The Oakley Crosshairs are an aviator's best ally. These sunglasses, after a temporary break, have made a comeback in my flight kit, providing clear vision even on modern flight displays.
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These glasses were in my bag for nearly 5 years and were a delight on a sunny day. Sadly, they met their end a few years ago when the frame cracked and I subjected myself to a 'This is why you cannot have nice things" punishment until last month.
That is over and these are a tool for the job - so they are again in my flight kit.
Let's get into the nitty-gritty of why these shades are a cut above the rest and deserve a special callout on my site. When your life revolves around soaring through the skies, your eyes need top-tier protection from the harsh sunlight coming over the horizon during takeoff and landing, or at high altitudes. That's where the Oakley Crosshairs come in. They do more than just shield your eyes - they actually enhance your vision.
Not all lenses are created equal, especially when viewing CRT or LED flight displays. Polarized lenses reduce glare by filtering out the vertical light waves that bounce off horizontal surfaces. While this sounds beneficial, and indeed it can be for certain applications, this filtering effect can cause distortion or complete blackouts when looking at modern screens. This applies not only to flight displays but pretty much any LED or CRT out there. So with the Oakley Crosshairs non-polarized lenses, you can see the screens in the flight deck with clarity.
The other thing I found fascinating about these glasses is that in bright, cloudy conditions (think the fog in LA as the sun is coming up) I have found that you can actually see the runway environment sooner on approach than without them. Those few seconds can make the difference between landing or going around and diverting to another airport.
I actually got the opportunity to recall how well these worked flying into Boston Logan last week. At the time of landing visibility was 1/4 Mile, Fog, and Overcast at 200 Feet. I was able to pick out the approach lights with the glasses about 50 feet sooner than I could when I lifted the lenses up. Why do I lift them up? Well aside from wanting the data for this article, it's a courtesy to my flying partner who does not have superior vision wearing Oakleys and might not be able to see the lights or runway environment yet. :)
I'm glad I decided my nice thing time-out was over and I've once again invested $200 into the realm of quality sunglasses. The Oakley Crosshairs are definitely worth the splurge but remember - they are not the kind you casually throw into your bag. Unless you're someone who enjoys parting with their money frequently, always carry these gems in their case.
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Original Pair:
January 12th, 2015 - June 20th, 2020 | RIP
(I mean, I guess I got almost 5 years out of the first pair, that isn't too bad)
New Pair:
June 28th, 2023 - ???
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