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Goggles

Oakley Fall Line 2017-2018 Snowboard Goggles Review

  • Price: £140-180 / €159-209
  • Frame/Strap: Factory Pilot Blackout / Prizm Jade Iridium
  • oakley.com

UPDATE: Check out our review of the 2018/2019 Oakley Fall Line here

New for 2017/18, the Oakley Fall Line snowboard goggle takes the enhanced peripheral vision of the Oakley Line Miner, and adapts it to a more ‘frameless’ design. It’s not gone 100% down that road, as there’s a small section of frame at the nose, but essentially that’s what’s going on in the Fall Line.

“The Oakley Fall Line boasts a cylindrical lens that fully focuses on delivering an unobstructed view of the field ahead”

Like its predecessor, the Oakley Fall Line boasts a cylindrical lens that fully focuses on delivering an unobstructed view of the field ahead. The frame isn’t overly huge, so unless you’ve got a giant melon then these will fit comfortably whether or not you wear a helmet.

The ‘Ridgelock’ lens-changing system has been ported over from Oakley’s leading frameless snowboard goggles, the Oakley Flight Deck. Pull the frame up at the top and the lens comes free, then work your way around releasing the rest of the hold points.

Then reverse the process to put the new lens in, making the most of the malleable frame. Slightly quicker systems are available, but if you’d rather spend a few more seconds getting an utterly fail-proof fit, then Ridgelock has you covered.

“There are no fewer than eleven different colourways from which to choose, and lens tints for every occasion (including the excellent Prizm lenses)”

Despite being so close to your face, there’s still room for a pair of prescription glasses should you need it. Tiny gaps on either side of the frame allow the arms of your glasses to sit securely and comfortably within the goggles, but you’ll never notice them if you don’t need them.

There are no fewer than eleven different colourways from which to choose, and lens tints for every occasion (including the excellent Prizm lenses with improved contrast and reduced eye fatigue).

The unique style of the Oakley Fall Line is bound to turn a few heads this year, and maybe it could sit comfortably on yours.

Tester’s Verdict

Ed Blomfield – whitelines.com

“I’ve tried many Oakley goggles over the years and these are hands down my favourite yet. If you’ve got a large head like me, then both practicality and fashion demand a bigger frame. The new Fall Line model, though, manages to tick that box whilst staying very neat and tidy; it’s a modern shape that somehow combines the best of frameless with a more classic look. By comparison, the popular Flight Deck looks enormous.

“It’s a modern shape that somehow combines the best of frameless with a more classic look”

The foam hugged my face perfectly, providing a firm but comfortable fit. OK, the peripheral vision isn’t quite as vast as some of the more fly-like eyewear on the market – if I peered about I could just make out the edge of the foam – but it was never a distraction and was a price worth paying for such a great-looking – and great-feeling – frame.

Best of all, however, are the Prizm lenses. Many brands are now attempting to imitate Oakley’s advances in optimized light filtration but these are still the best. The Jade Iridium version I tried are made for sunshine and patchy cloud; they offered insane clarity and detail – you can really see the contrast in the mountain landscape, from the rocks and shadows of a couloir to distant powder lines that are sharply defined.

All this in a stylish, cylindrical shape that even promises to allow for prescription eyewear (aka glasses) to be worn underneath, thanks to discreet notches in the corner. Brilliant.”

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