We’re always wearing eyewear when riding, especially at the first hint of sunshine, and also to prevent mud/grit/flies from entering the eye department, and even more especially if you wear contact lenses, as we do. No matter the conditions, we’ve always got some eyewear at the ready.

The big problem is finding the right tint for the very changeable conditions in the UK, and for trail variations. You might be cruising along the top of the moor in bright sunshine one minute, and then diving through the woods the next. Obviously one tint won’t work in both situations.

What you need is photochromatic lenses. Put simply, the brighter it is the darker the lenses, and the darker it is the lighter the lenses get. Specialized launched their range of Adaptalite optics with the Chicanes and Shifty last year. But where the Specialized featured styling which can only be described as distinctive, the Oakley’s use their existing range of stylish and well-liked frames. The Half Jackets pictured here combine all the styling and features (indestructible lenses, massive range of tints and 100% UV protection) that Oakley built their reputation on. Currently only VR50 and Black Persimmon tints are available in six frame designs- Racing Jacket, Monster Dog, Crosshair, Bottlecap, Half Jacket and the Whisker.

We’ve got a pair of Half Jackets on test and pretty snazzy they look too. We’ll be testing them out over the next couple of weeks, we’ll report on how the lenses perform.

Visit www.oakley.com for more on their vast range.