Polarized performance with style, the new Oakley Square Wire 2.0
 

Total Score: 7.75

Introduction: Oakley is one of the largest most popular manufactures of ultra-stylish sunglasses. In recent months Oakley's polarized lineup has continued to grow, and now includes more feature rich versions like the new Square Wire 2.0; we take a look at these sleek optics to see how well they fare for angling.
 

About Oakley: Oakley is a powerhouse brand that has expanded their lineup beyond just stylish sunglasses. Today consumers can find goggles, watches, apparel, and even footwear sporting the Oakley logo. Oakley became famous for developing hi-tech wrap around optics that are high quality and right at home in a variety of sports. Today Oakley has 11 lines of different polarized glasses for anglers to pick from.

Impressions: It has been over a year since I last reviewed a pair of Oakley sunglasses, and I was eager to see what advancements this manufacturer had made. The Square Wire 2.0 is a extremely hi-tech looking pair of optics. A lot of people prefer the plastic framed Oakleys but I have always been a fan of the "wire" designs which are more sleek and portable. The first thing I noticed about the SW2.0 was that they fit much better then any other Oakley Wire frame I have ever tried on, this is due to the integration of a new spring hinge that moves outward for an adaptable fit. These frames look and felt very high quality, but how well would they perform in the field?

Real World Test: What better way to test a stylish pair of new optics then to go sight fishing in some clear lakes for spawning bass? On recent trips out I have noticed bass bedded up in less then 4 feet of water, but usually I would see them when I was practically on top of their nests, at which point even bouncing baits off their backs couldn't entice a strike. I hoped that these new polarized lenses would help me see further ahead of the boat, so I would have a chance to present a lure before spooking the fish.
 

Performance:  The purpose of polarized lenses is to provide 100% UV protection, and reduce glare to improve your sight into water. There are many polarized lenses that use "drop forming" which places a polarized layer of film between two lens layers. The benefit of this is that the polarized layer cannot be scratched off, but the downside is that this sometimes results optical distortion. Oakley uses a molecular bonding process to infuse the actual lenses with lightweight PlutoniteŽ lens material, to create the polarized filters.

The Square Wire comes in 4 different frame/lens combinations. We chose to test the platinum frames with brown lenses. We noticed that these lenses did absolutely great in hazy overcast or lower light conditions but didn't quite offer enough protection in extremely bright conditions. When facing the mid-day sun with no cloud cover it would be a better choice to opt for the dark grey lenses. What these brown lenses are good for is enhancing visibility when close to the water. Without straining I was able to see through the light vegetation to bass hanging beside or within structure. These sunglasses enhance color so nicely that when I removed them everything actually seemed somewhat dull.

During the test we cruised into a rocky outcropping lined with tules, arching forward I could see all the way to the bank, and could make out the shapes of fish over 5 feet down near some structure. When I removed the sunglasses the glare on the surface made it considerably more difficult to spot the fish, so difficult that I would have easily missed them had I not been wearing a pair of polarized optics. I proceeded to flip a brush hog onto into the tules and retrieve it slowly in front of the fish. When the lure moved past the fish it turned to acknowledge the lure but didn't strike. I retrieved back and pitched the hog again, still no take. Then on the third try I could see with complete clarity as the bass lurched forward and slammed the hog. Since I could see the actual strike setting was immediate, and a minute later I lipped the fish.