Are Oakley Sunglasses worth the cost?
 

Are they worth the $100.00 plus you have to pay for them? I always get the cheapo $15.00 sunglasses - because I always seem to break them.

Are Oakleys more durable?
Do they offer better sun protection?
Are there cheaper brands of the same quality?

I'd buy them if they are worth the cash because they are quality, but I could care less about having the brand name.

Thanks!

I have one pair of Oakleys and about 5 other pairs of shades.

The Oakleys are my favorites for these reasons:
*they look kick ass, I love the styling (I have A-Wires)
*the optics are great, clear and undistorted
*they fit my GIANT head really well

Over the years I have gone thru about 6 pairs of Oakelys and have only broken one pair, in a face plant off a bicycle in Mia Jima (if you must know :)). The others I have just lost :(

There are a ton of knock offs that look "almost" like Oakelys (I have two of these) but when you get into the knock offs the optics are not nearly as good. I wish I could tell you more about UV-A and UV-B protection, but I really don't know too much about it.

Also, check out Oakely's warranty on their website .

Re: Are Oakley Sunglasses worth the cost?
 

From Consumer Reports:
Note that many contact lenses also provide UV protection.

Personally, I like the look of Oakleys, but I can't wear them. When I put on a pair of Oakley wraparound-style glasses, my eyelashes scrape against the lens. I ended up with a nice pair of Gargoyles instead.

I have a problem with losing my sunglasses, therefore I don't spend much on them.

Personally, I prefer Ray Bans. There's just no beating optical quality glass, especially the G20. G20's can be pretty expensive, and if you lose them all the time and haven't gotten spoiled by good optics, I wouldn't recommend changing now. Cheap plastic glasses are plenty useful and stylish.

I have a pair of Oakleys, yeap they are good.

But it would be cool if you got the fotochromic lenses (not sure of the spelling). They change colour according to the exposure in sunlight. Oakleys SHOULD have em.

I don't they they're worth the price. With all that UV thingie. I don't wear my Oakleys that often anyways. So buy your 15 dollar shades, unless you are planning to splurge on style, then go ahead.

Well, not even an issue of style with mine. I got some titanium framed oakleys for i think $250 or so back in '99. I still have these glasses, frames have been stepped on, throw down, kicked, etc. and they are still perfect. I need to replace the lenses because of a run in with some concrete but what can you expect?

I figure that in about 5 years of buying $15 pairs of sunglasses that would constantly be broken and replaced, I have probably come out ahead even in cost.

edit: they are Romeo X-metal oakleys

We must be related...I go to the dollar store and buy, like five pairs at a time. They usually last me a coupla' months.

When I was rowing we were given (at 75% off so "only" 30GBP) Oakleys by the company. I have to say I wasn't impressed - they were called 'racing jackets' I think, and the outer coating kept peeling off (this is within a month or so of delivery). Certainly not worth over a hundred pounds, and probably not even worth the 30 I paid!

I used to know a guy that would only use $600+ fly rods. He seemed to think it made a huge difference in his casting and he simply couldn't fish with the $100 "crap" rods from Cabelas. Then a guy at the fly shop challenged him to cast an expensive rod and a cabela's rod (with tape over the labels) and tell them wich was which and he couldn't do it.

The point is, some people don't feel good about their stuff unless they spend as much as they can afford on it, and people saying things like "better optics" always makes me raise an eyebrow. What does that mean?

IMO with a pair of oakleys you're mostly paying for marketing that they have done to get the perception of "cool". Stuff like UV protection, polarized lenses, etc can easily be found in much cheaper glasses, but you don't get that big elongated "o" on the side that lets everyone know you spent a lot of money on your glasses.

You can just wear coke bottle bottoms. UV light doesn't penetrate glass.

