Oakley's Prizm Shallow Water Polarized lenses are crafted to elevate your vision in freshwater environments. Designed for anglers and outdoor enthusiasts, these lenses enhance contrast and clarity, making it easier to spot fish and underwater details in shaded or sunlit waters.
Check out the Prizm Shallow Water lens on Amazon (which is often cheaper than Oakley's website).
If you want to know more about how brown lenses work, click here.
In This Review
Lens Specs | Oakley Prizm Shallow Water Polarized |
Technology | Prizm |
Lens Color | Officially rose, but it's brown |
Mirror Color | Green |
VLT | 15% |
ABBE | 30 |
Coatings | Mirror coating |
Material | Plutonite (polycarbonate) |
Weight | Light |
Scratch Resistance | Low |
Prescription Available | No |
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For a comprehensive guide on Oakley Prizm lenses, including specifications, lens coatings, impact resistance, scratch resistance, and care tips, read this detailed breakdown. This guide also highlights important considerations such as the limited coatings and lower scratch resistance of Prizm lenses.
The Oakley Prizm Shallow Water lens is exclusively available in polarized, and it's one of only two lenses in Oakley's Sport collection that feature polarization, alongside the Prizm Deep Water lens. Polarization is crucial in water environments to reduce glare, and enhance clarity and visibility. Although polarization can sometimes interfere with depth perception in fast-paced sports, as explained here, the benefits of polarized lenses in water-based activities far outweigh these concerns.
Is it eligible for prescription?
No. I do not know the reason why. There is a great alternative for prescription wearers, which we discuss in the lens comparison section below.
For non-prescription, Check out the Prizm Shallow Water lens on Amazon (which is often cheaper than Oakley's website).
How does the lens look?
The front has a solid deep green mirror.
The tint is brown, but the green mirror adds a bit of purple highlights, though that is hard to see. Oakley lists this lens as rose-based, like all other Prizm Sport lenses, but it is clearly not. There is no anti-reflective coating on the lens.
What does the view look like?
Adding warmth to sunglass lenses enhances the vibrancy and richness of your surroundings by reducing high-energy blue light, which often dulls other colors. Brown lenses are particularly effective at filtering blue light, outperforming green or red lenses to create a warmer and more colorful view. This increased warmth sharpens visual clarity while potentially boosting alertness, energy levels, and overall mood.
The Prizm Shallow Water Polarized does a good job of this. It has a warm view and is well-balanced, not leaning too red or yellow.
It has a very standard brown tint, and the Prizm technology does not work as well here as with other lenses, even brown tints like Prizm Ruby. Most Prizm lenses have a distinct color boost that makes the world a bit highlighted, especially the Sport line. The SWP does not. It may lack a "wow" factor other lenses do, but it does what it is designed to do, boost colors and add clarity in freshwater environments.
Sunny Conditions
These photos are what Oakley and other sources have used to show the view. Keep in mind that photos will never look as good as the real view looking through the sunglasses with your own eyes.
Interested in experiencing the Prizm Shallow Water lens for yourself? Check out the lens on Amazon (which is often cheaper than Oakley's website).
This photo is mostly accurate, but the water will have less glare because of the polarization. The tint is correct. Here is the same picture broken out:
This is also fairly accurate, though the sky will be redder.
Here is my simulation of how the lens looks:
The SWP does a good job of boosting colors, adding warmth, without any distracting distortion. The middle-of-the-road VLT keeps the view relatively bright, which is fine for everyone except light-sensitive people. Compared to a grey lens, which can feel a lot colder and duller in comparison:
None of these pictures shows why a brown polarized lens is ideal in shallow water. Here is a rendering of why that is true:
Cloudy Conditions
The Oakley Prizm Shallow Water lens performs well in overcast, hazy, and mixed-light conditions, offering solid color enhancement. Its warm tones improve visibility without overwhelming your vision, making it a good choice for these settings.
With a standard 15% VLT (Visible Light Transmission) percentage, the Prizm Shallow Water lens isn’t overly dark, providing decent comfort and clarity in low-light conditions.
Optimal and Suboptimal Viewing Conditions
As a really solid brown lens with a balanced 15% VLT, the Shallow Water lens works well in most conditions and will work great for its intended use of freshwater activities. Oakley got this lens tint correct. The brown tint is better than a rose tint for the stated purpose of inshore sports. I don't know why they called it a rose lens but brown is the right choice.
It will also be a good choice to drive with, being polarized and brown. They work well in overcast as well, adding warmth and color to lifeless days. They can be a bit darker though, so they work better on brighter overcast days.
In full sun it may feel too "hot" after prolonged use but it will still be comfortable. A grey or green may be more comfortable for long durations, but the SWP works well and this lens is fairly versatile.
I find the SWP to be underwhelming in the winter. It makes everything look dirty when there is no green to boost. Very red environments like desert conditions are also too "hot" looking to be comfortable with this lens.
