Macsuk
Oakley Beginner
- 174
- 83
Hello Everyone, I have decided to make this thread as I seem to be coming across more and more fake Oakley Bags listed online for big bucks and unexpecting people are purchasing them and getting ripped off. I have compiled some recent photos of fakes and will give some detail and explanations as to why the bags are fake and what to look out for. I hope people can refer to this and get some valuable information to avoid disappointment down the line. Also I am aware there are people in this forum with a lot of knowledge as well, so please drop a line in with anything else you might have to add.
How to spot a fake..
1 - Time Period - Throughout Oakley's history they are changed logo's a few times and gone through different branding stages which can be very helpful to use as a guide for spotting a fake. For example, if the inside bag tag is either a 'Software Tag' or 'Red Label Tag' (Images of both labels are below) the external branding of the bag should be consistent with this and not conflict with multiple designs of the logo on the same bag, this means if there is a Stitched in 'Static' logo you should not see the metal O logo stuck on somewhere else or a 'Factory Pilot' badge on the strap.
2 - Condition - The condition of the bag is also a good indicator of the authenticity of the bag, yes there are occasions where a bag can almost be deadstock condition and just been sat in a wardrobe for years and unused however this is not the majority of time. If a bag looks brand new yet should be around 15-20 years old and show now sign of wear this could be a good indicator that it is a copy. Retail tags, if a bag like the one in the images below still has front retail tags on it which also look brand new you have to question how can a paper tag which is is meant to have been printed 15-20 years ago look brand new without the edges curling of to even still be intact.
Metal rivets, a lot of Oakley bags have metal rivets in them, if the one which sit on the bottom on bag on the floor have wear this is a good indictor, if they are all brand new with no wear it could be a sign to look into the other things I mention on this post.
3 - Price & Availability- Another good indicator is seeing what else is on the market, look on places such as eBay, Grailed, Vinted, Depop. If an item you are looking at is listed a few times on different sellers sites this could mean a fresh batch of fakes has just hit the market, is it really likely that all of a sudden 5 bags all 15+ years all old just come up for sale at the same time.. I think not. Also search how the seller has listed the bag, some sellers intentionally purchase a fake to sell with a high mark up, most of the time these sellers are.. to be kind, not the sharpest tool in the box and will copy the listing of where they purchased it. You can search websites such as DH Gate, Crousell, they will often come up on here under the same listing!
4 - Static O Zipper tags & Other Giveaways - This is the final one and one that I have picked up since being in this forum, Oakley never made zippers with the black rubber pulleys with the 'Static' logo, no matter what year or model. So stay clear if you see this. Also if the inside tag looks a bit blurry or in general it just doesn't look a clean finish this probably is not genuine.
All images below are NOT authentic and have used as examples of current fakes I have found and can be used as things to look out for.
How to spot a fake..
1 - Time Period - Throughout Oakley's history they are changed logo's a few times and gone through different branding stages which can be very helpful to use as a guide for spotting a fake. For example, if the inside bag tag is either a 'Software Tag' or 'Red Label Tag' (Images of both labels are below) the external branding of the bag should be consistent with this and not conflict with multiple designs of the logo on the same bag, this means if there is a Stitched in 'Static' logo you should not see the metal O logo stuck on somewhere else or a 'Factory Pilot' badge on the strap.
2 - Condition - The condition of the bag is also a good indicator of the authenticity of the bag, yes there are occasions where a bag can almost be deadstock condition and just been sat in a wardrobe for years and unused however this is not the majority of time. If a bag looks brand new yet should be around 15-20 years old and show now sign of wear this could be a good indicator that it is a copy. Retail tags, if a bag like the one in the images below still has front retail tags on it which also look brand new you have to question how can a paper tag which is is meant to have been printed 15-20 years ago look brand new without the edges curling of to even still be intact.
Metal rivets, a lot of Oakley bags have metal rivets in them, if the one which sit on the bottom on bag on the floor have wear this is a good indictor, if they are all brand new with no wear it could be a sign to look into the other things I mention on this post.
3 - Price & Availability- Another good indicator is seeing what else is on the market, look on places such as eBay, Grailed, Vinted, Depop. If an item you are looking at is listed a few times on different sellers sites this could mean a fresh batch of fakes has just hit the market, is it really likely that all of a sudden 5 bags all 15+ years all old just come up for sale at the same time.. I think not. Also search how the seller has listed the bag, some sellers intentionally purchase a fake to sell with a high mark up, most of the time these sellers are.. to be kind, not the sharpest tool in the box and will copy the listing of where they purchased it. You can search websites such as DH Gate, Crousell, they will often come up on here under the same listing!
4 - Static O Zipper tags & Other Giveaways - This is the final one and one that I have picked up since being in this forum, Oakley never made zippers with the black rubber pulleys with the 'Static' logo, no matter what year or model. So stay clear if you see this. Also if the inside tag looks a bit blurry or in general it just doesn't look a clean finish this probably is not genuine.
All images below are NOT authentic and have used as examples of current fakes I have found and can be used as things to look out for.