The only time that the oakleys are worth it is if you have a need or a reason to block out all that UVA and UVB. I have (due to an industrial accident) extremely sensitive eyes when it comes to UV. Most people will step out in the bright sun and squint for a few minutes, then their eyes will adjust. My eyes no longer adjust automatically, So i spen $150/pair on my Oaks. If you have no problem living without shades on sunny days, go for the nice $15 pair at Wal-Mart.

Thanks for the advice. I went to the store and couldn't justify $150+ for sunglasses, so I bought a $10.00 pair of no-names on sale.

I've owned and still have about 5 pairs over the years.

It's the only eyewear I will have. You must take care of your eyes and hell, why not look good doin it? :D

Hell yeah they are worth it..I have owned prolly 6 or 7 pairs over the years..Right now I have a pair of Straight Jackets with the fire Iridium lens.. They are so clear and nice to look through..Its the lens quality I like

Thinking about getting another pair, maybe some wires

I want some Juliets but damn, 250 bucks, most ive paid is 170


Someone hook a brotha up:D

Try buying them in Canada...damn they are uber $$ here

All you gotta do is holla at a dood and he could buy and ship to ya..

















for free jeep parts :D

I don't wear sunglasses, and I've never thought they were "cool" looking either. I figure I'll spend my money on more important crap.

i too prefer raybans, but its mostly the style for me, i have semi big eyebrows and i hate seeing them with more wrap around style glasses.
Aviators are my favorite and rayban is the best "cheap" high quality sun glasses that make these styles.
btw i might add, once you buy a pair of good shades, its very easy to justify spending the cash you did on them once summer rolls around. Also since they cost 10x or more the price of trash glasses you tend to keep track of them more

sunglasses???

well, just my two cents... I think Willy mentioned it, Marketing is a huge factor. I have seen the ads and all the marketing Oakley and rayban do, especially in malls and such.

Marketing is not free. The money for that comes from somewhere. It is not R&D that pays for marketing, it's YOU.

Some industries, I really wonder what they really make. Sunglasses, or nice ad campaigns.

That said, I love my Raybans. I look like Roy Orbison, just the advertisements said I would!!!

don't ask me to drive, tho. can't see a thing!

A buddy of mine has a pair of "Oakey" brand sunglasses that cost $8. He felt like they were worth the cost. :)

I'm with kutulu and mr sticky--I lose or break sunglasses at a rate that's way too high to buy nice glasses. My current pair set me back $6 at the "$6 Sunglasses" store in Philly, when I was there for vacation a few weeks back.

I dont get anything but good glasses. Right now im wearing spy sunglasses. I don't have a huge problem with losing them, I like a pair that doesnt feel like a piece of crap on my face, that looks nice, and that blocks out the sun and has a sweet lens. Crappy sunglasses arent my deal, I would rather buy one nice pair.

Having a dent in the bridge of my nose leads to most pairs of shades being crooked on my face, so I really never saw a point in spending a month of paychecks on them. That said, I'm still wearing the same $6 pair that I bought from a gas station over a year ago.

The cheapo sunglasses sit crooked on my noggin', and it simply bugs me! I've gone through various sunglass store's selection, and after forcing the nice lady to open every cabinet for me, the Oakley A or C-wires were the only ones that sit right. I feel sorry for that lady, I didn't even buy a pair that day.

My father sat on my Ray Bans once, crushing them. I sent them to the company asking how much to fix em and they sent me back a shiny new pair free

Just some interesting info for ya. Use it as you will :)

I personally liike Revos. Had the same pair for five years now.

As others have mentioned here, I too have very light senstitive eyes. Oakley are the only shades that my eyes have ever been comfortable with. My first pair were E Wire and I bought a pair of Juliet's about a year later. My Juliets were (wear prescription eyeglasses now, don't have the green for prescription shades yet) the best money I've ever spent on sunglasses. To those that dismiss spending high dollar on shades because they worry about losing or breaking them, just think of the money you spent on them before you put them in a potentially dangerous situation. When you spend $275 on shades, you WILL take care of them. My Juliets are about 5 years old, and are in near perfect condition. Working as an Oakley retailer for over 2 years I got in the know on all their little advancements. Call it what you will, but at the most basic level I feel Oakley is unparalleled at keeping the sun out of my eyes. Money permitting, I would like to have a pair of prescription Ducati Juliets.

sun glasses protect you from the matrix and agents and that's what they're good for. don't wear them? they'll put a weird eye bug in you. [/stupid]

i like ray bans too but i always lose mine.. so...

