Excellent lens. The iridium coating adds a nice lyer of reflectivity to the outside. Looking through them colors keep their natural look ad everything looks beautiful. The most versatile lens that Oakley makes for sunny days.

What can I say about the Black Iridium? It is the best lens there is for extremely bright light, save for maybe the Chrome Iridium (which I haven’t tried yet). I grew up in the American Southwest, have been stationed out there, as well as several trips to the Middle East. Lots of sun, sun, SUN! I have had no shortage of bright light beating down on me and the best lens to combat it has always been the Black Iridium.

Total comfort all day in the bright sun. Unless I am staring directly at the big Solaris in the sky (which doesn’t happen all that often anymore :P), my eyes are perfectly comfortable. They have the wearability for year round use and the versatility to go with nearly every other frame. Even the frames that it doesn’t quite compliment (like Emerald or Midnight) it still doesn’t detract from anything. Perfect for any activity, I use mine mainly for driving and running. Unless its early morning, late evening, or inclimate weather, they are the go-to lens for all conditions. Especially handy for long road trips, I have used them cross-country quite often and I love cross-country trips.

Of course, the Black Iridium is only for the brightest of conditions, so they begin to lose their luster as soon as the sun starts to go down or the clouds come out. But even then, it still has some staying power and can remain on the cranium – at least for a while.

The look is also very versatile. In bright light, the Iridium gives off a slight Chrome effect and in less than bright light has an even black sheen that always hides my eyes. Even though I am not one to favor looks over performance, I would say that if I did, I would say the Black Iridium does both quite well. Unfortunately, one can get tired of always seeing the black mirror after a while – I sure did and always wanted a Fire, or Ice or Ruby or Emerald. Even favoring other brands just to break up the monotony. But what do I always go back to? Yuuuup … Black Iridium.

I think that Black and Grey are probably the most underappreciated lenses because they are essentially “gimmies” with Oakley – you can usually expect any given frame to have Black or Grey and most of us here have tried them at one time or another. It is quite easy to write them off as a given. But since I have always found a reason to drive cross-country or travel around the globe I had a reason to look for the best lens possible. And I always end up turning to the Black Iridium.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to change things up every once in a while. But I think any true Oakley fanatic will have at least one of these in the array case, no matter what other lens you may favor; locked and loaded, ready to go when needed.

Overall: 3 - Recommended - Get One If You See One

Came on my first oakley sunglasses, a Gascan Onesight. I was looking for a mirrored-effect lens, so it had to be an iridium one. These lens are really great for outdoor usage and sunny days. Not the greatest lens for days with no sun, but still a fair option. Too bad that black iridium is very likely to get your fingerprints when you touch the lens with your fingers.

Came with my Pewter Razrwire. A bit too dark for most situation. A definite no no for driving.

I found it very soothing during full sun, and especially at the beach. I prefer contrast lenses for most activities, especially driving and golfing. However, this is the only lens I use for outdoor photography sessions, as I need true colour definition when I look through the viewfinder.

Good Lens I have used black iridium for many years now.It's major disadvantage is it is not colour enhancing, and is recommended for very bright light only as the view on a dreary cloudy day is far too dark (Low contrast). Otherwise perfect for beach on fine days and fine days on the ice and snow slopes. Good for fine summer + spring days, definiately not a winter or fall lens.

As far as I am concerned this is a basic lens. There is no color enhancing characteristics with this lens. It's only purpose is to block the sun on VERY bright days. It does work well but I find it a boring lens.

If you are looking for a neutral colored lens, for bright condition, than it's probably the best choice. I like looking through these lenses, but sometimes they are not dark enough for me. Maybe if had the RX version it would be much better. Only 4 points from me, because it has nothing special, but does the job done.

This lens works really great in extreme sunny condition.
Excellent for all purpose lens in sunny condition.

It offers true color perception for you and it's good for any activities..

Buena proteccion, buena vision muy bonitos en mis whiskers aunque hubiera preferido comprar los black iridium polarized que es el mismo lente que tengo en mis juliet, excelentes

these lens are perfect for sunny places like here and the beach im at, and then when i go to compete they hide my eyes and i look even scaryier

yeah. these are the industry standard and a "must have". i've got them in my half jackets right now and they feel like the perfect match. great in sunny conditions and stylish enough without being just another gaudy mirror lense.

My favorite lens. Cuts light like a mofo, looks extremely cool, and conceals one's eyes completely, which is great for shy guys like me.

nothing special about this lens. keeps the light out well but not much in terms of looks. good for bright sunny days at the beach. v common lens available practically in every range of oakley sunglasses especially the current fashion-oriented range. i have it in my racing jackets & straight jackets but i prefer the brown tints like titanium iridium and VR25

When the inventor of sunglasses envisioned a color, he undoubtedly thought of black. The Black Iridium is your ground-zero of lens colors. Oakley lenses are packed with technology and this is what I think of when wearing this lens, because I'm certainly not thinking "What a cool color lens I'm wearing!". Sets the industry standard for a black lens, but definitley doesn't turn the world on it's ear. Know what I'm saying?

not as flashy as all your other lenses but you need some balace great sunblockers after al thats what they are used for right? hey it goes with everything and look pretty good in my romeos!

