Frame: Plasma
Lens: Tungsten Iridium

Form - Oakley's 2nd attempt at a half rim frame within the x-metal commodity. As we all know, flex couplers are omitted, and for the most part, I'm fine with it for now. These are the first x-metals without flex couplers and hence without seams between the nosebridge and orbitals. The front frame is very clean looking, and has distinct resemblance to Flak Jacket, only with more definition. BTW, they are not flat fronted like Half-Wire, these actually have excellent wrap. The earstems interface with the front frame through a spring hinge of somewhat greater complexity than those of Wires. Icons are back once again, but I still prefer if people can just glance quickly at the glasses and tell they are Oakley without an icon.

Fit - These will fit snugly to anyone's head. I originally thought the spring hinge provided the earstems to move vertically, but they do not. Much of the snugness is attributed to the higher tension of the spring hinges. You can feel the front frame 'hugging' about your nose. Mine sit perfectly across my nose as well, the way one would expect a $300+ pair of sunglasses to sit. As with most Oakley glasses, they are lightweight, so all-day wearability and comfort is not an issue.

Function - The lenses provide about the same level of coverage as Flak Jackets, which is excellent. The lenses are about the same size as XLJ lenses for Flak Jacket, but without the sporty XLJ cut. The cut is more subdued, and also contributes to the clean appearance of the glass. This is my only Tungsten Iridium lens, and I am very happy with them. Tungsten I believe is a bronze basecoat with what appears as a light Black Iridium coating. They stand up to the bright sun better than say a VR28 Black Iridium, but also provide great contrast in overcast (even light rain) without overemphasizing certain colors, like a G30 or G20. The wearer will have unobstructed peripheral and downward vision since the frame is very unobtrusive. The hydrophobic coating is included and works as described, so no excuses for oily lenses.

Overall - I give Half-X a 4 out of 5. They are not and never will be Juliet. Development costs aside, the retail price is a bit high for slightly less material, in a frame design that, by observation, takes slightly less time to assemble during manufacture. The style isn't really generic, but a design intended to appeal to more people in hopes of selling more. Its not as edgy as Juliet or Penny, but they do attract attention in a good way. However, they are pretty comfortable and functional, and became my go to pair for the remainder of the summer, while my Juliets both remained in my display case, unharmed.

After having spent some time with the newest member of the highly regarded X-metal family, only one word comes to mind when describing the Half-X: Uninspired. Perhaps boring as well.
The X-metal lineup is known for its uniqueness, and each member of the X-metal lineup has it's own personality that put it above and beyond all other sunglasses. Yes, even the Romeo 2 is unique. So if you think the Romeo 2 seemed uninspired, you'll be highly disappointed in the muted stylings of the Half-X.

For the initial release, there seems to be lack of colour in the lineup. Hopefully this will change later on, but it does add to the model's uninspired feel.

However, that's not to say there's nothing good about it. In fact, the fit of the Half-X is absolutely wonderful, conforming to the face well. I suspect that most people will be able to wear them very well. Further, being a half frame means it's very light relative to to full-framed X-metals. It sits very comfortably on the nose for great durations without any discomfort.

While flex couplers are popular features in previous X-metal releases, the Half-X not having it this time around means one less thing to become defective later on.

Spring hinges are a nice touch as well, though they may suffer the same issues that Wire spring hinges had (not gripping well to the head).

Overall, I give the model a 2.5 out of 5 (rounding to 3). It belongs more in the Wire family rather than the X-metal one. It is, unfortunately, a disappointing release if you're a big X-metal fan.

Review dated July 11, 2008

Frame: X Metal
Lens: Warm Grey

First the pros, these are very comfy. I felt like they were very light and the fit was nice. I like the design of the hinges. They remind me of the Plates. The lens coverage was excellent.

The only thing I didn't like about them was the generic design. I felt the price tag was much too high for its design. If you are into light weight eyewear that isn't too flashy but are willing to pay for quality I would say this is for you.