Oh yeah, I forgot. Oakley has that fish bowl vision thingy.

Like.. erm, haha, how to explain? you have a wider view with certain type of lenses? Because of the shape of the lense or the way the light is refracted, you can see wider. :)

Something like that :)

I like my Smith (Toasters)... for $150 Cdn, you get three lenses you can swap out (dark, orange, and yellow). I wore a pair of Oakleys fo ra while, and found that the Smiths fit my head better than Oakleys for about the same price, if not cheaper, and I've kept them for three years now. Also, they stay on my head when I play outdoor sports (yay!).

There's some truth to the notion that if you pay more for them, you'll take better care of them. It's not always true, as I lost a pair of Ray Ban Sidestreets that I subsequently replaced and then realised I hated (wanna buy a pair of RayBans, cheap?) prior to picking up the Smith pair I still have now.

I started with Oakley googles when I started snowboarding many moons ago..There googles were so clear thats what made me try the glasses..and I will never switch..I love the clarity of em

I learned to hang them from the back of my neck shirt collar. I've kept pairs as long as 10 years.

i've been changing labels ever since starting riding (road bikes, mountain bikes and moto) and only ever found oakleys to fit my face most comfortably (sp?). i've own six pairs (straight jackets v1, eyejackets v1, racing jackets, pro m-frame, straight jackets v2 and valves) so far and still wear all of them from time to time. the new half jackets (with interchangeable lens) and dartboard would be my next purchase.. them are sex. visual clarity are the best with oakleys, (IMO). i've tried on spy, rayban, smith, rudy project and dragon.

I can agree with you on paying a bit for the marketing of oakleys, but when it comes to "Better Optics" this is not only a fact, but easily measurable by instrumentation available at eyeglass shops. better optics in oakleys means that the lenses distort your vision less than simple $5 lenses (most noticable at the outer sides of the lenses). Also, rather than being coated on only one side, better lenses are layered, making it harder to scratch off the actual polarizer and tinting, and if you know anythign about physics, the thickness of the lense at different parts of the lense makes a big difference as to the focus. I could go on, but I feel like I'm ranting...

I bought some "Oaklly" shades in Taiwan for 150 NT ($5US) and I enjoy them very much :)

Catch 22 regarding cost.
If you spend a lot on them, you'll be more careful and aware of damage to them.
Spend little and you don't give a shit.

If you snowboard or MX, then add them to your insurance claim at the end of the season.
I spend a lot on Oakley goggles as they're simply the best for me fit-wise and optically.

In 5 years I have went through 3 pairs of $12.95 shades off the rack next to the fuel counter. They fit, they're dark enough to do some good, and if I drop them off a roof or something (happened a time or 3) I don't panic, I just knock the dirt off of them and go on.

I used to wear mirrored wraparound safety glasses all the time, but it became difficult to find styles that didn't irritate me.

a lot of people associate high priced sunglasses with brand name clothing. the distinct difference though, is that a good pair of sunglasses is an investment- it actually works to protect your eyes. a cheapo goodwill jacket vs $300 abercrombie? eh, both will do the same thing. not so with glasses. why would i risk my EYESIGHT because i wanted to save some bucks?

that's always been my perception (no pun intended), so i guess it's no surprise i've always used oakleys and/or raybans. right now i'm on a pair of raybans, i've stopped using oakleys but only because of the style. i still use them for sports like snowboarding, but casual wear raybans work better.

i read an article a while ago comparing cheapo oakley ripoffs and the real stuff. the most notable thing was that the cheapo stuff was noted as being MORE dangerous for your eyes than not wearing ANYTHING at all. the reason? by darkening the visible light that's exposed to your eyes, your pupils open up. this allows even more UV light in (which cheapo glasses aren't quite as effective at preventing). i'm not a physicist so i can't comment on the validity of it, but it wasn't the defining argument for me anyway as i'd already decided i wasn't going to use cheap knock offs.

