Oakley's New MTB Range Includes Clothing & A Greg Minnaar Helmet - Eurobike 2018

Jul 9, 2018
by Alex Evans  
DRT 5 Helmet

Oakley's long-standing presence in mountain biking is put firmly into context when Greg Minnaar says that it's his 21st year with the brand. Despite all of this time together, Oakley's new DRT5 helmet is the first product Greg has been so deeply involved with developing. Having spent two years working on it together, the lid is now ready for release.

The Landing Pad will store and secure your glasses
The Landing Pad will store and secure your glasses

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It's Oakley's first foray into the MTB helmet market and while Oakley always put emphasis on safety and fit, Greg thought the lid needed to look fast. Working with Oakley's designers to have the helmet flowing at the front and then stopping with hectic speed at the back. Greg likened the design to someone with long hair sticking their head out of a car window - the front is all smooth and sleek, while the back is chaotic and crazy. Although the helmet doesn't quite look chaotic, we understand what he means about it looking fast.

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Being Oakley, the other important consideration was that the helmet needed to integrate with sunglasses and goggles seamlessly. There's a sunglass retention system called the Landing Pad on the back of the lid. This allows you to clip your sunnies to the purpose-made slots so that they don't go walkies or get covered with sweat on climbs.

The new DRT 5 helmet s Boa strap is thin and sleek which means it doesn t interfere with the arms of your glasses
The new DRT 5 helmet's Boa strap is thin and sleek which means it doesn't interfere with the arms of your glasses

The clips are secure enough to hold glasses in place even on the harshest of descents. The lid's peak as 6 defined positions which means you can move it well out of the way of your goggles when you're on your way to the top of the trail.

There isn t a huge number of pads in the new lid.
There isn't a huge number of pads in the new lid.
The silicone strip on the DRT 5 should redirect sweat away from your eyes and glasses
The silicone strip on the DRT 5 should redirect sweat away from your eyes and glasses

The lid also features MIPS technology and has very few internal pads. Greg assured us all that comfort hasn't been compromised though. The lid also has a silicone channel on the front to take sweat away from your eyes and glasses and channel it down the side of your head. The new lid is going to retail for $200.

Goggles will fit under the peak easily when it s in its highest position.
Goggles will fit under the peak easily when it's in its highest position.


Field Jacket & Flight Jacket

Oakley's new glasses are certainly bold looking. They're crammed with Oakley's standard features but also have a new party trick. The nose piece is attached to a small lever that, when pushed, moves the glasses further away from your face.

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The new nose peice in the extended position on the Field Jacket.
The new nose peice in the extended position on the Field Jacket.

This, Oakley claims, will help reduce steaming up when you stop on the climbs. The Feild and Flight Jackets both retail from $212 to around $250 for the range-topping glasses.

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The flight jacket doesn t have a top frame to help with your field of vision.
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The flight jacket doesn't have a top frame to help with your field of vision.

MTB Specific Airbrake and O Frame 2.0 MTB

In addition to the new lid and glasses, Oakley are introducing a range of MTB specific goggles based on the popular Airbrake and O Frame 2.0 MTB. The main difference between the MX and MTB models is the thin mesh over the air vents where you'd normally find a thicker foam. Oakley say the better venting helps reducing fogging and also reduces heat build up. The Airbrake will retail for $160 and the lower O Frame 2.0 MTB is set to go on sale at $60.

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Like the Airbrake the cheaper O Frame has MTB specific features
Like the Airbrake, the cheaper O Frame has MTB specific features

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The mesh venting stops debris getting in but has higher airflow than a foam section.
Oakely s MTB Specific Airbrake keeps all of the same functionality as the moto goggle.
The mesh venting stops debris getting in but has higher airflow than a foam section. Oakely's MTB Specific Airbrake keeps all of the same functionality as the moto goggle.


MTB Riding Kit

Oakley has also launched a full clothing range should you wish to deck yourself out in O.