Sports
The Oakley Prizm Shallow Water Polarized (SWP) lens is designed to perform effectively in both sunny and overcast conditions, making it a versatile choice for sports and outdoor activities. Its enhanced color and contrast, combined with an energetic tint, improve visual acuity, comfort, and depth perception.
Renowned for their sports eyewear, Oakley lenses are also virtually unbreakable.
Avoid this lens entirely if polarized lenses would not work for your sport.
Interested in experiencing the Prizm Shallow Water lens for yourself? Click here to buy on Amazon.
Comparison to the same brand - Oakley
Oakley Prizm Deep Water Polarized
The Prizm Deep Water Polarized is a rose-based lens, designed for offshore use in very bright conditions. It is the only other Prizm Sport lens that is polarized. Unlike other "deep water" lenses that are grey-based, the DWP lens has a lot of color enhancement, a reddening effect, and a warming effect, making them great for water sports use but not as comfortable as a grey lens. The Shallow Water lens will not feel as dark as the Deep Water but will have more contrast. The Shallow Water will be more versatile.
See here for the full Prizm Deep Water review.
Oakley Tungsten Polarized
Also a Prizm lens with a bronze base, the Prizm Tungsten is a bit more saturated and redder than the Prizm Shallow Water. It has an almost video game feel with the greens and reds nearly glowing neon and blues darkened a lot. Tungsten is a more Prizmy lens and has a bit of an otherworldly feel, whereas Prizm Shallow Water feels more natural. They will work similarly in most environments but the Tungsten will be slightly darker in full sun and not as pleasant in overcast conditions.
See here for the full Prizm Tungsten review.
Oakley Prizm Ruby Polarized
Prizm Ruby has a bronze base but the red mirror reflects away red light and pushes the bronze lens to lean more green. This makes the lens more neutral and has an amazing, natural color-enhancing effect. The Ruby isn't as dark as the SWP, but its color enhancement is better and the lens is probably better in nearly all circumstances than the Prizm Shallow Water, including inshore activities. Ruby does come in polarized and better yet, it comes in prescription, which Shallow Water does not. I would take the Ruby over the Shallow Water unless a green mirror vs a red mirror is an important difference.
See here for the full Prizm Ruby review.
Comparison to the Brown Lenses of Different Brands
Costa Del Mar 580 Green Mirror
Costa’s darkest brown lens is specifically designed for full-sun conditions, offering a redder tint than the Prizm Shallow Water lens with a darker, more saturated feel. Available in durable glass, it features all essential coatings and an encapsulated mirror for enhanced scratch resistance, areas where it excels over the SWP. This lens provides superior comfort in bright sunlight compared to SWP but may feel overly dark for regular overcast or low-light conditions.
See here for the full Costa 580 Green Mirror review.
Maui Jim HCL Bronze
The Maui Jim HCL (high contrast lens) Bronze lens is a top-tier brown lens, renowned for its exceptional performance across all conditions. Available in both SuperThin Glass and non-glass materials, it offers superior durability and clarity. Unlike the SWP, the HCL Bronze lens includes all essential coatings, providing enhanced protection and performance.
Featuring Maui Jim’s PolarizedPlus2 technology, this lens delivers vibrant, natural color enhancement, making every detail pop. With a yellow-brown tint compared to SWP’s redder-brown, it offers outstanding versatility, excelling in both full sun and overcast conditions. The HCL Bronze lens is one of the most versatile and high-performing options available today.
See here for the full Maui Jim HCL Bronze review.
Smith Chromapop Brown Polarized
Smith’s lens delivers impressive performance, rivaling the versatility of the Maui Jim HCL Bronze. It excels in both full sun and, to a lesser degree, overcast conditions, making it a reliable choice for a variety of environments. With a slightly redder tint than the HCL Bronze, this lens provides a more saturated view, ideal for those who prefer richer, more vivid color enhancement. It has a sharper feel than the SWP and comes with all coatings.
Conclusion - Oakley Prizm Shallow Water Polarized Lens Review - Should you buy it?
The Oakley Prizm Shallow Water Polarized lens is a solid option for those seeking enhanced vision in freshwater environments. With its balanced brown tint and reliable polarization, it provides a warm, vibrant view that helps anglers and outdoor enthusiasts spot underwater details with ease. While it may lack the standout "wow" factor of other Prizm lenses, it delivers on its intended purpose with comfort and clarity.
To avoid the issue of lack of AR coating, go for a wrap frame that does not let the sun in from the sides or top. The good color enhancement somewhat makes up for the lack of coatings and weak scratch resistance, but the Prizm Shallow Water Polarized is still a high Tier 4 lens, with the Prizm Ruby a better Tier 3 alternative.
If you're interested in trying out the Prizm Shallow Water lens, you can find it on Amazon, often at a lower price than Oakley's official website.
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