Oakley Velo Kato sunglasses

Oakley's superhero racing glasses are bigger and bolder

- Words Will Strickson Photography Joe McGorty

Four years ago, when the original Oakley Kato wraparound sunglasses first appeared, they looked radical and, well... weird. But in that time they've slowly been assimilated into cycling culture. Maybe it was thanks to the sprinting success of Mark Cavendish, Jasper Philipsen and co; maybe it was the similar designs that emerged from other brands such as 100%, Scicon and Rapha; maybe it was the promotion by football megastar Kylian Mbappé. Whatever it was, they've become almost normal. So Oakley decided to rock the boat again.

The new Velo Kato glasses are quite literally bigger and better. Unlike the original, this version has been designed specifically for cycling. With that aim, Oakley decided it needed an even bigger field of vision and better performance in the wind than before, and it's easy to spot those features in the finished product.

The fix is in

The updated Prizm lens takes the PhysioMorphic geometry – the curved, one-piece design – a step further, with a slightly wider and taller shape, and it's thicker too for increased rigidity.