Looking more goggle than sunglass, Oakley’s new Flex Scape is a hybrid design that can be worn with a strap or with temples, showcasing the brand’s cutting-edge reputation à la a far-out wrap-around design.
“Flex Scape was designed with the purpose of maximizing the function of goggles and sunglasses. The outrigger clips on the frame represent visual cues of goggles from the past, intertwined with the swapping mechanism of goggle strap to sunglass stems”, this is how George Yoo, its Lead Designer, outlines the main idea of Oakley’s latest ISPO Award winner. As Oakley’s first hybrid goggle piece that utilizes lens Physiomorphic Geometry and allows the rider to adapt to their environment, Flex Scape can be worn with eyewear stems or with a strap like a goggle.
However, designing the Flex Scape is no easy task. “We haven’t done a true temple to strap swap in the past, but we have had temples that accept strap attachments. Those tend to be clunky and feel like an afterthought. When we started working out how to make Flex Scape convertible from a goggle to a sunglass, or even something in between, we wanted it to feel like an Oakley product. Well-designed, robust, sturdy, with a simple and intuitive user experience,” explains Casey Lee, Senior Design Engineer. “We went through dozens of concepts before deciding on the slide and snap idea, and that concept went through dozens of iterations to ensure the installation and removal processes both felt right.”
At the center of the Flex Scape, is a technology that Oakley refers to as Physiomorphic Geometry, a concept that opens up the possibility for all sorts of design ideas that are not limited by shape, while the purpose-built lens conforms to the contours of the face and is shaped to increase the wearer’s field of view. It’s also designed to be adaptive to different weather conditions.
Protection was of equal importance when developing the Flex Scape. “The first prototypes that were implemented into the frame were intended to verify that we could meet our own rigorous standards for strength and impact protection. Once we had the slide’s geometry established, we shifted to how might we incorporate a locking element that is tool-less and intuitive so that a user can quickly, easily, and without consulting a manual or YouTube, figure out how to go from their strap to temples or vice versa”, explains Lee. “The snap alone went through its own iterative process and involved investigating multiple overarching concepts and the final concept went through another round of iteration to make sure everything from the removal force to the audible click were all just right.
From a style perspective, the Flex Scape is certainly not for those who want to go unnoticed, as it caters to the enthusiast who likes to stand. “In 2025, Oakley will celebrate its 50th anniversary. With that in mind, we kicked off this project by challenging all preconceived notions of what people expect in a snow goggle,” says Dave Muir, Oakley Product Manager. “We wanted to disrupt every norm through forward-thinking design, fit and function, and build something from the ground up. Flex Scape gives the world a behind-the-scenes look at Oakley R&D and not only highlights our approach to product but our approach for the future.
The Flex Scape comes with either Oakley’s Prizm Sapphire or a Prizm 24k lens, which are engineered to specific wavelengths of light in order to enhance contrast and clarity during different lighting conditions, while the lens is treated to an anti-fog coating that’s designed to protect against both impacts and UV rays.
The Flex Scape sells for a hefty $375.00.
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