Oakley Castel sunglasses review

Oakley’s Castel sunglasses are designed to span the gap between pure performance and off-bike fashion wear.

While the styling is more sartorially acceptable off the bike than many rival glasses, the Castels don’t skimp on performance features.

Priced at £185 / $224, they feature a quality Oakley frame and top-notch Prizm lenses.

Oakley Castel details

The Castel glasses feature the polarised version of the highly rated, high-clarity Prizm lens. Here, its blue tint is intended to match the Blue Steel colourway of the brand’s BiO-Matter frames.

BiO-Matter is a new frame material from Oakley that’s made from Castor-bean derived bio resin, which Oakley claims is a more environmentally sustainable material. Unlike previously used plastics, it’s said to be biodegradable.

The Prizm Deep Water polarized lens on this version is designed for bright light conditions.

Even though the exterior finish of the mirrored lens is blue, looking through it gives a rose-coloured tint. The lens offers 12 per cent light transmission and meets CAT3 standards, blocking out 100 per cent of harmful UV rays.

The Castel comes with only a soft cleaning bag. Ideally, I’d have liked a case to have been included considering the asking price.

Oakley Castel performance

The sweep shape of the lens and the sprung arms mean on-bike retention is good, although the fixed-position nose bridge means the glasses can bounce a little when riding on rougher surfaces.

The twin-lens design, set within the sweeping outline, is a smart idea – it leaves a 20mm-wide and 15mm-deep hole in the centre of the frame, which provides a useful channel for airflow. In short, the Castel glasses don’t fog up easily.

The lenses are replaceable, with replacement sets available in five colourways for £59 a pair. The Castel glasses are available with prescription lenses too.

In typical Prizm fashion, the lens ramps up contrast and works especially well in dappled light conditions such as woodland and wide-open countryside.

It also enhances the texture of roads well, which is great when riding on rougher surfaces.

The off-bike friendly design might not mark the Oakley Castels out as the first choice for cycling duties, and the fixed nose bridge means they're not ideal for gravel riding. However, on the road and for urban and commuting use especially, they have all the great qualities I’d expect from Oakley cycling sunglasses.

They have brilliant lens quality, a comfortable fit and a superb finish.

The high nose bridge and wide design make the Castels a good fit for larger faces, although the 50mm depth of the lenses doesn’t look out of place on smaller heads.

At 26.5g, the Castels are light enough to go relatively unnoticed when riding.

Oakley Castel bottom line

The Oakley Castels are well-designed multi-use cycling glasses that work well on the road and look great off it.

Sense of style is, of course, subjective, but if you’re looking for sunglasses for work, rest and play, the Castels are worthy contenders.