Oakley’s stunning shades were launched to celebrate the Manx Missile’s attempt to break the Tour de France stage-win record.

I felt like a cycling superhero from the 25th century in Oakley’s Kato Cavendish Edition sunglasses. The lens clarity approached polarised levels without the distracting artefacts that can bring, proving Oakley is in a class of its own where optics are concerned. However the price is just as staggering as the mask-like design which is already bound to divide opinion. See how it compares against the rest of the best cycling glasses.

Men’s Fitness verdict

Excellent coverage and clarity with a futuristic design. Their Prizm lens enhances contrast, making details pop. Adjustable arms ensure a secure fit, boosting confidence while riding.
Pros
  • Stupendous lens clarity
  • Superhero lens color
  • Zero glare
Cons
  • Hefty price
  • Fiddly arms
  • Attention-grabbing design
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Oakley Kato Cavendish Edition features

When it comes to pushing the limits of what sunglasses can look like, Oakley isn’t shy, and neither is Mark Cavendish. So, it was apt that riding in these futuristic Tron shades made me feel like a mash-up of Cav and Buck Rogers – in a good way.

Cycling sunglasses try to chase the holy trinity of coverage, field of view and frame retention. I can report that the Kato’s Prizm 24K lens design slays on all three fronts, albeit with a design that is going to scare off traditionalists.

Riding on a bright day with the sun high in the sky showed off the qualities of the lens, which transformed every scene into ’golden hour’. And even though they only let in 11% of light, the increased contrast of the Prizm lens meant road markings and other details still jumped out at me, even in the shade.

Because the shape of the Katos extends the lens coverage so far around your head, it seems like the lens is floating in front of you – even the arms seem to disappear out of your peripheral vision.

Talking of the arms, you’ll likely need to fiddle with their adjustable rake to get a good fit. Out of the box, they were too resolutely straight not to foul my helmet straps. There’s a little door you need to lift open on the inside of the arm pivot. It isn’t immediately obvious at first glance, but is well worth persevering with.

Oakley Kato Cavendish Edition performance

You can’t hide at the back of the bunch in these sunglasses. Then again, I found that the performance benefits of such pin-sharp lens clarity gave me a massive confidence boost when I did put the hammer down. Bugs, dirt and bad vibes were all batted out of my sight, as I clocked everything on the road in perfect detail, but with zero glare.

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