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MENTIONS: @oakley


Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Helmets Sunglasses Goggles Oakley Greg Minnaar


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88 Comments
  • 54 0
 I'm appreciating the over all "Boba Fett" -ness of that DRT 5 helmet.
  • 1 0
 Agreed, beside the fresh greenish goose s**t color, it ticks all the box for a great lid, imho...of course
  • 5 0
 @freerabbit: I can't say i get close enough to gooseshit to notice the color. I mean Fett had four lines in two movies and action figures are still worth 28k. I'd say that green is pretty BAD ASS.

www.ebay.com/itm/Star-Wars-Kenner-21-B-Back-Boba-Fett-Figure-MOC-AFA-90-Unpunched/223028703992?hash=item33ed8bf2f8:g:troAAOSwCyFbLW9m
  • 7 0
 Boba Fett wouldn't be seen getting eaten in a Sarlacc Pit in that thing.
  • 1 0
 No, that was the Bell Super 2

media.karousell.com/media/photos/products/2017/02/02/bell_super_2r_star_wars_bomba_fett_limited_edition_large_1485974233_5c0b7864.jpg
  • 2 0
 @vt612: They tried too hard on that helmet. The adult version of that is what oakley just put out.
  • 4 0
 @ReformedRoadie: I'm still not happy that's how he came to his end.
  • 1 0
 @raditude: Is he really dead though? Sarlacc takes millennia to digest its food.
  • 2 0
 @bsedola: Ya know, i didn't want to prove i was the biggest nerd. Disney made it official that he indeed survived back in 2015. I mean, the giant mouse knows how to rape and pillage. Never bet the Fett.
  • 2 0
 @bsedola: IT happened "Long, long ago..." so maybe he's still in there.

Personally, I am still wrapping my head around Darth Maul's recent appearance.
  • 1 0
 @ReformedRoadie: Darth Maul? Awww
  • 1 0
 Isn´t it more like the Endor rebel trooper´s helmet?
  • 2 0
 @THExDUKE: Betcha no one thought this thread would descend into star wars.
  • 1 0
 @raditude: I mean, seriously - as a product manager, you have to be a geek bringing up such a helmet with such a design. But I can tell you that he is our only hope! Smile

Edit:
Oh just thinking of it. Imagine those ad campaigns

"From the battlefields of Endor, straight on to your trails of desire! To serve and protect the toughest! May the force descend you!"
  • 20 1
 "The flight jacket doesn't have a top frame to help with your field of vision."

For the last 29 years Oakley has been selling us the M-Frame with no bottom frame to (pause for effect) "help with your field of vision".

I'm so tired of the endless marketing bullish!t.
  • 3 1
 Don't forget the EV Zero, with no frame at all to hellp your field of vision. Or the Wind Jacket 2.0, with a gigantic frame... to help keep it out of your field of vision. Maybe Jupiter the frog does all their FOV testing?
  • 1 0
 I think the reason they don't have a top frame is because when you use the nose piece to push them away from your face, it actually pushes the top out/into field of view. So by eliminating this, it will help you to still see properly in the vented position.
  • 1 0
 dub
  • 2 1
 What the Luxottica owned Oakley is trying to do is to separate you from as much cash as possible without giving you much in return. I love Oakley sunglasses - been wearing them for more than 20 year exclusively. Recently though, they changed their policy and they will no longer fit prescription into your older frames - anything made pre-2018, and they don't support the majority of their sport glasses for prescription. Also, the lens selection for prescription has gotten very narrow. So... yeah great company getting destroyed by a behemoth that is Luxottica.
  • 18 0
 I love Oakley stuff, but that peak seems a bit "Ah, f**k it, that'll do."
  • 16 2
 All of the above products: Meh.
  • 9 0
 But if the $250 sunglasses don’t fog up, why would I need to take them off and clip them to the back of my helmet?

