Verdict: Top quality glasses with a standout lens 

Pros

+ Prizm lens quality
+ Excellent lens coverage
+ Cool aesthetics
+ No fogging
+ Replaceable lenses 

Cons

– Arms needed to be fitted under helmet straps to be secure
– Lens replacement process a little finicky

• from £168 / $214 / €188 

Oakley’s Sutro Lite glasses share the same retro-inspired look as the Sutro but with a semi-rimless design, which the brand claims allows for a greater field of view and improved ventilation. 

I’ve found the Sutro Lite to be impressive performers in testing, with the standout Prizm lens continuing to be leaps-and-bounds above the competition. There’s one annoying flaw you’ll need to learn to live with, though. 

Oakley Sutro Lite specifications and details 

The Sutro Lite is one of eight designs in the Sutro range – there’s the Sutro, Sutro S (a scaled-down Sutro) and Sutro Ti, with each model then having a ‘Sweep’ version, which uses the brand’s famous sweep lens shape. Rounding out the range are a vented lens option for the Sutro Lite Sweep and Sutro Ti Sweep. 

Oakley says the Sutro Lite’s design is inspired by the daily life of urban cyclists, with the high-wrap shield lens creating a bold look. 

Big glasses are the trend in cycling, with models such as the 100% S3, POC Devour and the Koo Hype’s to name a few, but the Sutro Lite’s are slightly more subdued than those examples. 

Oakley’s signature O-Matter frame material is claimed to be durable and provide all-day comfort, and the brand uses its Unobtanium rubber on the inside of the temple and the nose pad for optimal grip. 

The Sutro Lite’s are offered in 21 options, so there’ll likely be a frame colour and lens to suit you. 

I’ve got a custom set of Sutro Lite’s in for test, blending a ‘Matte Redline’ frame with a Prizm Road Iridium lens, which retail for £192. 

These glasses come with the Prizm Road Iridium lens, which have a 20 per cent light transmission and are optimised to accentuate the blacks and greys on the road. 

The lenses are interchangeable, so you could buy multiple lenses if you also want to use them for mountain biking or more casual use, for example, with a replacement Prizm lens setting you back £73 / $85 / €80 apiece. 

Be aware the lens replacement method differs from the Sutro and Sutro S. You first need to push the nosepiece back and disengage it from the frame, before pulling the frame away from the lens hooks and then working the lens out from the rest of the frame. 

This is reasonably straightforward, although it can be a little disconcerting pulling the frame away from the lens. You’ll also want to make sure the nose pad is kept in position, otherwise it can fall off the frame’s metal hook and the last thing you want to do is scratch your lens. 

There’s just one-size-fits-all for the Sutro Lite’s and my glasses tipped the scales at 32g – 1g lighter than the Sutro S’s. 

Oakley Sutro Lite performance 

I tested the glasses for three months from wintry conditions to warm and sunny days on road and gravel rides, and I’ve also used them casually. 

Starting with their appearance, I prefer the Sutro Lite’s look over the regular Sutro’s because the semi-rimless design doesn’t make their base stand out – although I appreciate that’s a subjective opinion. 

While they look a little odd for casual use, the retro-inspired aesthetic is certainly softer on the eye than the brand’s Encoder or Kato glasses, which are purely performance-oriented. 

You get an impressively wide field of view when the Sutro Lite’s are on your face, although you can just see where the arms meet the frame if you really look to the side. That said, the full frame of the Sutro’s doesn’t negatively intrude into your eyeline either, so it’s horses for courses. 

As is always the case with Oakley glasses, the Prizm lens is the star of the show. The visual clarity is superb, with zero distortion and the glasses have never fogged up outside of rain, even in humid conditions. You can easily pick out road imperfections and the lens gives you ample sun protection. 

While the Prizm Road lens is perfectly adequate for gravel riding, I prefer Oakley’s Prizm Trail option which accentuates greens and browns and would rather have this benefit on technical trails and take a slight hit on tarmac sections. 

My only real qualm with the Sutro Lite’s are that when worn outside of the helmet straps (as fashion dictates), they’d slip downward ever so slightly and require occasional adjustment. 

I think this happens because the arms are a little on the long side, rather than it being a fault of the Unobtanium rubber (which I’ve always found to perform as claimed). 

I found I needed to position the arms under my helmet straps to keep them secure and they never slipped. 

In terms of value, the Sutro Lite’s command a premium but as with any Oakley glasses, they’re an investment. I have no reason to suspect the frame won’t be durable and the Prizm lenses are worth stumping up for alone. 

100%’s S3 glasses are marginally cheaper at £150 / $139 /  €159 and while I really like their shape, the HiPER lens is a step-down from Oakley’s Prizm range. 

Oakley Sutro Lite bottom line 

Oakley’s Sutro Lite is an excellent addition to its popular Sutro line, with a superb Prizm lens and a cool aesthetic. 

The fact that I have to wear the glasses under my helmet straps for optimal security is a niggle, which prevents the Sutro Lite’s from scoring higher. 

That said, I’m sure I’ll still be reaching for the Sutro Lite’s for years to come.