[techfreakazoid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grey Massacre /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am a oakley fan here but I am really picky. I have a pair of old switch magnesium and black iridium lens, they are my beaters. Really sturdy! I also using racing jackets black chrome and g30 vented persimmon lens, best biking glasses! Here is my custom straight jacket, +red iridum lens, red accents, black camo frame, totally kick ass glasses! I really like those lens it's too bad Oakley doesn't offer them on many models, I plan on getting something with blue iridium lens as well! Charles

Nothing wrong with being picky if you know what you want! It's why we're here as enthusiasts and connoisseurs.

For sports, I find the G30 Iridium lenses offer the best balance between clarity and reducing eye fatigue. Also have a pair of G30 Black Iridiums which go well in slightly brighter conditions. For increasing brightness, I’ll go with Positive Red and Ice Iridium. Yes, Oakley discontinues less popular frames and lens options over time. Not sure if they still offer the Blue Iridiums. I had a pair; however, prefer the grey-based lenses. One of these days, I’ll have to try the Polarized lenses.


Quote:

Originally Posted by saintalfonzo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Another owner of the oakley crosshair here. I wouldn't buy oakley again because the lenses scratch WAY too easily; I kept them in their case all the time except for one night at a concert when I had them on my shirt collar. After the show I discovered a scuff mark right in the middle of the right lens, probably from someone just brushing against me on the floor (general admission). They were only 1 month old, and sunglass hut told me all I can do is mail them in to oakley for a $70 lens replacement. I'm wondering why I even kept the receipt. I don't want to even go a day without these things if I mail them in for a ripoff lens replacement, because it's sunny every day to the point of ridiculousness in NM. I actually miss rain! Anyway, I'm going with glass lenses next time I buy.

If you're not using shades for sports/high-impact activities, quality glass is the way to go for clarity performance. Analogous to buying cameras, it's all about the glass! Just make sure the AR and scratch resistance coatings are solid.

 

[woof37]

Quote:

Originally Posted by techfreakazoid /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you're not using shades for sports/high-impact activities, quality glass is the way to go for clarity performance. Analogous to buying cameras, it's all about the glass! Just make sure the AR and scratch resistance coatings are solid.

That's fantastic advice. No offense intended, but if you want the best lenses, Oakleys aren't what you should be looking at. Costa Del Mar and Maui Jim both make affordable glass lensed models that are far superior to anything Oakley has. Maui Jims are better to my eyes, but that's just my preference.

 

[JensL]

I've had Serengeti's for years now, and have been totally happy with them.

However, I haven't tried the competition for years too, so I took a trip to some shops for some quick testing. Especially curious about Oakleys.

Short version: I'm keeping my Serengeti's.

Some Ray-bans were good, and so were most Oakleys. Pretty decent frames too.
But when it came to optical performance, all were easily beaten by my fairly standard Serengeti's.
Contrast was stronger and colors were clearer and better defined, and everything just looked sharper.

Most Polaroids felt like looking through a dirty window on a cloudy day (it was sunny).

Also, I haven't seen any other sunglass manufacturer than Serengeti that offer lenses that are both polarized and photochromic (brightens or darkens depending on ambient light) at the same time. Even their lightweight polycarbonate lenses offer this.
There probably are others that got this, but not Oakley or Ray-ban to my knowledge.

I got the feeling that Oakley invest quite a bit in marketing fluff too.
How about their "UNOBTAINIUM® stem sleeves", which felt exactly like what other uses. Silly name, too.
And then you've got "HYDROPHOBIC®/OLEOPHOBIC anti-smudge lens coating", that apparently "repels skin oils" etc. Meh, fingerprints and sweat appeared just as easily on every Oakley I tested.

Oh well, I'm being a bit harsh on the Oakleys. They were just fine, and some models looked pretty good too. And for really active use, they got some better suited models than any Serengeti.
But for "regular" use, especially driving, their optical quality is beaten by Serengeti, hands down.

At least looking through my eyes.

 

[warpdriver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by techfreakazoid /img/forum/go_quote.gif They look sharp. Are the Evolution lenses glass-based?

They are some kind of plastic from what I can tell. These (and the rest of this model line) is all about lightness.

 

[Rav]

I just recently picked up some Serengeti Saraceno with the 555 lenses and i must say i'm really happy with them. Compared to the no-names i had before (and oakley minutes before that) they offer better contrast while still reducing glare. Almost as if they lighten while they darken, if you'll excuse the oxymoron.

And they feel nice and well engineered for such thin frames, with tiny little spring temples. My only beef is that the arms are a tad long for my ears, but it's something i can live with.

 

[VicAjax]

[FLAME SUIT]not a big fan of Oakleys... 1. i don't like the lenses and 2. i think they're really ugly[/FLAME SUIT]

I avoided qaulity shades for the longest time for fear of loss and breakage. but now i've taken the plunge and would never go back. i've somehow gotten three pairs of quality shades in my possession at the same time:

a pair of Persol polarized:

for fun and city style, these Ray Bans:

and most recently, a really nice pair of Oliver Peoples Aero, with polarized green gradient lenses i had put in:

 

[jewman]

I just bought my first nice pair of Ray-bans, the rb8301. It came out just recently. I really like the carbon fiber bows. I was thinking about getting the polarized version, but my dad dissuaded me by letting me know that he's had non-polarized ray-bans for years and hasn't noticed any glare problems. If I can care for these without breaking/losing them, maybe I'll sell these and invest in a polarized pair.