Also, I find it amusing that the helmet has MIPS, but then they put two giant hooks on the back of it to catch on things and jerk your head around during a crash. Sigh.
  • 8 0
 Not a fan of the lid, looks dated already, as for the new Field Jacket design to help reduce fogging up, nope, all Oakley's fog / mist up, always have done, probably always will, and yet I still buy them.
  • 5 4
 As long as you have wented lens it’s fine. I have the Jawbones and the difference between vented and non vented lenses is gigantic when it comes to fogging. It has to be outside of +5C and +30C to get issues with that. It’s also a matter of knowing them, like if it rains and you stop for a while, even though they start to get foggy, don’t take them off for longer than 30sec. As soon as you start rolling they will be fine in a matter of few hundred meters or several meters when going downhill. But if you take them off for some longer time and they get cold, forget about it.
  • 1 0
 i got a pair of racing jackets and as long as i moved, never had any problems with foggins, vented or non vented lenses. Idem with my Crowbar MX goggles
  • 1 0
 You can get yourself some anti-fog spray and even $10 items will not fog up. You can even have $200 lenses but after couple of rides/wipes they will start to fog up. Get the spray and you don't have to worry about that anymore.
  • 1 2
 @Archimonde: whixh make? I tried a few and they were all sht
  • 2 0
 @WAKIdesigns: The Muc Off stuff is pretty good.
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Only had Muc-Off one, and does it job as advertised.
  • 6 0
 That "Landing Pad" looks more like a Launch Pad for your glasses when you hit the first branch or shrubbery with your helmet.
  • 4 0
 I’ve been riding the mtb specific “smith squad mtb” goggle for the last few seasons. Having no foam makes all the difference in the world when it comes to fogging. Good on Oakley for stepping into this realm. Stoked to have more options!
  • 1 0
 That mesh looks like it does the trick. It will save me having to pull that foam out of a new pair of goggles so I can actually see when riding.
  • 1 0
 @loganm2977: just pull out the tearoff pins, allowing a little air to flow in the front. No fogging - ever
  • 1 0
 Squads are good, but I find dirt can get into the goggle on muddy days, thin mesh like Oakley has is the right answer.
  • 1 0
 @gramboh: I agree completely that the mesh is a better solution. I’m just happy to see companies acknowledging that a moto goggle isn’t exactly a perfect product for mountain bikers.
  • 4 0
 dunno if it's only me, but I wear contacts and sometimes when going at speed and circulating air increases, and being super focused blinking less, the contacts dry out and vision gets blurry for a couple seconds until I blink several times. It sucks.
And that happens with the foam, I guess no foam would make it worse :/
  • 1 0
 @ismasan: that's more a product of the style contact lens you wear. Talk with your eye doctor. Mine switched me a few times to help. Still wear clear riding glasses or goggles when I ride to keep them from drying which happens to all contacts, but the right material can do wondera
  • 1 1
 The goggles by themselves are great. But the lens durability is terrible. Have two pairs (old and new model) and all the lenses cracked where the tear-off pins are. And the cracks are just getting bigger. Cracks started even after a first ride. Really cannot recommend that kind of poor quality.
  • 1 0
 @Archimonde: that’s interesting and unfortunate. What climate do you ride in typically? Curious to know if that plays a roll in your lens issues. I’ve been running mine for 3 seasons now with no cracking. One of my lenses needs to be replaced due to a million little micro scratches, but that’s to be expected over time.
  • 1 0
 @jjalessi: don't know what climate would that be, mild Mediterranean, but riding in all kinds of conditions. The lenses (smoked and clear) on the first goggle started to crack but thought it's because I swapped them couple of times (as gentle as possible). But I left the smoked one and didn't swap them no more. Then it still continued to crack and I went to buy another lense. The price was almost as much as a new goggle so I bought the latter. After one ride the lens started to crack the same way as others. I want to make a point that I'm very gentle with my stuff. Very disappointing =(
  • 1 0
 @ismasan: Exact reason I am now using goggles (smith squad chromos). I love em, purely for the fact that I dont have dry eyes going into a wooded section or rock garden at speed. I can actually see now! I would suspect no foam would be a little worse, but nothing like straight glasses. So far I really like my squads and I really dont get fogging. I try to wear on dh mostly, but even climbing up some slopes these things dont fog. Guess I got a good anti-fog coating still
  • 1 0
 @rordn21: oh, I was saying that it happens to me with goggles.

