How do you lose Oakleys? They are either in front of my eyes or firmly on top of my head, which is why I use Oakleys

off road I’ve go a hybrid part blue and black spesh singletracks with “photochromic” lenses made up from 2 pairs I bought in 2005 £70 and £40 IIRC on the road just any ol’ aldi/ldil £4.99 offering

Bought a pair of Blocs for about £8 19 years ago and they still work just fine.

I went all in when my eyesight had gone bad enough to need prescription riding glasses (mainly for night rides) and bought a pair of team GB 2012 Oakley Flak Jackets with transitions lenses.
Not cheap by any means but still going strong.

Erm…

*backs out of thread*

Houns

Erm…

Go on, how many pairs….?

Not as many now as been selling quite a few pairs off (got bored of it, need the money for other fun stuff, and generally not liking the collectors scene – too many trump loving gun nuts, the European collectors are thankfully nice/different). I’m down to about 20-30

I’m an Oakley fanboi – i’ve got two pairs of Jawbone/Racing Jackets for riding (with different coloured lenses) and a couple of other pairs (and another on the way from Vision Express) for casual wear.

I’ve never paid full price for any of them – i’ve either bought via Igero or from others when sales are on.
I always look after them and find Oakley designs fit my face really well. The Racing Jackets stick to my face no matter how wet/sweaty/dirty i am.

I’ve got a couple of pairs of Nike sunglasses – they’re very nice and well made but just don’t fit quite as well as the Oakleys.

To answer the OP question – i’d struggle to justify parting with more than £100 – and am more keen on £160 reduced to £100!

I’ve had Oakleys and got upset when they got eaten by the dog. I’ve been given some freebie pairs and they have been fine, but the last pair I bought were in the 30 quid range. Polarised lenses, fit my face, work. Shame one of the lenses has already got scratched.

Had a pair of O’neill polarised specs which were great, until whatever additive is in the water on the log flume in West Midlands Safari Park stripped the coating and mirroring clean off them.
Curently sporting a pair of Sungods, very happy with them, plus you can have custom options and replace lenses, if thats important to you.

Spent £55 on a pair of Ray Ban Aviators when I was 17 – seemed like an awful lot of money at the time.

27 years later I am still wearing them on occasions (as does my wife).

About 250-300 quid but they are prescription Oakleys.

Racing Jackets with Prizm Trail Lenses

Targetline with Prizm Grey.

I also have some older Racing Jackets with transition lenses for when it gets super gloomy.

My “normal” glasses are also oakley as i find them super comfy and the frames actually last unlike “designer” specs.

Oakley’s here too. Had RayBans for casual but got rid when I saw some Russian gangster wannabe wearing the same shades on holiday in Majorca!

Used to do a lot of sailing and bought cheap sunnies as I lost so many pairs overboard. But one day wore the RayBans (polarised) and the difference on the water was incredible. Really incredible.

Have never gone back to cheap ones since.

Likewise, skiing. The right pair of Oakley’s on a flat light day makes an enormous difference.

I read once that cheap sunnies without (good) UV filters do more damage than not wearing them at all. The tint causes your pupils to open wider and let more UV in. Made me regret those long days on the water with market stall specials in the past.

never been a fan of oakleys, to me they still look like 1990s oakleys.

had rayban

Same company; they are brands owned by the Luxottica group. Which makes eyewear for just about every luxury brand out there, it seems.

https://www.luxottica.com/en/eyewear-brands

I read once that cheap sunnies without (good) UV filters do more damage than not wearing them at all. The tint causes your pupils to open wider and let more UV in. Made me regret those long days on the water with market stall specials in the past.

Hmm, it’s not quite as straightforward as that, and has a lot to do with companies wanting to sell you more expensive products. All sunglasses will offer some UV protection, but it’s more about the amount of harmful UV wavelengths they let through. Many cheapo sunnies will offer exactly the same protection as the most expensive, but if you are going to be spending a lot of time in very bright environments, such as ski-ing, near water etc, then it’s wise to check for UV protection, of course. But I wouldn’t be too worried about cheapo sunnies for more casual, short-term use.

https://www.today.com/style/debunking-9-common-myths-about-sunglasses-2d80554300

My “normal” glasses are also oakley as i find them super comfy and the frames actually last unlike “designer” specs.

