I want to buy Oakley splices and wondered if any of you could recommend an online store that you’re happy with (that sells them cheaply).
No where, really. Oakley sets a minimum price with all its approved vendors. I just got an REI coupon at the Boston Bike Show, and at the bottom of it, italics and underlined “Offer not valid on Oakley products”. You may save a bit online vs. Sunglass Hut, but not much.
I had a pair of “Jokeley’s”. There were Taiwan imitations that looked exactly like the real thing but were dirt cheap and of much inferior quality. Bought them in a Korean convenience store when picking up some milk. Around ten bucks if I remember right. Unfortunately I broke them a few months later.
I know I will take heat for this from you guys but…
I am a self-admitted Oakley disciple. I have 8 pairs of prescription Oakleys.
Oakleys use technology not found in any other eyewear. The benefits are real and tangible. Yes, there is some good marketing and some big hype to Oakley. There is also a healthy dose of just plain fashion.
But- independent tests (Private Pilot magazine, et al) verfiy they are the most optically correct, etc. etc.
Oakleys are expensive and worth the price. If you’re going to put $150 shoes on your feet then $150 glasses make sense too. I was told there are 170 patented technologies in a pair of Oakley M Frame Pros.
Oakley also protects their distribution and pricing very effectively, and I like that as a retailer.
e-bay
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I agree Oakley’s are the best glasses out there, I’m just not comfortable leaving a $150 pair of shades laying around the transition area. (especially given the number of people who get there before I do)
Tom,
I agree with you completely, and I’m a big Oakley junkie. I refuse to wear any other sunglasses. As I have a nasty habit of misplacing or destroying sunglasses, my junkie habit can be expensive. Given the cost, I figure I’d better shop around to see if I can get a good deal. Strange thing is that Oakleys cost way more in Canada (as the American dollar has gone down a lot, and Oakley hasn’t adjusted its pricing model to factor in exchange rates), so I’m going to order online from an American store.
Oakley Smoakley… i wore Oaks for years because they made me look fast. That was before i had a reason to want to look fast. I still have a pair of square wire with blue irridium. THe thing i don’t like about oakleys is the grey lenses. It may be just me but growing up on Vuarnet might have done me in. I have switched to Smith interchangeables and love the optics - especially on the orange lense. it just makes the world look so much better, much better than the London sky look of Oakley’s
You can get Fauxkleys at the Patong night market in Phuket, Thailand for about US$4.50 a pair. The ones I got in late 2002 are still going strong. I think I paid about the right price for them, given what they actually cost to manufacture. The rest is nearly all marketing and what the market will bear.
Yes, Oakley has better lenses than the fakes, but it’s hard to resist swiping up a handful of cool glasses for 1/10th the price of just one set of replacement Oakley frames.
Sierra Trading Post has them in their print catalogs at reduced prices, no Oakleys on their website however. This is the only place I’ve seen Oakleys on sale.
Deals on real Oakley’s can be had. They are few and far between though.
I got a pair of red iridium 1/2 wires at a 30% discount.
Keep an eye out for Champs sports/Foot locker discount coupons. The last one, the one I saw, applied for all products, including Under Armor and Oakley, both that almost never go on sale. They (Champs Sports) don’t have a large selection but you might get a really good deal if your patient. I had to go to 4 different stores, basically everyone in my area before I found the ones I wanted.
Cool style in all their glasses but be careful with the clothing/sandals- it all runs a size or 2 smaller than what is normal.
Let’s not forget what Oakley did for Lance: Provided full tilt medical coverage for a prior existing condition–CANCER!
The make damn good quality eyewear too…
Brett
It isn’t unusual to find Oakley’s in the vision center of your local Sam’s Club.
Does anyone else remember when mountian biking was a huge sport. I am talking about mid nineties NORBA National events. I remember the sunglass zone during the pro race where Oakley would have a huge table set up with dozens of M-frames and eye jackets in all the team colors. When the pros came through they would all chuck their dusty glasses on the ground and the Oakley guy would hand them up a brand new pair in the exact frame/lense combination. It was quite a site. Nowadays if you win a NORBA national you would be lucky to get a pair of Oakleys as the prize. That sport has hit rock bottom in this country.
Tiajuana - but I don’t think you can buy them online from there ;-).
yeah but if oakley finds out they generally confiscate/buy out the sam’s club or costco that has the glasses. Plus they Oakley warrantee program is pretty good and the glasses are only covered if purchased through an authorized retailer. the only way to really get the glasses cheap is to find stores going out of business and buy them there… Or of course ebay. If a store sells the glasses at other than MSRP Oakley generally ends thier account.
The glasses are well worth the money though. The optics are just amazing and although fit is a personal thing I think they have one of the best nosepiece fit systems out there. And the quality of the hinges and just the overall fit and finish of the glasses is unmatched. My favorites are the racing jackets and of course the venerable M-Frames. Half Jackets are cool too and i love my new Dartboards although I hope I don’t break them. You just can’t compete with rimless lenses. You wear M-Frames for a while and then go back to normal glasses and you are like “what the hell is that big blind spot”
Also find out if Oakley has a warehouse store around anywhere. We have one in the UK and I picked up a pair of discontinued end of range colour silver framed M frames 50% of normal price.
If you know a firefighter, police officer etc, they usually have programs where they can buy Oakleys at a significant discount. You order them then get them in a month or so, no immediate satisfaction, but $$$ kept in your pocket. You can’t get every style, but most. I got my last pair from a firefighter buddy.
Thank you for all of your replies. I guess I better bite the bullet and pay full price. Any recommendations for a good online retailer?
Thanks