I have been riding a road bike a lot lately and now wear sunglasses more often.

I've come to hate how most sunglasses slide down and I am looking at the road over the top of the sunglasses. What sunglasses are best for road biking?

oakleys are the best for sports, imho. that's the only real purpose for them, since most of them wrap-around and have a tight fit, they don't go loose. except for their wire series of course.

the m-frame series are the best for biking i believe, interchangeable lenses allow you to change to different ones for different riding conditions, the lenses in general are a lot larger, and since the frame only runs along the top, the lenses are allowed to flare out to the sides to provide more coverage.

I just bought myself a new pair of Oakleys (Square Wire 2.0) off of ebay. I've been without a good pair of sunglasses for a few months now ( I lost my last pair in Hawaii), but I couldn't see very well out of the cheap sunglasses that I was wearing. They just didn't feel right. I've had three three pairs of Oakleys over the past 7 years, and they fit me very well, and I can definately see better in a nice pair of sunglasses than at $10 specials at the gas station. That being said, I'm partial to Oakleys because I think they look awesome, and the price isn't out of this world (See Maui Jims). I think that any of the brand names (Ray-Ban, Revo, Oakley, ect) are better than what you get at walmart.
I got my Oakleys for $100 shipped, while they cost $155 plus tax in the store. You can get some exceptional deals on ebay if you know the exact model that you are looking for. So I go to the mall, try on a ton of sunglasses and figure out which ones I like the most, write down the exact model number of the sunglasses and confirm it with the sale representative, and then check out ebay for a couple weeks and buy the exact same pair, new, in box from someone. The last pair I got were Half Jackets and I paid around $70 for those.

No. Which is not to say they're crap. They're usually well made. They are also consistently designed across the entire frame (This is something that has bugged me about most glasses in general. There's usually a lot of attention to the details on the front of frames, but they all seem to use the same bland earstocks... Oakley actually has product lines defined by the elements of the earstock).

I'm actually thinking of getting some Oakley frames for use as regular eyeglasses... because they're actually cheaper than most eyeglass frames with a similar level of attention to styling. But that's just frames without any lenses. The lenses from Oakley cost more than most of their frames.

I don't really think I could spend that much on a pair of sunglasses but only if some conditions applied
1. great warranty ( i'm a klutz when it comes to sunglasses I break them like no tomorrow so if they had a warrany covering replacements then I would be more likely to buy a pair, but I lose them too and that doesn't help.

2. If I was able to get them at cost ( I had a friend whose roomate worked at a fancy sporting goods store and every other paycheck he would use his discount with a full paycheck, so when he would run into some tight times with money he would sell them to my friend for what they pay them for.

I have bought some knockoffs from a county fair in my area which aren't to horrible of knockoffs (not near as good as quality but definately worth the $10 a pair), and I've bought some knockoffs from Mexico that where complete junk.

I have my Oakley Minutes... they are polarized and mega durable. They have lasted for a long time. They fit my head tight too. The perfect sunglasses.

