Review – Oakley Sutro Line – Options To Define Your Look

Oakley has been a leader in eyewear for decades. Their sunglasses started a movement back with their Factory Pilot Eyeshades and continue to innovate to this day. The Sutro line became popular with cyclists for its large coverage and comfortable fit. With the recent release of the Sutro Lite Sweep and a bunch of other glasses in for review, we figured we’d throw the family in for some coverage as well.

The Sutro has three main variations, the original Sutro, Sutro Lite, and Sutro Lite Sweep. There is also a Sutro S, which is a scaled-down version of the original Sutro, great for smaller faces. Rumor has it that a titanium framed version (similar to the Ti Frogskins) will be coming out too. The Sutro is the full-frame design, while the Lite versions omit the bottom part of the frame. The Lite keeps the shape of the original Sutro lens, and the Lite Sweep harkens back to the original Mumbo/M Frame of the ’80s and ’90’s.

The original Sutro has found a home on many riders and athletes, including the quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, who has had a few special editions created for him. Mathieu van der Poel is probably one of the more popular riders to wear them and even has his own edition of the Lites.

The Sutro

As mentioned earlier, the original Sutro is a full-frame design, made from Oakley’s O Matter. It has a single Plutonite shield lens that is a 56.7mm deep, rectangular shape, providing loads of coverage. Similar to the Jawbreaker, there is a metal bridge piece that connects the lower portion of the frame to the upper frame at the nose. While it does not share the same pivoting nose piece as the Jawbreaker, the bridge does a great job keeping the frame solid. You can swap lenses, but it is similar to other full-frame designs that require you to pop them in and out. A wide range of Prizm, polarized, or standard lenses are available, some with scalloped or circular vents.

The temples are long and thin in shape, and relatively straight, fitting well with helmets and hats. Unlike many other Oakley sports sunglasses, the Sutro does not feature Unobtainium ear socks to help keep them in place. Unobtainium is included in the replaceable nose piece, which allows you to swap them between the Low Bridge Fit (formerly Asian Fit) and regular fit.

The Sutro Lite

Next up, we’ll move to the Lite. It has a very similar silhouette as the original Sutro, but minus the lower part of the frame. The lens is slightly deeper at 58 mm, which makes up for the lack of frame. The nose piece and connecting metal bridge help to keep the lens locked in place, along with two small tabs on the side of the lense, which means they cannot be used with the full framed Sutro.

Another change is the addition of Unobtainium ear socks on the temples. Lenses are again available in a range of colors, and some come with circular vents across the top.

The Sutro Lite Sweep

The newest edition is the Sutro Lite Sweep. A take on the old Sweep lense from M Frames, they give a retro touch to these modern frames. Lenses from the Lite and Lite Sweep are interchangeable, and the only real difference in the frame is the retro Oakley logos on the sides vs the Oakley ellipse logos on the Lites and most of the regular Sutros.

Lenses

All three models use Oakley’s Plutonite lenses. They come in a range of tints that to cover various conditions, including their Prizm lenses. These high-contrast lenses are created to offer clear optics that highlights important colors for various sports or conditions. Oakley was one of the first brands to offer these kinds of lenses, though most brands now have something similar, like Roka’s HC, Tifosi Clarion, and Smith ChromaPop lenses.

On the Road

Not everyone is a fan of the large shield lens, but personally, I am. They might not be my first choice for casual use, but when I’m riding or running, I appreciate the full coverage lens of the Sutro lines. Visibility was never an issue. The frames are wide enough that you have full peripheral vision, and even in an aggressive position in the drops, I never had any issues with the frame blocking my view. On the lower side, yes, the frameless design gives better vision, but the frame was never an issue on the original Sutro. I’ve tried the vented and non-vented versions of the Sutro, and honestly didn’t feel that much of a difference. Fogging was only really an issue on the hardest and slowest climbs, but they sit well in all of the helmet docking stations I wore them with.

For all three versions, the fit is great. The Sutro obviously feels the most rigid with its full-frame design, but even the Lite and Lite Sweep felt solid compared to something like the EV Zero. The Unobtainium nose bomb is comfortable for long wear in any condition, and the option to swap to a low bridge fit is a nice touch to help dial in the best fit for you.

 

That said, as much as I like the Lite Sweeps, I wish Oakley would have gone with something more like an M Frame Heater lens shape that extends lower. The Sweep has traditionally been a shorter lens that doesn’t offer as much coverage. Compared to the original M Frame Sweep lens, it extends a little lower.

Another issue that comes up with some helmets is the long temples. For many of the helmets I tried, they fit well, but in some cases, the temples might not always pair well with the retention systems.

Overall, I’m a big fan of the Sutro lines. They are comfortable, have great coverage, and as always with Oakley, have great optics. They come in a range of colors for looks and lens options for your ride. Starting at $158 for Sutro and Sutro S with Grey Prizm lenses, $178 for other Prizm lenses, and $189 for Sutro Lite and Lite Sweeps, they aren’t the cheapest sunglasses out there. It’s not too bad though, compared to other glasses out there like Smith Ruckus starting at $199 and the Roka Matador and Matador Air starting at $230.

If you aren’t afraid of rocking a rather large shield lens, the Sutro line is a great option to consider. Whether you want full frame, half frame, or want a retro feel with the Sweep lens, you have plenty of options. Just be sure the longer temples will work with your helmet.

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