Frame: X-Metal
Lens: Warm Grey

I don't know why everyone reviewing these are putting them down? I love them they are the best X-Metals produced yet in my opinion. In fact one person compared the fit of these to Pennys? I mean what? How ridiculous is that! These are far larger than the Pennys and Juliets. They are up these almost i'd say with X-Metal XX just a tab smaller. They are about Romeo 2.0 size. I personally like these just as much as Romeo 2.0 and I must admit Romeo 2.0 is sweet too. These new Half X's fit beautifully on my face and are light and more comfy than any other X-Metals I have worn. Desgin wise they are great in my opinion! Sophistacated but also very cool too! Like a small Wayfarer style and we all know how popular those Wayfarer's were! Thanks Oakley for finally producing a Wayfarer X-Metal! I am not knocking them like other reveiwers on this site. The X-Metal warm grey colorway looks great and the silver O icon really stand proud. 5 Stars for me. I plan to own these for ever.

Frame: Polished
Lens: VR28 Black Iridium

The Half-X is by many, considered the outcast of the X-Metal line. It is the second half frame designed, and many would argue an inferior design.

I do not take the stand that most take with the Half-X. I for one, do like the Half-X. I have stated in other post that I feel like it is the X-Metal version of the Flak Jacket. I really like the design minus the spring hinges, but they are a necessity since the nose bridge is a solid piece with no flex coupler.

I believe that Oakley was trying to evolve the X-Metal line since the nose bridge on other X-Metals seemed to be problematic. For this frame they went with a solid nose bridge and spring hinges. The spring hinges though are the weak point on this frame. Many people do not like these hinges and I am also not a fan of the hinges, but I can live with them.

These are not highly sought after, and not coveted by most collectors, but are still a part of the original X-Metal line. I don't have a problem with these, and in fact, like the fact that they are a little different from the rest of the line up with the solid nose bridge. They have character and are a must have for tru collectors. Pristine examples are easily had, even today, and for very modest prices.

Frame: X-Metal
Lens: Warm Grey
These look good, but unfortunately I could not carry them. I believe they would fit and look good with people who could carry the Mars and Penny, ones with narrower heads.

They remind me of Frogskins made out of X Metals.

Frame: Carbon
Lens: Black Iridium Polarized

Are the Half X a damn good pair of sunnies? Yes.

Are the Half X a damn good pair of X-Metal sunnies? In my opinion, and compared to my pair of Juliets, NO.

And that I think, sums up the issues with the Half X. By themselves, they are great sunnies, nice solid build, good looking and stylish, not too heavy but not too light, comfortable fit, etc, etc,but when you slap the label X-Metal onto it, you expect something more, something special, that uniqueness that makes it a X-Metal and the Half X just lacks that.

Frame: Carbon
Lens: Black Iridium


Made a good trade with this ones and since they were missing in my collection, i turned to buy them.
The carbon frame looks really awesome, like most of the carbon frame does. The lenses in my version are the "standard" Black Iridium. Good lenses overall, even if they are not polarized.
I really like the springe hides, which fits my head pretty well. The only worry i`ve got is, that these springhides getting damaged by using them "too" often.

Since i am a x-metal fan, its hard for me to figure out, which one i do prefer ; my beloved juliets or this one. I came to the conclusion, that both of these frames are too different to compare. I just gotta say , i love them both.

Five stars for these beautiful ones !

Frame: Half-X
Lens: Tungsten Iridium

I bought my first and only pair of Oakleys in 1994 in Urbana-Champaign. Back then I was a college student with very little money, but the e-wires were light-years both stylistically and in construction beyond any other sunglasses available at the time. The $140 I paid for them seemed like a lot at the time, but I was convinced they were worth it.

I ended up giving my brother my e-wires, and he wore them for many, many years...and still has them in his car today...17 years later! The e-wires have some scratches and the frame is looking older, but still entirely serviceable. It would be difficult to say that anything else I own has lasted that long. The hinges are still straight and the nose/ear socks are in great condition.