I really loved my Oakley's, but hated their customer service. I sent a pair back for repair under warranty. They first claimed they never received them. When I had it tracked, I was able to get the name and signature of the person who signed for them in their repairs department. They admitted that they recieved the package, but that it was just an empty torn envelope. I sent the glasses back to them in a case, inside of a box. They seemed to have lost the glasses in their recieveing department, but wouldn't do anything about it. What bothered me the most about the whole process was that they lied and changed their story at each and every step. I have yet to buy a new pair of Oakley's even though I really liked how they looked and I saw out of them.

definately gonna spend money on a good pair of oakleys. i bought my first pair 3 years ago and wore them for 2 summers on a golf course. i only wore them in the morning when cutting grass in the direction of the sun rise beside that they stayed on my head and i never had a problem with them falling off. I bought a second pair for a trip to the beach last summer and both pairs went with me to the beach this summer. i dont recomend wearing them in the water because the waves will rip them off. oh yea and another thing try and but them from one of those little keiosks in the mall. i got mine a t sunglasshut, i paid 140 for the first pair and my gf worked there the time i bought my second pair i got them half off. she said she would give out discounts to people all the time if they asked. the people behind the counter dont care they are gettin paid crap and want to make a sale so just act like your not intrested and maybe they will sell.
another thing is offer to buy a cleaning kit and glasses holder for your car to boost the cashiers sales number for a possible discount.

(If it hasnt been stated) I hear Oakleys arnt even polarized lenses, so in a word... No, they arnt. Ray Bans however are, and therefore eliminate glare.

I tried Oakleys and I swear I'll never buy them again. Too much money for a little piece of plastic that look kinda funny. I'll take glass lens shades any day over plastic.

http://oakley.com/catalog/eyewear/polarized/

You can buy them with polarized lenses if you want, and not all ray bans are polarized its just an option when buying the lenses just like with oakleys. They are both owned by Luxottica. So when comparing the glasses they are just different styles for different people from the same company.

oakley makes a pair of mp3 player sunglasses that are completely crazy for $500 and rayban has titanium framed glasses for $200 so it dependes on what style you like

Yup I agree I bought the Juliets when the first came out (got a deal worked at a bike shop). Still function perfectly and fit well on my head even after taking a hit on the frame after I hit the throttle a little hard on my motorcyle and I wasn't wearing a helmet (stupid I know and doesn't happen anymore) and they took a slide on the street and came out virtually unscathed. I agree on the Ducati model as well when I wore out my last pair of ear socks I ordered a new pair and the sent me the red. Looks good on the old titanium frames.

I have had probs with my eyelashes hitting the lenses on my Oakley A-wires, as well. All I do is slide them down my nose a mm or two, and the problem is solved. That, and being overzealous with lighter fluid have solved the problem nicely for me.

If you are willing, Maui Jims are nice, some have photochromatic lenses, others have graduated tints (lighter/darker from top to bottom of lense) and still others have flexible frames, I believe. They're pretty expensive, but they look a little more professional when you wear them for a business lunch, or walking to the bus station in your suit, etc. Maui Jim's optics seem to be good, as well. Ray-bans are always a valid option.

For the love of God,think of these glasses a couple years down the road, and don't buy some "over-the-top" style from Oakley like every other look-at-me fashionista in the catalogs. Just pick something less edgy, and make sure you like the fit, look, optical quality, and price range before you buy. Bring a friend of the opposite sex with you when you try the things on.

And, depending on where you live, sunglasses can be essential for your eyes in later years. The sun is a vicious bitch, and will destroy your eyes in any number of ways, not the least of which is skin cancer on the thin skin of your cheek bones and nose, which could metastasize to your eyeball. Sunglasses and sunscreen, tough guy.

If you wanted to save your eyes then look for the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standards label on the glasses.

Hint it's more then Oakley that has it.

If you want to splurge on something, go for the Oakley Thump PM3 sunglasses. They look like something out of a Mission Impossible movie, sunglasses with headphones. A digital sound processor, an equalizer, MP3, WMA, and WAV file compatibility plus a 6-hour battery, USB 2.0, and frame-mounted volume and track- control buttons--in this flash-memory MP3 player/sunglasses.128MB, $395; 256MB, $495. www.oakley.com

I bought a pair for myself for getting a raise and I couldn't be happier. Pretty decent sound quality, good battery life, and decent memory makes this worth the outrageous price.

