Blackhawk Down Lenses?

[Razerwire]

#6 lol...I do have a pair of OG Really Purple Juliet lenses that are OEM not these damn fakes. Exovista have crap edges, VL and Walleva are PAPER THIN!!, and I can't imagine any of the others being anything but cheap lenses without all the tech that goes into making an Oakley lens the best on the market. I still don't understand the whole concept of paying the Oakley prices for their shades (even used) and slapping in a crap lens??? To each his own and I understand that, but it completely defeats the purpose of buying an Oakley in the first place.

If there were an option to buy OEM, I'm sure 99% of people would buy them but unfortunately for the stuff that's discontinued or just straight out changed like their Ruby going Fruby, your options are pretty limited. LG lenses are about as close to OEM as you can get from an aftermarket lens. Still not as good as OEM but not crap either like Walleva.

Also, while the lenses are important, the frames are just as important to me. Especially X-Metal. In fact, I'd say they're more important than the lenses for me in that aspect.

 

[BriP]

If youre so hard up on getting a solid red lens, just dig thru the variants of +red. Find one with almost no blue.....and viola, you got ur donor.

 

[jcesl2]

Hi guys,

Sorry for digging up an old thread. Unfortunately the time has come to replace the ruby lenses on my Juliet

Have pretty much given up all hopes of finding a decent 1st gen lens unless some kind soul has a pair to let go

Anyways so I figured aftermarket is the way to go but with all the choices out there today am not sure which will get me closest to a nice first gen color with the purple hue.

Any suggestions on the following options. Feel free to chip in more options if I missed any

1) linegear: either red mirror or premium red?
2) z lens: dark ruby
3) exovista
4) vl
5) cxl
6) dr chop

Thanks!

Everytime I buy an aftermarket lens, I regret it. Contact Dr Chop and talk about what color you are aiming for. See what he can do.

 

[MrMoonlight]

If youre so hard up on getting a solid red lens, just dig thru the variants of +red. Find one with almost no blue.....and viola, you got ur donor.

That could be a challenge. Nearly every +Red lens I've seen is primarily bluish-purple straight on with the red really only showing on the edges.

As much as I agree that the lenses are a big part of what makes an Oakley an Oakley, I thought the Linegear offerings I've had the opportunity to look through were pretty darn good. They're pricey, but IMO they're about as close to OEM as you're gonna get from an aftermarket lens. You're really not sacrificing that much in optical quality and you can get a nice deep red mirror if that's what's important to you. For many people, it's as much about the look as it is the optics so I don't think we should chastise someone for wanting to have their Oakleys look the way they want from the outside.

If Oakley offered a nice, deep Ruby-Red Iridium, I'm sure we wouldn't even be having this discussion. It'd be a no-brainer.

 

[Razerwire]

That could be a challenge. Nearly every +Red lens I've seen is primarily bluish-purple straight on with the red really only showing on the edges.

As much as I agree that the lenses are a big part of what makes an Oakley an Oakley, I thought the Linegear offerings I've had the opportunity to look through were pretty darn good. They're pricey, but IMO they're about as close to OEM as you're gonna get from an aftermarket lens. You're really not sacrificing that much in optical quality and you can get a nice deep red mirror if that's what's important to you. For many people, it's as much about the look as it is the optics so I don't think we should chastise someone for wanting to have their Oakleys look the way they want from the outside.

If Oakley offered a nice, deep Ruby-Red Iridium, I'm sure we wouldn't even be having this discussion. It'd be a no-brainer.

Agreed 100%.

For example, I wanted Chrome Iridium for my X-Metal XX but I don't believe there are any donors compatible for it. So LG was my next best option.

And to elaborate on my earlier post, Oakley tech isn't just reserved for the lenses, imo. The main reason why I buy X-Metals is for the frames themselves. The lenses are definitely the second priority.

 

[nightpusher1]

#6 lol...I do have a pair of OG Really Purple Juliet lenses that are OEM not these damn fakes. Exovista have crap edges, VL and Walleva are PAPER THIN!!, and I can't imagine any of the others being anything but cheap lenses without all the tech that goes into making an Oakley lens the best on the market. I still don't understand the whole concept of paying the Oakley prices for their shades (even used) and slapping in a crap lens??? To each his own and I understand that, but it completely defeats the purpose of buying an Oakley in the first place.

Well put,couldn't agee more.

 

[THE X-MAN]

I want those julies...lets make a deal!!!!!

 

[dr.chop]

I believe I can hook up a chrome xx lens set...who you foolin haha! And like I said, it's to each his/her own, but you can slap stick on fender vents on a Toyota pickup, that don't make it a Lexus haha...I got those rubies chillin for those lookin haha

 

[Razerwire]

but you can slap stick on fender vents on a Toyota pickup, that don't make it a Lexus haha...

But what about the flip side of that argument? What if I wanted to sport tune my car and the car's manufacturer doesn't make the parts I'm looking for? I'd have to go aftermarket.

Like I said before, I'm sure 99.9% of people would buy OEM lenses. But for discontinued lenses or changed ones like the Fruby, there aren't that many options other than to go aftermarket if there isn't anything compatible that OEM has out right now.

If I wanted Chrome Iridium on my R1, I'm pretty much SOL in terms of OEM. Not that I would go out and buy the silver mirror from LG as I've heard about the fit issues with the R1 lenses but that's a whole other argument entirely.

 

[dr.chop]

But what about the flip side of that argument? What if I wanted to sport tune my car and the car's manufacturer doesn't make the parts I'm looking for? I'd have to go aftermarket.

Like I said before, I'm sure 99.9% of people would buy OEM lenses. But for discontinued lenses or changed ones like the Fruby, there aren't that many options other than to go aftermarket if there isn't anything compatible that OEM has out right now.

If I wanted Chrome Iridium on my R1, I'm pretty much SOL in terms of OEM. Not that I would go out and buy the silver mirror from LG as I've heard about the fit issues with the R1 lenses but that's a whole other argument entirely.

I can pull off chrome for the R1 going OEM...

This is not to argue, but merely state the facts:

And a car is a whole different world. It can be argued as similar, but it's really not. Take for instance adding a 4brl carb to a 350 small block upgrading from a 2brl. Regardless of maker (for the most part), it is an improvement. More power. Take my Jetta, I can yank off the K03s turbo and drop in a larger unit, or a ball bearing Garret or similar...That would be an improvement....Now if on the flipside, I put on some hack Chinese knock off, that would reduce reliability. So you can see, the argument isn't the same. If you slap some APC **** on a Honda, is it better?? How about all the bolt on crap at Pep Boys??? Faux Carbon Shift knobs with "hahahaha' Nitrous buttons?? Again, degrading the car, not improving, same thing as a piece of **** lens. This is a purely cosmetic argument because you won't ever win a technical argument slapping some swap meet lenses in an Oakley frame...Sorry. And I am not all obsessive like I was some years ago...If they will never be viewed through your eyes, then by all means. But if you wear them, why not save yourself the long wait for cataracts and degenerative muscular conditions your eyes will eventually be subjected to, and stab your eyes with a fork?? That may be a bit far fetched, but I take my eyes serious as about a large majority here do as well, otherwise this would be the Wiley X, Kaenon, or Maui Jim forum, wouldn't it? And Maui Jim and Kaenon are some of the crappiest optics out there, we saw it first hand at the co-pilot event...VERY BAD!!