Fast forward to today. I recently bought a pair of Oakley Half-X's after looking at the huge selection of plastic frames that have now proliferated in the Oakley line. It's very difficult to justify spending several hundred dollars on a plastic framed pair of sunglasses, but the Oakley X-metal construction does make it worthwhile - no other sunglasses company invests in the technology required to make molded, machined, and screw-construction metal alloy sunglasses.

There's two reasons why the X-metal construction is important for me. The first is longevity. Polymers in general have several problems : UV-embrittlement, chemical and fatigue failure occur as the polymer ages. The cross-linked bonds that form the backbone of the plastic structure are continuously degraded by the environment and by use. This is not a big deal if you plan on wearing sunglasses until they become unfashionable. However, I want my Oakleys for the long haul - and X-Metal will stick around as long as I don't drop them into an induction furnace.

The second is style. Simply put - there's a lot of imitators of Oakleys out there, and many manufacturers that make good sunglasses. Oakley's X-Metal line goes, in my opinion, way beyond any other manufacturer. The styles are more futuristic, the construction is of a higher quality, and the frames are more attention-getting.

OK, enough generalities. The Half-X frames have long temples that extend beyond the ear, and have a little bit of metal past the earsock. The frame construction is characteristically beefy: A solid nosebridge, thick temples, and enough material for the Oakley icon, a spring-mechanism and a bushing for the hinge.

The lenses are rather ingeniously held in place by a chunky "lens retainer" that doubles as the lower part of the hinge. Two 12-point stainless steel screws hold this into the upper part of the frame. Given the beefiness of the lens retainer, it looks like the lenses or screws (both replaceable) will fail before the frame itself does.

I have a pretty typical asian face, although with perhaps a longer nose and higher cheekbones than most. The frame fits very well, with very little gap between the lens and the face, mostly due to the "wrap" molded into the frame. The nosepads are obviously made for people with thinner nose bridges, but this does not pose an issue for my face. Generally speaking, those with wider/bigger heads may not fit this frame.

The spring temples and earsocks grip very well to the face. I don't anticipate this frame every falling off accidentally.

The surface on the Half-X has a slight "handmade" look to it, with the surface not being perfectly curved - in fact it looks somewhat like it was near-net molded into shape and hand-polished. My guess is that each frame is somewhat unique in this respect. There's no telling whether or not the polished surface is actually plated after manufacture.

The level of polish is not a mirror finish, but it is uniform and bright, typical of what I would normally find on industrial hard-chrome surface.

Lenses for this frame can be interchanged, although not without tools. For hard use, this obviously is a good thing.

These frames are also very light.

In conclusion, the Half-X is what it is - outrageous style that you either love or hate, but with the inherent advantages of the Oakley X-Metal alloy and very beefy construction.

Frame:Carbon
Lens: Black Iridium Polarised

When i first bought these in the UK i made the mistake of trying to compare them to my pennys and juliets, my first instinct was "they are ok". But after wearing them on the beach and while looking after my daughter i had the strangest feeling.... a satisfied feeling! The biggest trap i fell into is comparing them to "old faithful" and what i needed to do was look at them as the unique design they are!
Needless to say lens coverage is superb and the spring hinge feels great not to tight but hugging the skull nicely, these do deserve to be in the x metal family it is just a shame there are so few options to customise them.

Frame: X Metal, Polished
Lens: Warm Grey, Vr28 BI

I agree with Tim Cooper that these are the lightest, most comfortable, and most wearable of the X metals. The spring hinge is a FAR superior design to the inferior and problematic flex coupler design. There, I said it. Can you stretch the earstems over a ball cap with a flex coupler design? Not unless you don't mind stressing the nose bridge and shortening the coupler's life. With spring hinges, do I need to send in my $300 glasses to be refurbished every 18 months? Nope. Do the earstems squeeze the snot out of my temples as I put the sunglasses on? Nope. Do I need to keep track of extra temple shox to insert as the fit loosens over time? Nope.

