Dirt Rider was invited out to Chaney Ranch in Warner Springs, California, to check out and ride with the new Oakley Prizm Lens. Since this lens is made via injection molding, it is only offered for the Oakley Airbrake and Mayhem Pro. What sets the Oakley Prizm Lens apart is that rather than blocking all wavelengths of light evenly, it is designed to lessen the transmission of some colors while leaving others alone, or amplifying them. By doing this, the lens is increasing the contrast, or difference, between each color that the eye sees making it easier for our eyes and brain to pick out different colors. It is like turning up the contrast and saturation when editing a photo, while, overall, lowering the light so it is still not as bright as plain daylight.
Why is this important? For motocross and off-road riding, being able to distinguish between a dry, wet, muddy, or sloppy section of track normally depends on what color the dirt is. Also, when picking lines we use shadows and dirt color to see ruts, bumps, holes, and other track irregularities, which is supposed to be easier with the Oakley Prizm Lens. For off-road riding, picking out tree trunks or embankments amongst the foliage is also a huge boon.
After a day on the track with the three different Prizm Lenses (MX Bronze, MX Black Iridium, and MX Jade Iridium) there is a noticeable difference between just a dark lens and the Prizm. The effect is basically like everything gets a little darker (not much darker) but colors are still bright and pop to the eye much more than a tinted lens. The Bronze has no coating and is the base lens for light or dark riding. The Jade makes greens stand out more and would be best for off-road riding. The Black is the darkest and is designed for full sun conditions.