@BillOddie that’s interesting, I’m looking to get some “normal” Oakley glasses. Other brands I’ve tried get knackered when I push them out the way onto my head switching from Reading, when I don’t need them, to the TV, when I do. I’m hoping regular Oakley frames cope with it as well as the sunglasses do

I have a selection of Oakleys that I use for MTB and Road Cycling. Jawbreakers and Sutro models mostly with Prizm trail and road lenses.

I have one dodgy eye that doesn’t work quite properly so I am highly protective of the good one and am happy to invest in good quality eyewear that is effective in terms of optics and impact protection.

I look after the glasses by cleaning them properly and storing them in their bag/case after each use. As a result I tend to get 3 or 4 years use out of each pair no bother – even longer with the road ones as they don’t get so covered in filth.

I also have other casual Oakleys (Holbrooks etc) that I use for daily wear – literally every day, even in winter (my eye doesn’t dilate so even slightly bright weather causes me to have to shut my eye). Again these get looked after so last a very long time.

I look after them, they look after me.

andrewreay

I read once that cheap sunnies without (good) UV filters do more damage than not wearing them at all. The tint causes your pupils to open wider and let more UV in. Made me regret those long days on the water with market stall specials in the past.

I think this was de-bunked years ago. The plastic used in nearly all sunglasses blocks out virtually all UV.
I saw a TV thing years ago where they were stopping random people who were walking past and asking to test the UV transmittance of their glasses. They measured all sorts from heart shaped novelty glasses from the pound shop to ‘proper’ brand glasses like Oakley, Rayban etc. & found almost no difference in the amount of UV getting through.
Maybe this was a thing when lenses were mainly glass, but I don’t think that’s been the case for a long time now.

The one thing I do notice when paddling and sailing is that polarised is the shizzle.

Still using (on every ride) the Oakley M Frames I bought in 1999 !
Work well for me, easy to take off/put on with one hand, comfortable etc,.

I try really hard to look after my glasses, and find that Oakleys work really bloody well for a long time. (also, once I rode over a pair and Oakley replaced them at no charge)

Quite like Julbo’s, their anti-fog coating is good but they just don’t last like Oakleys. Had a pair of Adidas ones that were huge and brilliant for riding, with the variable darkness lenses, but they also got scratched to buggery very quickly and were soon useless.

with the same use and care regime, Oakleys win.

In my early days of mtb I fell down the Oakley rabbit hole, but soon realised they scratched like everything else, and got lost for everything else.

Back then, polycarbonate lenses weren’t virtually ubiquitous like they are now, so I wore safety specs for about 10 years.

Now I wear any old cheapy that looks ok, has polycarbonate lenses and fits like I want. Amazon is good for that.

Just bought some Julbo ones from Sportsshoes.co.uk on special offer – photo chromatic and a more casual look. My riding glasses are Smith and previously had Adidas, Rudy and Oakley. Many years ago, worked in a company that used to manufacture and distribute both industrial and prescription eyewear. Simply put, you’re paying a big premium for brands like Oakley simply for things like marketing and sponsorship – the quality of the optics and coatings is imperceptible beyond a certain price point, your eyes can’t really tell the difference. Cheap industrial glasses don’t really last and there’s no real comparison.

who somehow think wearing shades designed for sports make them look edgy, and a host of “larger” mamils for whom signaling they they do sports is more important that the actual doing of those sports

By all means wear them for what they’re designed for…cycling whatever, but I think rule #22 applies.

