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Just bought my 3rd pair of Oakleys in about 20 years which goes to show how well the last 2 pairs have lasted especially considering the abuse they have suffered! Both previous pairs had made in usa on the frames but these latest ones dont...they also feel a bit flimsy tbh with the lenses moving fractionally in the frames. Has Oakley quality dropped off recently?
Been made in china and assembled in USA for a very long time. They even arrive in bags with Chinese writing on them which are carefully removed before sale.
From mrmeory low end glasses are made in China, high end still in the USA.
They say their tooling in China is brand new so will arguably make better glasses......
Luttoxica crashed their share price, bought them out and ruined them.
These are not low end glasses!
Designed and assembled in the USA - what a load of bollox
oh well I guess I'll keep them and see how well they do
Having seen the quality of many items manufactured in the USA I'm not sure why it would be seen as a selling point.
I've moved to Sungod Pacebreakers. Awesome lenses, great prices and fully customisable lenses, sleeves & icons on order with next day delivery.
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They've been owned by Luttoxica for 10 years. I prefer Rudy Projects for cycling. I do have Oakley normal glasses which I like and quality seems comparable with the competition (actually there is very little, most glasses and sun glasses are made by just a few companies).
there was a programme on BBC3 ages (~5 years) ago where a guy went to the Oakley factory in Taiwan?
was a huge place where they made shades for other big brands too, including Rayban - assembly lines were metres apart.
they were pretty open about it, but didnt want to show that they actually had a design office there too (despite what oakley claimed)
having seen the fuss that people make on Pinkbike about bikes being 'made in the usa' I can imagine that it is worth an awful lot to their brand image
I probably bought my last pair about 6-7 years ago. Monster Dogs and the frame is as tight as it was when I bought them despite 'snapping' the arms out dozens of times. Unfortunately the lens coating has now all gone funny and they are scratched to bits
The new Valves I just bought simply don't feel as strong/tight but that may be down to the design. The polarised prizm lenses are amazing though...
wrong thread!
actually there is very little, most glasses and sun glasses are made by just a few companies
When you get to designer sunglasses it's incredible how few players there are. Sure you get a different name on the frame but the same anonymous office and factory send them out.
Sunglasses conspiracy
Blimey. I didn't know that.......
Glad I only paid 50% RRP for my oakleys. Now I only feel 50% ripped off.
Oakley gave up manufacturing decent glasses a while back and decided plastic was the way to go, Luxottica make them anyway and own most of the major designer brands, and Sunglass Hut so basically almost every major designer brand is made in the same factory.
O wait that's what the video said, should have watched it first...
OK, so if Oakley aren't good any more (sad about this as I've had a fair few pairs of "wires" over the years) what other options are there for quality bins?
Yep, what most have said above. I've given up on collecting now and starting to slowly sell my collection off. No real amazing innovation or styles since Jim Jannard sold out, look what he's gone on to do with RED. The HQ in America is like a haunted building now
Edit
I don't think quality has reduced detrimentally, and have no issue with them being made in China (unlike the American collectors, it's almost a racism issue with some of them though 🙄 ) I just don't like how Lux have destroyed the brand.
They've always produced plastic frames! It was only with the introduction of e-wires when they started doing metal frames, and they're still doing so now
I've moved to Sungod Pacebreakers. Awesome lenses, great prices and fully customisable lenses, sleeves & icons on order with next day delivery.
Kryton, out of interest, what lenses do you use in your Pacebreakers?
Has Trump heard about this?
When you get to designer sunglasses it's incredible how few players there are. Sure you get a different name on the frame but the same anonymous office and factory send them out.
Kinda similar to carbon bike manufacturing it sounds?
I've acquired a few pairs of Oakleys over the years, still got a set of Juliets that I've had for what must be 15 years or so.
Kryton, out of interest, what lenses do you use in your Pacebreakers
I have the polarised Blue lense, and the low light yellow ISH lens.
I've only worn them once at Sundays race - the low light lense - clarity was amazing and they never misted once. Also the frame weighs something like 27g.
Mine were £115 delivered with the 2 lenses.
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Team kit is predominantly blue with pink highlights, to make sense of the custom choices...
Ta.
I still think Oakley make the best looking sunglasses out there and probably the best looking prescription frames as well.
Yep they cost a bit, but so does most nice stuff.
Yes I am a fanboi!!