With a little better design to jazz up the nosebridge area and a slightly sleeker lens profile, these would be perfect. But I'm still giving them 5 stars because when I look at my rack of sunglasses, I usually pass over my Juliets, Mars, Pennys, Romeo 2.0, Mag Switch, and Hatchets in favor of my comparatively plain Half X with the Warm Grey lenses. If my sister would give back my Polished frame I might use that too...

Frame: Plasma
Lens: Ice Polarized
I was sent to this site by a CSR at Oakley headquarters. I know that this is not a review, but rather a request, but your help would be appreciated. I read a few reviews for this model that touted the improved fit with Asian Nosebombs. According to Oakley, they don't make them for this model. So my question is: For those of you that claim to be using Asian Nosebombs, how did you do it? Are you using them from another Oakley model? If so, which one? Did you possibly purchase them from someplace other than the USA, where the Asian Nosebombs are perhaps available? Any help here would be appreciated.

Frame: Polished
Lens: VR28 Black Iridium

I have these for two weeks now. I picked them up a SGH sale for $149.99. I was a little apprehensive about picking these up as they are extremely plain compared to the other members of the X-Metal family. This was also my first half frame pair of Oakleys. After a week of wearing them I am not convinced they are the best looking frame on my face, but they are the most confortable and functional pair of Oakleys I have owned yet. These frames look great with a suit and tie while I am working. They are incredible comfortable and stay planted to your head/face. Without a bottom frame around the lenses I forget I have them one and there near zero light leakage. The VR28 lenses are incredible and now I want these in my Fuel Cell frames too. Comfort and Function is a 5/5, but the lack of attitude and typical Oakley form force me to rate these at a 4.

PRO: Confortable, Stay Planted, Clarity
CON: Dull "un-Oakley-like" appearance

Frame: X-Metal
Lens: VR28 Black Iridium (Genuine custom)

I made up a very good custom here in the X-Metal (Dark Grey Color) frame and removed the original Warm grey lenses and put in new VR28 Black Iridium Lenses. It looks really really amazing! Pity Oakley never released it this way!. Of course VR28 Black came only in the Polished frame Half X! But I see that now Oakley has it's own custom lens frame combo program going! called Custom "O" But at a big cost and long wait usually! I put this together myself to avoid all that. I was lucky and found Brand new VR28 Black Iridium lens on ebay for a great low price!
The VR28 Black Iridium really matches the X-metal frame well! VR28 Black Iridium is a great lens too for generally all weather conditions! The Half X Is a top frame I really love it! It is very light to wear not too heavy as full frame X-Metals are, It has a great character design about it! Very cool , I Love it!

Frame: Plasma
Lens: Ice Iridium Polarized

I purchased these after liking the spring hinge on the Penny frames. These are very comfortable for long wear times for me and prefer them over my Juliets and X Squared when it comes to wearing for a long drive or walk. Not near as nice of design as the Juliets or X Squared.

Frame: Plasma
Lens: Tungsten Iridium

Oakley has done a very good job with this model! I really can't flaw this at all! It is a unique new design X-Metal in comparison to the originals of Romeo 1 Juliet etc. This introduces a long awaited rectangular style finally into the X-Metal lineup! My face suits rectangular frames best so these are my perect suit! I also have a medium to large head so these are perfect! The plasma looks kinda different from say a Juliet plasma as there is no nose pins and the "O" logo on side is featured instead of a hollow hole like Juliet.

But I must say the Half X plasma frame looks very good! People who compare this to the half wire are wrong in my opinion. This is far thicker and much nicer looking frame than any half wire! In fact I am not a fan of the Half Wire at all. This new Half X is a small wayfarer shape which is good in my opinion as I don't care for huge wayfarer frames! (That hide a good face!) These really look nice with the Tungsten Iridium, I like the Tungsten Iridium as it works for the overcast days on the golf course and it is fine in sunny conditions too. But for summer on the white beach sand or on the Ice I would go for a grey base lens. But these are my overcast sunnies and I plan to keep them as long as I can!