Like others have said, everyone should have a pair with black iridium, they block the sunlight very well and go with anything.

I give them a 4 because its a way too conservative lens for me, I prefer to put dark lens like that in a light frame, like silver or white for maximum contrast effect.

I would always go for the black lens instead of the cheaper and boring grey lens.

Came standard on my Juliets. Very nice to look at and through. Surprisingly, it even works well at night. Blocks most of the glare yet I can still see the road ahead <blink>

Everyone must have one of these lens in their collection.

The typical sunglass lens - usual Oakley optics - very comfortable to wear, and better than average for scratch resistance. Mirrored finish - this is extreme on my Why 2's, but not so much on the Thump 2.0s (although you cannot see through on either).

Probably the most classic lense. It looks good in any frame, is subdued enough that you can wear it formally and look hot. Hides nicks and scratches very well, and still maintains the Iridium mirror we all love so much. Grey base, so nothing special there. Nothing to even complain about but lack of color, but if you're buying black, you're going for classic, not stand out.

Great great lenses! They look classy, subtle and cool and looking though them on a sunny day is meditation to the eye which can relax and enjoy all the colors of summer! Yes they are dark, but once they are fueled with light it just works and a very nice purple hue (God knows where it comes from...) rounds off the light in a very pleasing way! Enter a darkened room and you are blind though - theese are the definition of sunglasslenses, so wear them in the sun and you will be laughing mate!

Pretty normal lens. Good eye protection. I consider this the normal Oakley lens. Pretty much standard and comes in everything.

I have this lens in several of my frames. If you want sun glasses this is the lens. It provides great shade, and just dims everything down. Living in Houston where we have super bright hot days, this lens has made life a little better.

Nice and common for everyday use. Works well in both low light and bright light. Nice feature is that no one is able to see your eyes in these.

Im not quite sure if this will sell. I'm hoping so of course, but not many people seem to be interested in the Mercury frame.

Black is quite possibly the best lens to go with any color of frame. I would think these would be "foundational lens" in that evey collector should have them. Used in the appropriate light conditions as recommended by Oakley, they are the best all around and can be used in formal occasion without being flashy.

All the talk about these lenses being boring is getting me down. If you want to get yourself noticed, go dye your hair in an outrageous color.

4.5 stars since these are not polarized.

There's a reason they're called shades & no lens does it better than Black Iridium. They're nice & dark for full sunlight so your eyes can stay relaxed. You've got to have at least one pair of Black Iridium in your line up.

Lots of people complain about B.I. being too dark. Mention where you are using these! You are misleading people if you complain/praise the light transmition but fail to tell people the conditions you are using them in. If you live in a place that doesn't have bright conditions they probably won't be the best choice. For brighter light conditions (this is most of the time since I live in New Mexico) the Black Iridium are a great option. Subtle is good.

This lens is too dark, have to take them off everytime in door or cloudy. I will suggets to increase the light to 12-13%

What can you say about Black Iridium,exept it’s the original and most durable lens tint.
I wear mine all day long,driving,working etc etc.

The lens itself i find a tad too dark peering thru, which is why i give it only a 4.

On the outside, it projects almost a silvery reflective surface. Definitely for those who are more for the conservative, classy look. Doesn't pick up smudges as easy as the lighter colored lenses.

Recently I have paired them up with my plasma frames, and I think together they make a *stunning* combination. Unlike the stock plasma frame lenses (ice/fire/emerald) which i find almost all too flashy, the black lens offers a great contrast to the frames, and make it much more noticable.

what else can i say , best sold lenscolour , my personal favorite , goes with any framecolour, solid as a rock

basic, functonal, BORING! but yeah it can look cool in the right frame. a case in point ? my denim Mag M-frames. Look greattogether =)

yeah comfortable to use in bright sunlight. so its all good.

People say these are really ordinary looking, but in the right frames, they look awesome. I wear mine on really bright days in my carbon ducati juliets, but I think they look really awesome in polished frames.

very ordinary lens. you see it everyday. if you don't want too much attention, together with an ordinary frame, this would be it a good choice. b ut unlike me, i want my oakleys noticed!!! that's why radical is better! nice lenses though.

It's one of the most common lenses out there and it's because of one simple reason: it works and it works well. Granted it's best only for sunny days but when you're playing sports that involve looking up and around at whatever ball may be in play, it's one of the best to use. If you live in an area where it's not as sunny as Miami or L.A., then there are plenty of other options out there.

