(Queue narration from Patton Oswalt)
It was the early 1990 something, and Oakley was on the warpath to create something new, something bold. They already made a name for themselves with the Factory Pilot Eyeshades, Blades, Mumbos/M Frames, and Frogskins, but what was next? Jim Jannard and his mad scientists created their 5th model, the Sub Zero. This was an extremely light, frameless design that was also a radical departure from other sunglasses available at the time. To celebrate their 30th anniversary, Oakley is rereleasing the original Sub Zero in modern materials, along with a modern reimagining of the original, the RE:Sub Zero.
The original Sub Zero from 1992 featured a one-piece, dual orbital frameless shield design made from Oakley’s Plutonite material. The straight stem temples connected high on the lens and used Oakley’s Unobtainium ear socks and nose bombs. They weighed in at a scant 0.69 ounces, but could still stop a 12 gauge shotgun blast from 15 yards, along with UV rays. They were only produced for about 3 years before being replaced.
The first three versions had an enclosed orbital lens (lens inside of the shield), though Oakley released their N versions that were intended for military use that opened the lens to the bottom of the frame. Eventually, they were released to the public, and versions 4-6, and the N2T (named after another of Jannard’s companies, and was later used as the call sign for one of the Oakley corporate jets) kept this N style.
Eventually, the Zero line replaced the Sub Zero and created some wild designs using similar concepts. They kept a similar single shield appearance with the dual orbital lenses. Temples attached high on the lens, and Unobtainium ear socks and nose bombs stayed.
In more modern times, Oakley launched what seemed to be the heir apparent to the Sub Zero Line, the EV Zeros. These frames used a similar design with a dual orbital style shield with temples mounted high on the lens. Oakley offered multiple shapes and colors, including a more radical-looking silver and Prizm Field lens with green fade temples for the Brazil 2016 Olympics.
It seems though, the true reincarnation will be the upcoming release from Oakley, the RE:Sub Zero. As part of the Kato/Encoder family, it will use a sculpted shield that is shaped and designed to provide rigidity that feels like a more traditional framed design. Oakley calls this PhysioMorphic Geometry. There are three nose pieces that come with it to provide the right fit to tuck your nose inside the sculpted part of the lens. As for the temples, the RE:Sub Zero uses the outer Icon to bolt through the lens and hold the temple in place. More to come when we can get our hands on a pair. Pricing is not yet known, but my guess would be in the $250-275 range.
There will be another release to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original Sub Zero. We’ll call them the Collector’s Sub Zero for now, but these four pairs celebrate the original but use modern materials, including Prizm lenses. Available in Prizm Black, Sapphire, and Road, collectors and nostalgics alike will enjoy the Carbon Fiber, Fingerprint, and Planet X finishes based on the original pairs. In total, 5,000 pair of each color will be released. At $265, they won’t be cheap, but not nearly as high as limited Oakley MUZM X Metal Collectors set that recreated 14 pair of the original Juliet and Romeo in 3D printed titanium and Prizm lenses. The set sold for $14,000. The Eye Jacket MUZM release, which paired the original Eye Jackets in updated materials with the Eye Jacket Redux, in a numbered set limited to 250, originally sold for $459, and is currently selling for around double that on the secondary market.
Release dates are not yet known, but rumors are Late-March or April.
RE:Sub Zero
- Steel w/ Prizm Black (OO9098-0148)
- Carbon Fiber w/ Prizm Ruby (OO9098-0248)
- Planet X Blue w/ Prizm Sapphire (OO9098-0348)
- Matte Black w/ Prizm Dark Golf (OO9098-0548)
Collectors Sub Zero
- Carbon Fiber w/ Prizm Black (OO9468-0130)
- Steel w/ Prizm Sapphire (OO9468-0230)
- Fingerprint w/ Prizm Black (OO9468-0330)
- Planet X w/ Prizm Road (OO9468-0430)
www.oakley.com
Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Scott joined Bike World News as the Cyclocross Editor in 2012 before taking over as Tech Editor in 2016. He has also worked as a photographer for various pro teams and shoot races along the east coast of the US, including the 2012 US MTB National Championships, 2013 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, and 2016 UCI Road World Championships. Scott has a passion for performance and technology, with 35 years of riding and mechanic experience. He also enjoys soccer, running, teaching group fitness classes, and is the founder of Lancaster Beard Company.
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