Frame: Plasma
Lens: Tungsten Iridium Polarized

Overall I am very happy with these sunglasses. The coverage is perfect for my head shape and field of view. They sit well on my nose and give a snug fit without any discomfort even after wearing them for hours at a time. The polarization is wonderful. I wear them in bright light and at night to block glare.

As Eric mentioned, the spring hinges seem to flex unevenly when fiddling with them. On wearing them, however, they stay put wherever they are placed. I purchased these in an Oakley store and tried different frame options. This issue only happened with the X Metal and Plasma finishes that I tried on, so perhaps they can be adjusted a bit.

Frame: Carbon and Polished
Lens: Black Iridium and Tungsten Iridium

I have two pairs of Half-Xes. In X-metal line it's best fit sunglasses for me. Even in case that I have for Juliets. :)

It's sad that Oakley discontinuing this model.

Frame: Plasma
Lens: Tungsten Iridium

Nice Glasses The Solid bridge is what made me consider these my other two pair of Romeo 2 nose flex point is so weak and flexi that they are now a pain to wear and only after 18Months old.
Anyhoo the Half X give me much the same feel as the Romeo 2 with similar coverage. (perhaps a fraction smaller). These Lenses however are just not cutting it for a Bright Australian Sunlight. would be great for my Winter Softball games but not Spring through Autumn Sunlight. Will get some Ice Polarized lenses and swap them out for 75% of the year.
I think a higher Perhaps 4 review will be for the new lenses.

Frame: Plasma
Lens: Ice Polarized Iridium

I went back and forth on whether or not these should rank a 4 or a 5. In the end, when you look at 5 that means "perfect" and to me there are very few "perfect" anything...even "perfect to me"...and the Half X is no exception.

Don't get me wrong, the Half X is a very good glass....in fact its and excellent glass. But it falls down in a few places that take off points....and it doesn't have an iconic design (like the Juliet) to make up for it.

Oakley fixed my biggest functional peeve with the Juliets by doing away with the ever loosening flex couplers favoring a single nosebridge. They also dumped the Juliets stone age earstem hinge design for modern spring hinge. The result is a pair of glasses that slide on and off with ease (whereas the Juliets poke the side of your face going on and then grate against it coming off) yet don't move once on. Its funny....I find myself reaching for my Half X around the house alot because its easy to put and and wear, whereas my Juliets almost seem like a chore to put on and take off. Looking through these is just like looking through any other Oakley's with polarization...its better than the naked eye. I have always liked the Ice color and I really think the Half X looks best in this Plasma/Ice combo as it helps bring the frame design and lens shape into contrast and define them, which the fairly plain design needs to jump out from the crowd.

The half frame design on these is a must because the lenses are HUGE (with Flak Jacket type coverage or better...a good thing). I had to go with the larger nosepieces because otherwise the lenses sit too low and touch my cheekbones...especially when I smile. The overall fit is excellent and is probably the biggest strength of this model as they just mold around your head leaving little chance for light to leak through. When I look at myself in the mirror, these appear to be an extension of my head vs. and appendage on my head some other models.

That being said....the biggest weaknesses of the Half X are not functionality. If I was grading only on function, these would be a 5 plus. But....these are Oakley's and half the joy (if not more) is the artistic (some might say gaudy) statement wearing a pair makes. The Half X doesn't make much of a statement; they are nice, they are classy, they feel great...but they don't scream to people "these are special...you've never seen anything like this before". For some, that might be perfect and, as others on this site have noted, that may have been the intent Oakley had was to appeal to a more mass audience (the been there done that same old color combos suggest that as well, though replacement lenses in a variety of colors are FINALLY available...though not in Fire Polarized oddly).

Some have stated that the Half X is overpriced, but I don't really see that (aside from ALL of Oakley's products being overpriced). The secondary market has polarized versions for $240 vs. the $380 retail which is on par with Juliets secondary market pricing (most higher end Oakleys drop about 33% off retail in the secondary market). I might argue that somewhat underwhelming design warrants $340 in polarized...but that's about it.