Other then that, I'd say just buy whatever sunglasses you like.

For $390 and up you can own the stylish Oakley with built in MP3 player!
And I thought we were supposed to pay close attention to our surroundings?!

I agree with the idea of investing in nice glasses to protect your eyesight. I am the type of person who has to wear sunglasses on cloudy days or else I can barely see since I have to squint so much. I invested in a decent set of Oakley wires a couple years back and they just recently crapped out on me. Got a new pair now with magnesium frames and springed hinges. It doesn't get much better for protection of eyes and style.

Squinting, in the long run, causes wrinkles on the face which make you look older.

I can't weigh in on Oakleys as I have never had a pair. However, I love my Revo's and they were well worth the price. I actually had a second pair made with prescription lenses in them.

but then you don't have the REVO lenses in them anymore... so you paid for the frames basically.

After talking with a guy who is quite obsessed with sunglasses... used to sell them, I've come away with two things: Oakleys are the best sun glasses ever quality-wise, and Christian Dior sucks big.

Cynthetiq, Only on the prescription pair. My dive boat glasses and my other pair have the original lenses

when I have the extra cash I'll do something similar for those times that I have to actually not wear my contacts and wear glasses.

I go for cheap myself. I look for the UV sticker on the $12 piar at Kohls and buy something I like, that's all.

I used to buy Ray Ban Aviators but I lost them too much.

Now I buy 15$ sunglasses at Walmart that look the same and perform the same function very adequately and spend my money on something else.

Just checking back in to say I did get (clear) prescription lenses put in some Oakley O2 frames. I like 'em. I've had people comment on 'em (which has never, ever, happened to me before).

Also, to clarify my previous post, I'm talking only about their full-frame metal models. I'd never buy plastic frame Oakleys.

Yeah the O2s are sharp aren't they that is what I have worn for a couple of years now. I like them enough to simply replace the lenses and keep the frames.

To test your completely inaccurate theory, try lying in direct sunlight through a windowpane for a full 6 hours and come back when you've sufficiently burned your skin. :)

You're the only one that can aswer that question. You can get "foakleys" as most gas stations for $5, it's up to you whether the quality and name brand is worth it to you.

Just a couple weeks ago I noticed that I had lost my Dad's 200$ pair of Nikon sunglasses. I am sooo pissed, I can't afford to replace them and I am so spoiled by their lenses now that I won't be able to buy much else. The lenses in there were this amber-purple that made the entire world look newly beautiful everytime I put them on.

Oh and I had kept them perfect for a long time because I knew they were freakin 200$, I took them along on many journeys.

I bought a pair of prescription Oakleys. While I liked the sunglasses themselves, I never got used to the odd way they handled the prescription insert. I got rid of them after a year or so. I now wear a pair of prescription Vuarnets. Expensive and hard to obtain (you have to order them online and have them made in France), they are the finest pair of glasses that I have ever owned.

I have both Oakley sunglasses and prescription glasses. The sunglasses are C-Wires, very *Matrix* style - charcoal black frames with black mirror lenses, I love them, I have had them for over 5 years and they still look like new after much use and abuse. I have never once regretted spending the money on them, because I believe I have had good valuse out of them.

The presciption ones I just got last week, first imprssions are good, lets see if they hold up as well as the sunglasses!

i dont think oakleys are worth all the money since they are the same as a lot of other glasses that you can get for maybe 50 dollars. you are just paying for the cool oakley name. i have a pair of von vipers, which i probably also paid for the name, but i know that i got a good pair of glasses too. they fit well and have actual glass lenses so they are hard to scratch. they are also polarized which i need since i spend a lot of time on the water.

Oakleys are a little too rich for my blood, but I do wear quality sunglasses. I have two pair of nike sunglasses, one metal frame with reflective dark lenses for looks and general wear, and one plastic sports frame with swap-out orange and amber lenses. those fit snugly and I can take them skiing, mountain biking, lawnmowing, etc...
Inside I wear them on the top of my head and this keeps me from losing them. I have had these pairs for almost two years. both around 60$ in price.