The only thing I'm really concerned about is scratching the lenses.

 

[woof37]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jewman /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just bought my first nice pair of Ray-bans, the rb8301. It came out just recently. I really like the carbon fiber bows. I was thinking about getting the polarized version, but my dad dissuaded me by letting me know that he's had non-polarized ray-bans for years and hasn't noticed any glare problems. If I can care for these without breaking/losing them, maybe I'll sell these and invest in a polarized pair. The only thing I'm really concerned about is scratching the lenses.

You need to get a polarized pair, Jewman. It's more to protect your eyes than to reduce glare.

 

[mierenneuker]

 

[jewman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by woof07 /img/forum/go_quote.gif You need to get a polarized pair, Jewman. It's more to protect your eyes than to reduce glare.

Really? I never knew that. I looked up polarization technology on the web, and I was under the impression that it was more for comfort. I'll have to see if they can take mine back lol

 

[jewman]

Okay, well it's too late to return them, so it looks like I'll be wearing these babies out!

Maybe when these break I'll get a new pair of polarized Ray-bans.

 

[Audio-Omega]

Does Ray Ban still make glass lenses ? I used to have a Titanium Cat Eye. Its clarity was excellent.

 

[jewman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audio-Omega /img/forum/go_quote.gif Does Ray Ban still make glass lenses ? I used to have a Titanium Cat Eye. Its clarity was excellent.

Yes they do. The Ray-bans I purchased a few weeks ago sure are, and I think the majority if not all Ray-bans have glass lenses.

 

[Audio-Omega]

One thing I dislike about Oakley is that they don't provide sunglasses case and it's expensive to buy them.

 

[techfreakazoid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by woof07 /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's fantastic advice. No offense intended, but if you want the best lenses, Oakleys aren't what you should be looking at. Costa Del Mar and Maui Jim both make affordable glass lensed models that are far superior to anything Oakley has. Maui Jims are better to my eyes, but that's just my preference.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JensL /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've had Serengeti's for years now, and have been totally happy with them. However, I haven't tried the competition for years too, so I took a trip to some shops for some quick testing. Especially curious about Oakleys. Short version: I'm keeping my Serengeti's. Some Ray-bans were good, and so were most Oakleys. Pretty decent frames too. But when it came to optical performance, all were easily beaten by my fairly standard Serengeti's. Contrast was stronger and colors were clearer and better defined, and everything just looked sharper. Most Polaroids felt like looking through a dirty window on a cloudy day (it was sunny). Also, I haven't seen any other sunglass manufacturer than Serengeti that offer lenses that are both polarized and photochromic (brightens or darkens depending on ambient light) at the same time. Even their lightweight polycarbonate lenses offer this. There probably are others that got this, but not Oakley or Ray-ban to my knowledge. I got the feeling that Oakley invest quite a bit in marketing fluff too. How about their "UNOBTAINIUM® stem sleeves", which felt exactly like what other uses. Silly name, too. And then you've got "HYDROPHOBIC®/OLEOPHOBIC anti-smudge lens coating", that apparently "repels skin oils" etc. Meh, fingerprints and sweat appeared just as easily on every Oakley I tested. Oh well, I'm being a bit harsh on the Oakleys. They were just fine, and some models looked pretty good too. And for really active use, they got some better suited models than any Serengeti. But for "regular" use, especially driving, their optical quality is beaten by Serengeti, hands down. At least looking through my eyes.

I'll have to try Costa Del Mars and Serengetis one of these days. They seem to have quality glass. Oakleys have their place in the marketplace. Having arms that grip against your temple ensures a secure fit. I feel better wearing my Oakleys on rollercoasters than my MJs! Also, I would take safety and lightness in the Oakleys over any glass lenses for any high-impact activities. I do think their pricing is a little steep given the plastics material costs; but of course, pricing needs to cover R&D and marketing expenses.


Quote:

Originally Posted by warpdriver /img/forum/go_quote.gif They are some kind of plastic from what I can tell. These (and the rest of this model line) is all about lightness.

I was trying to figure out what's the composition of the Evolution lenses. Here's the verbiage off the MJ Web site:

Fuses the best properties of SuperThin Glass and Polycarbonate lenses by offering superior optics, scratch resistance and impact resistance in a lightweight package. Available in PrescriptionRX available through your Optical Dealer

With the RX option, I wonder if that's glass then or if they affix the RX on to the polycarbonate lens. In the latter case, I think that's how Oakley managed to offer RX on the M Frames.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Audio-Omega /img/forum/go_quote.gif One thing I dislike about Oakley is that they don't provide sunglasses case and it's expensive to buy them.

Ditto. The good thing is that their cases are very durable. The lining of the MJ cases always comes off. They need to use better adhesives or redesign them.