In the end, the Half X is a very good pair of sunglasses that are incredibly functional and incorporate a large amount of modern technology into a well designed execution. While somewhat boring by Oakley standards and pricey at retail compared what else you can get from Oakley at that price point, they are X Metals and they are cool, comfortable and a welcome addition to the family. 4 to 4.5 stars

Frame: Plasma
Lens: Tungsten Iridium

I bought these on a whim from SteapandCheap. I couldn't resist a pair of x-metal frames for so cheap, even after reading the reviews posted below...

That being said, they're EXTREMELY comfortable, even for a dude with a big head. The spring hinges do a good job of compensating for my wide cranium. Although, they do make the frame feel like it'll fly off your head at first. Until the earsocks grab hold of course. Then it would take a natural disaster to remove them from my face. I wore them for only an hour so far, but I can tell I'll be wearing them a lot in the near future. The Tungsten Iridium is lighter than the Black Iridium lenses I have in my daily second generation Frogskins, so they'll be a welcome addition to the morning/evening commute.

As far as design is concerned, in my opinion they're extremely well made. The lack of flex couplers isn't much of an issue because of the spring hinges. The hinges could have a little more spring to them I suppose, but I won't complain at this point. The peripheral vision is as to be expected from most Oakleys on the market; excellent. They're not obtrusive in form, and their function is quite impressive.

Not disappointed in these at all.

I'd like to see if maybe there's a bit more exciting lens to slap in these frames somewhere in the near future. The Tungsten Iridium lenses are very understated...but maybe that's what they were shooting for with these.......Probably not.
Too bad they don't make a G30 Iridium replacement. We'll see what the future holds.

I'd give it a 4.5 if possible. I can't find anything wrong with the frame, or the lenses, but they're just not a Juliet.

Frame: X-Metal
Lens: Warm Grey
I was cold on this newest kid on the block at first like most people. It does lack a certain 'je ne sais quois', but I kept trying it on and then I realized that it is not trying to make the statement that previous X-Metals were. That is why I decided to pull the trigger and I plan on making this a daily wearer. What better pair could I wear on a daily basis? It fits extremely well and has the strength of an X-Metal frame that will allow it to take all the abuse it must. I don't think this model has the collectibility of the previous X-Metal releases, but for what it seems to be designed for, it does the job. The lack of wild color configuations tells me the execs at Oakley were looking to provide the market with a sophisticated and subtle player in the highend range of glasses.

Frame: Plasma
Lens: Tungsten Iridium

I bought my second Oakley these days and couldn't wait for it to arrive, since it is an X-Metal. My first one was a Twenty.
At first look, this shade looked extremely different from all other 'regular' sunglasses. I was amazed for its quality and design, despite not being as innovative as Juliet, for example.
The fit to the head is perfect and it looks really good in the face.
I don't have any special/enthusiastic needs, so I'll give it 5 skulls since I consider it is worth every penny.

Frame: X-Metal
Lens: Warm Grey
Design is kinda plain compare to all the pervious x-metals. This fit small similar to the Pennys. I found the lack of the flex-couplers in these actually help the fitting on my head better. The nose bombs in these are also improved I think, and it help the glasses sit on the asian's nose better than previous x-metals. I am glad that Oakley put the orignal O logo on the arms instead of the new one, the the logo really stands out on the X-metal/Warm Grey colorway. I know half frame help improved vision, but I think Oakley should bring us a new full frame x-metal. I think the day will come. For now 4 out of 5 for these.

Frame: Carbon
Lens: Black Iridium Polarized

When I tried these on in the O-vault, I found that, as with most of the X-metals, they hit my face in the wrong ways (asian). Going with the larger nosebombs seemed to fix things. However when I got around to purchasing a pair, I found that the cheekbone contact was more than I liked. I ended up reprofiling the lenses with a beltsander/dremel. I love them now.

That's something I couldn't do with the Juliets. Advantage of a half frame.