Which Oakley style in particular were you thinking of? Frogskins were one of their earliest styles, and they’re based on the Wayfarer shape, so hardly ’edgy’.
I’ve got two pairs of original Frogskins from late ‘80’s/early 90’s, plus a pair of original Mumbos, and a pair of Half Jacket 2.0’s, which are a few years old now, and I got those off eBay. I’ve also got several original pairs of Arnet sunnies, from before they got bought up – two pairs of Ravens, a pair of Steel Ravens, a couple of pairs of Black Dogs, and a pair of metal-framed Hornets, which I bought in Vail at the ‘94 Worlds, and a pair of Dusters.
I’ve also got some Rayban Lennons, and some Wiley-X, but I haven’t worn those for a while.
I’ve very recently bought some SunGods, and I have to say they’re really bloody good! Small British company, lifetime guarantee against breakage, excellent range of lens, and frame colours, and the packaging is some of the best I’ve seen. They’re also supporting Surfers Against Sewage, and the price is incredibly good, £55 with the basic 4Ko lens, the 8Ko lenses are more expensive, but still £85. There’s only three regular frame styles, but there’s a couple of sports frame/lens sunnies as well.
The other great thing about them is the lenses can be easily swapped out for a different colour or if they get scratched, and replacements are £33.
I was so impressed with the first pair I bought, Classics3 with a tortoiseshell finish and gold mirror lenses and icons, I bought another pair of Renegades with Matt grey recycled frames with blue mirror lenses.
One thing in particular I’ve found with them is they seem to fit really well without having to try to bend the arms or adjust them in any way, which is really unusual, plus they stay in place without me having to keep pushing them back up my nose all the bloody time! As I wear them all day at work, when it’s bright, and that’s a ten hour day, it makes a real difference having such a good fit. And if I damage a lens, it’s no big deal.
https://www.sungod.co/?msclkid=0a3f7e0147981becbb481f009d2e53fc

less than a hundred per pair but probably more than fifty. I find the pay less and not worry so much a false economy. Lost several cheaper pairs since I wasnt paying attention whereas if I have paid a reasonable amount I pay more attention.
Currently have three pairs of oakleys (frogskins for general and then a trail prism flakjacket and normal sun lens flakjacket for riding) plus a adidas clear glasses for riding when the other two dont suit and finally Rayban aviators which are kept mostly in the car.
All of which brought on PSA aside from the rayban brought using a restricted voucher from work where they were the best option.

Wife and I still have our Oakleys we bought on honeymoon in the US, 20th anniversary next week!. Mine have had a few new lenses, but mrs is still on the originals.

Agree with CZ though, my Sungod renegades are superb, always grab them first.

But I wouldn’t be too worried about cheapo sunnies for more casual, short-term use.

I’m sure cheap Decathlon glasses are fine – but what about the cheap fake knockoff glasses you get sold on the Spanish coast? Genuine question – I don’t know if manufacturing has advanced to the point where they’re pretty much all safe, or whether the Chinese factory that’s knocking them out is cutting corners and wearing these fakes is likely to lead to eye damage…

(Clearly the coatings aren’t going to last, and they probably say “Raybon” on the side, but are they actually dangerous?)

MTB – Oakley Race Jackets. Look like Brian Lopes, but can park better. Really good but getting old with the legs going floppy
Road – Oakley Radars
Car – Oakley Frogskins
Other Car – Raybans
Reserve (read “out there somewhere”) – Oakley Gas Cans. These are actually a bit rubbish as they hurt to wear after a couple of hours
In various drawers – several pairs of Minutes, Half jackets and other things from back in the day

I’ve just bought Decathlon’s to try off road – feel a bit dirty

(Clearly the coatings aren’t going to last, and they probably say “Raybon” on the side, but are they actually dangerous?)

I seem to remember Northwind being sciency and doing some tests on cheap sunglasses Vs Oakleys or whatever, and there was very little difference in performance. I may have just imagined that though.

Yeah, I was more wondering the difference between cheap (but legit) sunglasses, the kind you get in Decathlon or wherever, and the fake Okeleys you get off a market stall. I trust Decathlon, despite their prices it’s a large company with a reputation to maintain.

I don’t know if manufacturing has advanced to the point where they’re pretty much all safe, or whether the Chinese factory that’s knocking them out is cutting corners and wearing these fakes is likely to lead to eye damage…

I remember reading an account from a materials scientist who said it’s basically impossible to get any plastic to transmit UV light. For extreme specialist applications there are some very expensive products that transmit UV but not visible light.

Here’s some science to back that up: https://www.gmp.ch/spectroscopy-applications/transmission-characteristics-of-sunglasses-and-tinted-windows. From that article –

Look at the UV spectrum (<400nm down to ~4nm). Pretty much everything has a massive drop-off there with no transmission. Even if a pair of excessively dark-tinted glasses was causing too much pupillary dilatation, there really isn’t a measurable UV effect.

