What Are Your Biggest Oakley Disappointments?

[pjd1234]

the cheapmetals are a big disappointments.

 

[Modstar]

My Oakley Gascan King's Camo make me look like a total tool. The paint fade to white!

 

[OakleyLewis74]

Biggest thing for me is the quality of product since Lux took over. Moving a lot of the product to be made overseas and it seems like the newer styles feel cheaper to me with very few exceptations (Carbon shift). I just feel like they are trying to save a few buck but losing customers by doing so. I am sorry if this offends but these frames to name a few in my opinion are miserable and feel cheap:
The Catalyst, The latch, the Latch sq, The Stringer, and the Turbine rotor with the ugly new icons. Those are only from the past year or so.. It is very disappointing looking at the product now compared to years past.

 

[Mrs H]

ahhhh, there's a cool idea @Oakleynerd

 

[Herbsley]

I regret not getting the wildberry and milk frogs ages again when they were around @Herbsley

You mean while they were still relatively easy to find (and cheap)? Indeed!

 

[Mrs H]

You mean while they were still relatively easy to find (and cheap)? Indeed!

Yes, indeed. Oh well. You will just have to keep an eye out for me

 

[Herbsley]

Yes, indeed. Oh well. You will just have to keep an eye out for me

Always am . . . .

 

[Toms]

Big disappointment for me happened already twice in the recent times:
1. I made an order through the oakley website and purchased the Latch Sq; after 5 days the order is still in process. Wrote to customer service twice and got no replies (not even the usual automated acknowledgment ones). Today I call the customer support and they confess they are having issues distributing orders of new shades to Europe. i.e. they don't know when the latches sq will be shipped, it might take further 15 days or more...
I cancelled the order and they said: yeah somebody messed the orders to Europe.
Customer support seemed rather passive and negative about this and not very confident in a prompt resolution. They seemed almost releived when I asked the cancellation...
2. From time to time I pass by the Oakley Store in Covent Garden (London, UK): each time I pass they have less articles: very limited selection of replacement lenses; no clues on the stuff they sell (I know more than the shopping assistants and I am not an expert.. just passionate about Oakley); nobody knows about free refills of the cleaning spray (but then they refilled when asked); possibility to purchase customized items is very limited ("you can do customs only with the frames you see displayed here"); not much stock like they used to have (I remember all drawers plenty of sunglasses now they are all empty and got only things on display).
Overall I have a feeling of a ship sinking in the ocean and nobody of the crew is worried about it

 

[Toms]

I've been to the Oakley Store in London today. And saw in person the latches sq (and the Evo and other new stuff).
I must admit I am happy I cancelled my order! The latches sq look and feel terribly cheap even worse than the original latches..... There was a pair that was making a horrible sound (like a rusted latch...) when closing the stems. They look cheap to me as the o-frame keeps getting thinner and ther is less material on every model. Their coverage from light is bad. They don't look nor feel solid. They don't seem to last much.
I was quite let down by the Evo too. The lens shape is beautiful but the stems are horrible. It seems pure plastic to me, I wouldn't even call it o-matter... Sorry if I sound really negative but I entered the shop convinced to buy a pair of new shades and I left empty handed and disappointed by the brand..

 

[wrist]

Just to stir the pot:

1. Breadbox was designed by Lux, not Oakley.
2. Last I heard Colin Baden was no longer CEO. (someone may need to clarify.) The SGH CEO moved to another company, and there is a new one. They also squeezed out the Vice President of SGH, and that role no longer exists. Bad times for Lux?
3. Oakley has stores all over the world, PLUS Apex stores, and the usual online. Ofcourse not every store is going to have every part you want for custom.
4. Have you been to the Oakley HQ? It's awesome, but almost completely staffed by younger dudes/chicks (save for the higher roles) with the California state of mind. Ofcourse customer service and overall knowledge will be subpar. They also don't pay well at all to work there.
5. I heard Lux brought in some Italian guy to "oversee" Oakley and be the link between them and Lux. Possible connection to number 2? take that with a grain of salt.
6. Lens and O matter frames are still produced at the Oakley HQ, but are now shipped overseas to be assembled which is why they can't say "Made in USA" on them anymore.
7. There is A LOT to know when it comes to Oakley product. We all know this and embrace it because we love the brand and product. Not all the associates that work in stores feel the same, so their knowledge will be lackluster. At the end of the day to them it's just another retail job and way to pay the bills. Would you want to spend hours of training and unpaid research on a brand you didn't love/care about just to go to work and fold clothes making $9/hr?
8. And most importantly: Nothing gold can stay.


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