@bizutch: I've tried several and I'm already using good stuff, I guess it's just the way it is.
  • 5 0
 I love Oakley and have a bunch of their gear, but I'm scared to know how much that stuff is going to retail for here in SA...
  • 2 0
 if it even lands SA.
  • 7 0
 When Greg wears that helmet it looks fast. Me - not so much.
  • 2 0
 Oakley makes cool stuff, but i’d Look terrible in it.
  • 1 0
 Not everyone looks like Greg. If I stick my head out the window of a moving car, sure the back looks chaotic and crazy. But that doesn't make the front look smooth and sleek. It will remain every bit as chaotic and crazy.
  • 5 0
 oakley should just stay in sunglasses and apparel. this helmet is kinda. eh. unrefined i guess.
  • 5 0
 The nose piece reminds me of the Opti-Grab...
  • 1 0
 So the lack of pads covering where the MIPS attaches to the helmet. Have they ever actually tested this on someone with long hair? Giro does something similar and all it does is grab my hair and make it nearly impossible to get the helmet off without ripping out hair. Seriously, can we have more people with long hair test helmets!
  • 1 0
 no just bald guys
  • 3 0
 Catch 22 on the “jacket” sunglasses....
Wear them with your helmet: look cool be protected
Wear them without: look like a tool be rejected
  • 3 1
 Just tried it at the Oakley booth, really hard to get glasses into the holders with one hand, so it's a stop, flip up the holders, insert glasses, resume riding kind of experience.
  • 1 0
 That sweat strip in the Oakley helmet is a life changer! I'm using the Halo V Sweatband for a couple of months now, and I'm glad I can ride now without any sweat in my eyes, but the sweatband is quite warm on hot days, so only the sweat strip in the helmet would be super nice!
  • 2 0
 The lid looks very nice. However, the placement of the glasses baffles me, I feel like I would be constantly bashing them into low branches.
  • 1 0
 first thing I thought as well. if the glasses are tucked into a front or rear vent at least the 'frontal profile' is the same. Why they did it this way is a real head-scratcher.
  • 1 0
 Does MTB specific also mean it fits within competitor lids too? I find that the airbrake MX jams up against the top portion of the Giro Switchblade, pushing the goggles down the nose. it's very annoying.
  • 3 0
 This is a big reason oakley got into the helmet buisness to begin with, some popular alpine helmets (some POC models and others) would not fit the newer Oakleys so oakley made the mod 3 and 5.

Eye wear and helmet compatibilty is a bigger issue now that halflids are getting more fullcut with ear and temple protection. Get it wrong and its a pain full experience.

Oakley had a mtb gear collection some years ago, still have a jersey that i like from that time. Good to see them back.
  • 1 0
 Why is no helmet letting air over the forehead? That sweat is brought away is nice, but if i am riding uphil with a helmet i hate the standing air at the forehead.
  • 2 0
 At least Oakley didn't use the ugliest color on the planet when debuting their already weird looking helmet.... oh, wait....
  • 1 0
 FWIW, Oakley's road helmet didn't get good marks for ventilation over here... cyclingtips.com/2018/06/oakley-aro5-helmet-review-feelin-hot-hot-hot
  • 1 0
 I hope those shorts are at least knee length for those of us that are 6'1 and taller. Shorts these days are so short on a guy like me it looks like I'm wearing daisy dukes.
  • 2 0
 I switched from Oakley to Smith years ago. They have great products and the customer service is waaay better!
  • 1 0
 First Assy guy tires, now assy hat lid guy. No disrespect but I hope Minnaar heals up and gets back to doing what he does best...... Smoking everybody.
  • 1 0
 Way to go Luxotica. Producing more WAY overpriced BS Plastic. Luxotica. They have a mad monopoly on Glasses, Sunglasses, eyewear etc. Do your research people.
  • 2 0
 I’m surprised they didn’t call the lid asshat.
  • 1 0
 why didnt they have the goggles go backwards? it looks much cleaner that way
  • 2 0
 POC and Fox Head co-labed on a helmet.
  • 3 1
 Oakleys make the shades that transform a tool.
  • 1 0
 into a Weezer
  • 1 0
 Mmm pork and beans
  • 1 0
 I wonder how hard it would be to retrofit something like that mesh into my current o frames.
  • 2 0
 oh thank god, a place to put the sunglasses i never wear
  • 1 0
 Nice to see Oakley back in the mtb clothing game. Really liked their ballistic shorts back in the day.
  • 1 0
 Those Glasses look TERRIBLE!!! Who the f*ck wants a Nose Bonner on the front of the Nose piece?!?! NOPE
  • 2 0
 Oakley makes some ugly ass glasses!
  • 1 0
 Oakley bros can STILL wear their glasses backward on the back of their heads. Winning!
  • 2 1
 That looks like a great design.
  • 2 1
 Directly out of the NHL Big Grin
  • 2 0
 so enduro !!
  • 1 1
 I was thinking the same thing -- could possibly be the most enduro thing ever posted on this site, and that includes any reviews of a Specialized Enduro.
  • 1 0
 Came in swinging on the helmet design... not bad.
  • 1 0
 NOT INTERCHANGEABLE LENSES !
  • 2 1
 There will soon be half-shell helmet options that are 100% better.
  • 1 0
 Oakley should just make glasses and clothing....
  • 1 0
 Nice stuff!
  • 1 0
 Shaved head upon impact
  • 1 0
 Never go FULL ENDURO!!.







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