Basically the whole ‘UV protection’ thing for sunglasses is at best ill-informed or (more likely) disinformation from the BigSunglasses conglomerate (which as others have said is now pretty much just one company).

IANASS
(I am not a sunglass scientist)

For those with 20/20 vision, or who use contact lenses, then ordinary sunnies are fine, pretty much any thing really. But for those who need prescription lenses, then I’ve found Oakley to be the best options; other brands end up being comparable in price when you add up the cost of prescription glazing, yet don’t have such a range of styles, nor lens types and coatings. Some actually come up more expansive than comparable Oakleys. None are as easily available to try on as Oakley, nor have such good customer support and service. I don’t have a particularly complex prescription, but even ‘standard’ specs will set me back £150+, generally, and that’s for pretty bog standard plastic frames. So Oakleys aren’t really particularly excessive for me, as I mentioned before. A pair I had made in the early 00s cost the equivalent today of around £650. A pair I’ve had made more recently, about half that, so prices seem to have come down in real terms. I agree that non-prescription prices are a rip-off, but this is a forum where people think spending £3,4,5k+ on a bicycle is normal…

I’ve had a few Luxotica Oakley’s and don’t think they’re great VFM, you’re definitely paying for the label.
Got a nice pair of Bloc sunnies for about £30, optics seem to be as good as Oakley.

I have two pairs of prescription sunglass wrap around shades (one dark, one photochromatic). Both scratched to buggery as I normally knock them to the floor everytime I take my helmet off and forget the arms are over my helmet straps. Still, they’re both about 10 years old, so not bad value for money.

I have in the past spent decent money on sunglasses, i quite like Ray Bans, whenever i have done they have rarely lasted a year despite me trying to be careful with them. These days i’ll either pick up a pair in Aldi or Next and they’ll last years, and at those prices i can keep a pair in each car a pair in the house and have a couple of spares.

I am a bit of a Ray-Ban fan – but have probably bought more Oakley than anything else ( around 9 pairs).
The thing about Oakley – and nobody else seems to have this issue, is after about 3-4 years the lens delaminate. It looks like bubbling / coming apart of laminate , or the plastic breaking down. All parts , other than Julliettes , have done.
Replacement lens are easy to fit, Oakley customer service fine.

I still have a pair of 30 year old Ray-Ban wayfarers which have no issue, a 10 years old pair with no issue, and a 5 year old pair with no issue.
Unfortunately, I lost my Clubmasters at a wedding just outside Jo’burg ….

Anyone tried SunGod sunglasses?

About 250-300 quid but they are prescription Oakleys.

Racing Jackets with Prizm Trail Lenses

Targetline with Prizm Grey.

I also have some older Racing Jackets with transition lenses for when it gets super gloomy.

My “normal” glasses are also oakley as i find them super comfy and the frames actually last unlike “designer” specs.

Same as that but different model.

andrewreay

I read once that cheap sunnies without (good) UV filters do more damage than not wearing them at all. The tint causes your pupils to open wider and let more UV in. Made me regret those long days on the water with market stall specials in the past.

This came up ~8 years ago, maybe more when the first wave of cheapo cycling specs were available that were actually good copies of leading brands.

I tested a load of glasses to the specifications* and everything except the decathlon polarised fishing glasses passed. The blocking of UV rays is intrinsic to the polycarbonate material that lenses are made from, you have to have something special (ie polarised) for them to fail.

*- didn’t do the ball bearing test.

A couple of years back in Vietnam I bought a pair of no-name sunglasses because they were frameless. I went for them because when I ride the road bike I’m always looking through the top of the lens and the frame gets in the way. They’ve lasted well and £6 was a good price. Except that next to them were several pairs of Oakley Jawbone Prizms (genuine, I’m fairly sure) for £3 each.

£25ish quid every year or so, always lose them. Probably spect a fortune over the years tbh. Would be crazy for me to spend any more.

Must admit, generally oakleys are ugly as sin though don’t see the attraction tbh!