are not Polarized.
And this actually makes sense since Prizm Trail is designed for medium light conditions. Plus Prizm technology helps to reduce glare even without polarization so you should be more than fine.
For more information be sure to check out our full Polarized Sunglasses Guide.
Prizm Trail Review – Are They Worth It?
Our Gear
We reviewed a pair of Oakley Radar EV Path sunglasses with Prizm Trail Torch lenses (Link) and a replacement Prizm Trail lens.
As we mentioned earlier Oakley has shifted away from the original Trail lens but you can still find replacement lenses online through aftermarket sites.
To test both of these lenses, we took them out on a weekend mountain bike ride in a local nature preserve. To be fair these were definitely not harsh conditions. This was a Sunday ride.
But we still got to test out Prizm Trail enough. Keep reading for our full review.
Prizm Trail Impression
Since these are the original lens, we started with the Prizm Trail first.
From our first impression, this lens is definitely impressive.
We were riding on a trail with fairly bright light so while we wished this was a bit darker, it was also likely our environment. As we mentioned earlier this lens is really built for medium light and wooded areas.
That being said this definitely is a bright lens. Not just in terms of light transmission but also the overall tint. Our vision through Prizm Trail was definitely red, that’s for sure.
But overall aside from brightness the contrast-enhancing of this lens definitely shows. Focusing on the trail we could definitely see a difference in highlighting divots, ruts, and rocks on dirt.
You can see more about the lens below. Plus keep reading as we switched over to Trail Torch lenses.
Prizm Trail Torch Impressions
Switching over to Trail Torch was definitely a breath of fresh air for our eyes. Even though this lens is only 1% darker than Trail, it definitely feels like more.
The story goes that when making Trail Torch, Oakley worked to smooth out the brightness and colors of Prizm Trail to create a more enjoyable lens. For us, this was definitely the case.
The contrast and color-enhancing we love about Prizm was still there, similar to the Trail lens. But I’d say we noticed it even more thanks to the darker lens in Trail Torch.
Overall this is a great lens and you can definitely see a difference from Prizm Trail. Keep reading to find out which lens we’d recommend and why.
Who’s the Winner? Our Trail Lens Recommendation
From our review above, the clear winner is Prizm Trail Torch. Overall, this lens is more versatile than its Trail counterpart thanks to the darker lens tint. Plus the wide variety of sunglasses available with Trail Torch makes it a no-brainer.
But we would still recommend Prizm Trail if you’re mountain biking or running in darker wooded areas. For medium to bright light, we would recommend Trail Torch. But low to medium light, the brightness of Trail is definitely the winner.
Now that we’ve determined the best Trail lens, check out our top picks for the best frames below.
Top 5 Oakley Prizm Trail Torch Sunglasses
1. Radar EV Path
Obviously at the top of our list is the Radar EV Path (Direct Link). This is the pair we reviewed above and one of the most versatile sport frames Oakley sells. And thanks to its lightweight O Matter frame and Unobtainium earsocks this frame can stand up to any environment.
Read more in our Oakley Radar EV review.
Radar EV Path Highlights
- Excellent peripheral coverage and protection thanks to a large shield lens
- Unobtainium earsocks and nosepads for added grip when sweaty or wet
- Available with interchangeable vented lenses in a variety of Prizm colors
2. Sutro
If you’re looking for a more modern frame that can also be worn on the street, you’ll want to check out the Sutro (Direct Link). This frame is bold and absolutely screams Oakley. Plus it still offers fantastic coverage and protection thanks to its large shield lens.
Read more in our full Oakley Sutro review.
Sutro Highlights
- Oversized modern single shield lens design for max coverage and protection
- Unobtainium nose pads to reduce slipping even when sweaty or wet
- Available in Asian fit for a variety of face shapes
3. Flak 2.0 XL
This XL version of the Flak 2.0 (Direct Link) offers a sturdy, lightweight O Matter half frame with great coverage for a dual-lens design. And despite its XL name, this frame is actually great for medium to large faces. Be sure to also check out our Oakley Flak 2.0 review for more.
Flak 2.0 XL Highlights
- Dual XL lens design for great coverage with High Definition Optics
- Lightweight O Matter frame with Unobtainium earsocks for added grip
- Available with Oakley Authentic Prescription Lenses
4. Plazma
The updated version of the classic Racing Jacket, the Oakley Plazma (Direct Link) sunglasses are a new release for the brand. Its bold full O Matter frame has planes, curves, and angles that keep it looking edgy. Plus with large Unobtainium earsocks and nosepads, this pair can stand up to all-day mountain biking or running.
See more in our Oakley Plazma guide.
Plazma Highlights
- Unobtainium socks and nose pads for increased grip and reduced slipping
- Can accommodate a strong prescription in Oakley Authentic Prescription Lenses
- Three Point Fit
- Good peripheral coverage
5. Sutro Lite
The Sutro Lite (Direct Link) has all the big, bold features of the Sutro but in a lightweight half O Matter frame. With its single shield lens, it’s a very sporty style that can easily hit the street like its sibling. Mountain bikers specifically will enjoy the Sutro Lite thanks to its half-frame design that increases downward vision so you can keep an eye on the trail.
For more information check out our full Sutro Lite review.
Sutro Lite Highlights
- Unobtainium temples and nose pad to reduce slipping.
- Oversized style provides excellent coverage and protection
- Half-frame style allows for greater downward field of vision
- Like the Sutro, the Sutro Lite is NOT available in prescription.
Where to Buy Prizm Trail Sunglasses and Lenses?
If you’re looking to buy any of the sunglasses or lenses mentioned above your first stop is likely Oakley or a local retailer. But unless there’s an active sale or discount, you may actually be overpaying.
With only a few seconds online you can find new and current Oakleys for up to 30% off retail prices through aftermarket sites such as our Oakley Forum Exchanges and eBay.
For more information check out our guide to Never Pay Retail for Oakleys Again.
Looking for more information?
Have a question about Oakley Prizm Trail or Trail Torch lenses? Join the largest online Oakley community and let us know in the thread below!