Frame: Plasma
Lens: Ice Polarized

When I was deciding what the next pair of glasses that I got would be I eventually settled on the half x because of a few reasons. I am a lifeguard so I use my sunglasses up to 10 hours a day in a row in extremely bright light conditions. I always preferred Oakley sunglasses over any other brand because of the amazing lenses. Even though they are higher in price usually, I find them to be totally worth the investment.

When I got the Half X the first thing I noticed was that they were considerably lighter than the other X-metal glasses I have which is very nice when you are going to be wearing them for a long time. Even though they do weight more than any of the O-matter glasses as soon as they are on my head I can’t even notice after a few minutes, and the spring hinges keep them in place very nicely even after a whole day of wearing them. I couldn’t imagine having much better coverage with the lenses. I have a rather large face and I am still not worried about non-coverage. The open frame design is also very handy for seeing without a bar running through your vision when looking down. The hydrophobic coating is also very handy when you have kids trying to splash you all day and cant stand to have that water bead right in front of your eye, and it makes cleaning the lenses that much easier for the few times that I actually have to.

As for the downside to these glasses, yes they are quite expensive. If you can find a deal online you might be able to get them for much cheaper but at risk of the warranty. Also the fact that as for right now there are no replacement lenses makes me a little more nervous wearing these at work. It might be that they are just not available yet because these are brand new sunglasses. One last downside is that sometimes the spring hinges flex uneven when I put them on, so they would sit at an angle, but this is easily fixed and they stay once made to sit right.

Overall I rated these glasses as a 4. Even though they had a few cons, I feel the good outweighs the bad significantly. If you need a great pair of sunglasses that you would get your use out of for the high price then I can’t see you being disappointed with these, but when getting ready to get some definitely try some of these out.

Frame: Plasma
Lens: Ice Polarized

After having an opportunity to wear these glasses for a while, I feel a strange ambivalence about them. Sometimes I look at them and marvel, considering them to be at the pinnacle of Oakley's mad science paradigm; other times, however, I view them simply as an oversized Half Wire XL, to which they bear a striking resemblance (especially 05-792). Nonetheless, they are X-Metals, and their presence cannot be denied. The spring-hinge mechanism, in particular, is still my favorite part of these glasses, and the Plasma/Polarized Ice color combo is the most exciting of the lineup so far. I only question why Oakley didn't use Carbon/Polarized Ice or even X-Metal/Polarized Ice, as the Plasma/Polarized Ice colorway has already been introduced in the Juliet line.

Frame: X-metal
Lens: Warm grey

I have a theory that these were at some point intended to be the Juliet 2.0 (they look like Juliets modeled after Romeo 2.0), and I'm glad that is not true. Oakley set a bar too high for even itself with the Juliets. And the fact that these new X-metals resemble the Juliets dock points away from it. Price tag is too high for a half-frame and it looses more points due to the lack of lens interchangeability (that I know of) that other half-frames posses.

Frame: Polished
Lens: VR28 Black

After the debut of prodigies such as the X-Metal Penny and X-Metal Juliet, Oakley set high expectations for any future X-Metal releases. Considering other less-acclaimed X-Metals such as the Romeo 2, the company made it even more difficult for their design team to come up with something truly "new" and unique. The Half X culminates Oakley's endeavors for their project, fusing form and function into a truly new piece that hits the mark.

Due to the half frame, the glasses are relatively lightweight compared to other X-Metals - yet durable enough to withstand repeated use and the test of time. Interchangeable nosebombs and unobtainium earsocks are still available for increased comfort, but the telltale X-Metal flex couplers have been omitted. A newly designed spring-hinge mechanism ensures a snug, comfortable fit, while the lenses provide excellent coverage and even incorporate Oakley's new hydrophobic coating. Overall, these are some excellent glasses, but given the aforementioned fact that other X-Metals (i.e., the Juliet) set such a precendence and expectation, I cannot give these glasses a five-skull rating. Personally, I would have preferred the inclusion of the flex couplers and the lenses could have been trimmed down just "slightly" for better aesthetics. But that's just me. Kudos to Oakley.