I don't know
kevin

the short answer: No fucking way

i got a coupon type deal the other day for gattaca brand sunglasses where you only pay for shipping *$10-15
and get 4 fours for that much. if anyone wants the website to take a look gimme a pm

I have a pair of Fives that I got at an nhra national event like 3 or 4 years ago from the oakley vendor.

they were like 60 bucks, and they're the only shades that fit my face well, and they look better on me than any other sunglasses i've had.


tough mothers too, they've been used and abused. I'm not sure how many times the ear pieces (is that the word for them?) have popped off.



I had a pair of straightjackets when i was 13 or so, but my mom ran 'em over with her fucking minivan.........then had the audacity to replace them with a fake pair her boss was hocking

i knew what was up RIGHT away, goddamnit

Mostly you should buy sunglasses for quality.:thumbsup: Oakley sunglasses are amazing because they are the strongest lenses out there (industrial grade):thumbsup: Any other sunglasses will just shatter if you got hit with ur sunglasses on. I am just saying they are the best quality for your money. It says something when the soldiers in Iraq use Oakleys over any other brand. (mostly because they can stand shrapnel):thumbsup:

I personally like Ray Bans and my optomestrist approves of the ones I use. That's probably the best test: ask your eyecare providor. They will tell you if your lenses are up to the job and share the downsides as well.

Better optics means your eyes are treated better. That includes the bad light spectrums that are filtered out and how hard your eyes have to work to overcome the distortions of lens you are looking through. When it comes to eyes the money is worth it. Simply stated, Optical Quality means the lens is free from distortion. Lines reflected in the lens will follow in straight lines the even contours of the lens, versus wavy, eye-straining distortions found in non-optical lenses.

Price is not always an indication of quality, but, in general, good optics do cost more. And it's definitely worth it, if seeing clearly and comfortably is important to you! Some specialty lenses, like polarized and photochromics add some additional cost. The quality of the frame is also an issue. Better quality frames hold the adjustment and fit better and last much longer than lower quality materials. Sometimes, you do get what you pay for, but in some cases, you're just paying for a brand name or this season's latest fad. It is important to consider the comfort and health of your eyes when considering the purchase of sunglasses.

Since I wear prescription glasses, I have to have lenses for my sunglasses prescription-made. I currently wear Silhouette frames (they're awesome, flexible and impossible to break, look them up) with photochromic lenses that turn dark in sunlight. I'm only ever getting photochromic lenses in future. The one exception is for driving - I have a pair of driving prescription sunglasses since photochroming doesn't work perfectly in a car.

I have a pair of Crosshair Titatiums and I absolutely love them. They're so light you never notice you're wearing them, they fit great, and they're really tough. They're also ridiculously expensive. My eyes are more sensitive so I tend to buy better sunglasses and keep them for a long time. The only bad experience I ever had with oakley's was with a pair that had spring loaded hinges which broke after almost exactly a year twice. It's certainly a personal choice but if you know you won't lose them and are willing to pay for the style and great lenses go for it.

Soldiers wear Oakleys because Oakley gives them a hefty discount in order to give themselves the reptuation of being the sunglasses soldiers wear.

Also, holy necro.

...

I used to get Panama Jack el-cheapos at the drug store simply because I most often lost or broke a pair of sunglasses within a week or three. I picked up a pair of Oakley sunglasses on clearance at the mall once and found that I took much better care of them and that they did seem to afford me better comfort than anything else I've worn. I think I kept that first pair six years or so. I'm now on my second pair and expect similar results.

i find that Killer Loops are the best value for money. for around 50-60 bucks USD, you can get a swell looking pair that is resiliant and sturdy. ive lost coun of how many times ive dropped them, sat on them and bumped them.

ive worn Killer Loops for the past 4 years. wouldnt go anywhere else

Addendum: They broke almost immediately. :sad:

I wear photochromic glasses a my spectacles, but wear contacts a lot of the time.