This lens is great for use down here in sunny Brisbane. It does not change the colours of your surrounding, rather it just darkens your vision. It's actually not very dark, but it will help make things more bearable to look at... just the right amount.

Most people complain about this lens because it isn't flashy enough... what? It does the job.

I like this lens so much I am thinking of swapping my rubies for this in my juliets. Its understated and classic looking. Not too flashy either. It doesnt show up scratches all that weel (a good thing) and I have found it an all round excellent lens for casual use. Not used it for anything more strenuous because I have it in my Square Wires. All round very good.

I heve this lens in my Mars. I dont particularly enjoy looking through this lens as it is kind of boring compared to ice or other colored lenses. Has a sort of "grape gatorade" purple tint when you look through it although it may just be the shade of grey seems like its purple when I compare it to my ice lenses. Too dark for evening or partially overcast days. Does however look very good in my X Metal frame Mars and gives it a very industrial style. My favorite thing about this lens is how the iridium coating reflects like a mirror a very bright silver and everything in the lens reflection is the color it really is, giving it a kind of adaptability to where you are wearing them.

Base: Persimmon
Coating: Black iridium

The base is really persimmon on the snow goggles. This is the best, most functional Irdium lens. Can't see your eyes, but lot's of contrast

Nothing special about this lens. On the plus side, it is the most neutral/conservative Iridium tint. It will go with pretty much any frame color. On the minus side, it's a little boring compared to the fancier, more colorful shades, and it does seem to make the world a little too dark most of the time.

Though I usually like something a bit more funky, still a great lens, keeping the light out nicely yet still keeping a good overall clear tone to things. As Dann says though, it can be slightly too dark on occaision.

Very dark and very common. Still one of my favorites because of its' ability to go with everything. Looks good in almost every frame.

The originial iridium! Simply cannot go wrong with black iridium. It looks great on just about every frame, and we only stray to other custom lenses just to showcase something unique and different.

black iridium is nice especially for sunny conditions but it is bit too dark to look through...not too good on a cloudy day unlike ruby or titanium iridiums

WISDOM GOGGLE LENS - GOGGLE LENSES HAVE DIFFERENT SPEC THAN SUNGLASS LENSES

This is a beautiful lens to look at from the outside. The black iridium coating appears silver and the lens behind it a shade of brown.

I do not find this lens functional as it makes things appear too dark. I can imagine this or the fire iridium being my favorite lens if I lived near the poles and was subjected to vast fields of frozen wasteland glare. This lens is rated at 20% Light Transmission and only Fire Iridium at 18% filters more light. (NICHE MARKET)

I recommend Gold Iridium for Bright Sunny Days which has a 20% light transmission as well but things appear brighter, warmer (BEST FOR BRIGHT).

I do not understand why Oakley have these lens as their standard lens. They came standard with my fives 2.0, they are very dark, Actually too dark. I would not recommend them at all and I had to order fire Iridium lens to replace them which are better , I wrote a review on those too. I think the best lens Oakley makes are the red iridium or the rubys but they do not offer them in to many of their glasses , I wish I knew why they are awesome!!!!!

By far not my fav lens. I do find it to be too dark and I don't enjoy seeing everything around me darkened. I much prefer lenses with a bronze base for contrast and color correction. Great if you want a dark lens though.

Ive got this lens in 15 of my oakleys which is quite annoying. I dont know why this is the standard lens. I spose black goes with everything but id like to see more frames with Gold Iridium.

even thought its a bit boring it is a very nice useful lens as its good in very bright light and still work well in not so bright light.

i guess you can call these Oakley's all purpose lenses as they're the most common. they're great for bright, sunny days with sharp detail, a neutral tint to keep truer colors, and dark enough to stop me from squinting. they can be a bit too dark sometimes, but on those days i'd wear something with better contrast anyway.

Came stock with my Juliet's. Actually wore them quite a lot as it is a nice lens, though a tad dark at times. Unless you are dealing with blazing sun conditions, I'd go for a slightly lighter lens.

This is a great base to start from. Nice neutral transmission, durable, and low key. It's dark, too dark for cloudy days, or setting sun. But when it's noontime at the beach, can't be beat. Unless it's polarized...

Quite a dark lens, but that's good. Neutral transmission is a plus, just a grey tint and that's it. Seem quite scratch-resistant. Nice finish.

This is the lens color that is predominant mode of my entire Oakley collection, past and present. It's clean, effective, not too loud, and overall a very good color. I like how the mirror is reflective but not REVO-esque and really attention grabbing. I would recommend this for bright light, but things get hashy in the shadow.

This is the most common lens color to be found. I have it in my Romeo's and Trenchcoat's, but I usually stay away from it, as I prefer colored lenses. It's not a bad lens though, as you would expect, it darkens your view quite a bit with no tinting. I find it to be a bit too dark even though it's not the lens with the lowest light transmission. Not recommended for evening or later.