I bought a pair of Oakleys in a clearance store a few years ago and really like them for comfort (cost me £50 reduced from £120); however I find myself a lot of the time wearing the £10 shades I picked up in "Marks & Spencer" one day I'd forgotten my decent shades at home.

Really complex/silly/flashy sunglasses piss me off.

My two cents:

I like the way Oakleys look, but can never seem to find a pair that fit me. I currently have a pair of Costa Del Mars, and they are the best sunglasses I've ever owned. They've taken a beating and are still good as new.

I wear Rudy Project glasses for riding my road bike. You can change the lenses for differing road conditions, they have a way to insert prescription lenses and they adjust so air can blow through and prevent fogging.

Extremelly bad experience with Oakley sunglases
 

Hi! Let me tell you my story. Tired about buying sunglases that lasted months and worried about my eyes, I decided to buy some pair of expensive ones. In the Boston duty free shop I bought a pair of Oakley, polarized, state of the art. They costed me $250!!!!!! I paid gladly, since I thought they were going to be my pair for years. After a couple of months the protection started to loosen from the edges of the glasses. And around 1,5 years after I bought them smalls spots appeared in the middle. And let me tell you, I was extremelly careful with them!!!

I tried to contact Oakley, both directly and via representatives, but never got an answer.

So my advise... don't pay big sums for these kind of items, and particularly avoid Oakley.

Hope this helps.
Regards,
J.

i caved in and bought oakleys almost a year ago now. i run and trek in them a few times a week. i wear them daily and wear them while driving too. ive never had any problems with them whatsoever.

definately worth the 150USD i paid for them.

They might have gone out of style years ago (or maybe it's been so long they're back in?), but I still wear the same pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers my wife bought me over 20 years ago. I think she paid around $75 for them then; they're twice that now. Not only are they great quality; they're virtually unbreakable. At under $4/year, they have definitely proven themselves to be well worth the cost.

I wear them quite a bit. I think they are worth the money, and am thinking about getting another pair.

The only issue I have is that they get scratched easily.

I looooove my Maui Jims. No Oakleys in our house.
Super-light, sport-style and around $160USD, I think.
I really need rx sunglasses but the polarized amber lenses alone sharpen my vision.

That's why I love my Ray-Bans - glass lenses. Unless you dive face-first into a pile of diamonds, they won't scratch.

you can use the Reflective and UV protection'sunglass,i think its good for you

I always found Oakleys to be very grippy on the sides of my head. There might be less expensive options that do it, but I haven't found any. I have, however, noticed that I can work outside in the rain and they never even think about sliding off.

I think I lost my most recent pair...or it's possible they were stolen. :grumpy:

When it comes to your eyes, knees, back and ears, DONT GO CHEAP. Once its lost its gone forever.

Oakley, Ray Ban etc, the top of the line luxottica type companies put millions into research. And your eyes benefit.
Go with the cheap $5 glasses, and reap the rewards of refracted vision and UV penetration.

This pair of M Frames stopped shrapnel from getting into my eye. It did penetrate the rest of my body though.
http://photos.imageevent.com/remy149...20264CASE4.jpg
http://photos.imageevent.com/remy149...exacciden1.jpg

Jesus Remy what happened? Did you have a KB?

big kaboom. M44 double feed.

I have many oakleys and even have loaners for the range. Eyes are nice, soft and easy to damage from mowing the lawn, riding a bike or staring at the sun too long :)

the local Oakley rep wanted that pair of lenses for their museum but I kept em as a safety reminder.

there are a LOT of fake Oakleys out there, if yours is crap, chances are its a fake. also if you have old oakleys, you can send em in for $10 and they will repair/replace them.

Protip: www.USStandardIssue.com sells Oakley products to military personnel at deep discounts. You have to register with a CAC but it's totally worth it.