We review everything to know about the legendary Oakley Pit Boss 1 and Pit Boss 2 Sunglasses!
Table of Contents
Background and History
Released in 2009, the Oakley Pit Boss sunglasses were the first in the “Elite” Oakley line. The Elite line, which also included the ridiculously expensive and really cool C-Six sunglasses, was all about quality.
These were never meant to be the mass-produced Gascans or Holbrook you see on the street. Oakley appealed directly to collectors with the Pit Boss line.
Along with quality comes a price, the Oakley Pit Boss 1 (One or I) had a starting price of $595.
At the time this was one of the most expensive Oakley retail prices ever seen.
While the Pit Boss is a very appreciated pair today by collectors, as you can imagine $600 sunglasses were not as well received by the masses.
Ultimately the Pit Boss I was discontinued at the end of 2012, making room for its successor, though you could find them in some Oakley Vault stores for a time after.
Then in April of 2013, the Oakley Pit Boss 2 (two or II) sunglasses were released.
Featuring a similar but updated design, the Pit Boss 2 had the generally same $600 price tag though isn’t a part of the Elite line.
The Pit Boss II hung around for a bit before ultimately being discontinued in 2014.
Keep reading for our full Oakley Pit Boss review covering each model and everything you need to know.
Oakley Pit Boss I Sunglasses
Frame and Design
The Oakley Pit Boss featured a two-toned full-rimmed frame with aggressive styling and a few surprises up its sleeves.
The frame doesn’t feature any unobtanium nose pieces or ear grips like most modern Oakley sunglasses. Although we all know these aren’t a sports frame.
The frame features what is known as the “Elite” Oakley Icon. That is the name given to the variation of the O on the side of the frame once again capturing the aggressive styling.
This O is also featured on the other frame in the elite line – the C-Six.
Additionally, a colorway was available featuring a Titanium frame accent, however, it’s important to note that this isn’t the same Titanium material you’d find in the X-Metal line.
Finally, for the $600 price tag, the Pit Boss comes with an upgraded storage box.
The box which also features the elite icon is sturdier than your average Oakley box and features a velvet-like inside to conform to the Pit Boss sunglasses.
Lenses
Every pair of the Oakley Pit Boss Sunglasses featured polarized lenses, which makes sense given the price tag.
Overall the lens colors available for the Pit Boss were pretty basic. You won’t find wild colors like Ice Iridium or Ruby Iridium.
And since these aren’t a sports pair Oakley never marketed the idea of replacing lenses on the Pit Boss. But it is possible.
We’ve seen members on our forum replace the lenses in their Pit Boss sunglasses for some awesome looks!
Available Colorways
Oakley released 6 total colorways for the Pit Boss, 3 of which were standard runs, while the other 3 are limited editions.
We break down the limited editions below and list the colorways for reference:
Pit Boss I Colorways
- Matte Black / Titanium with Black Iridium Polarized
- Matte Rootbeer / Bronze with Tungsten Iridium Polarized
- Polished Black / Gunmetal with VR28 Black Iridium Polarized
- Tron Polished Black / Gunmetal with Black Iridium Polarized
- Ducati Polished Red with VR28 Black Iridium Polarized
- Indy 500 Matte Black with Black Iridium Polarized
The Tron Pit Boss, commemorating the re-release of the sci-fi classic movie, debuted in Fall 2010. The primary difference on the black/grey frame is the Tron blue elite logo.
Then in Spring 2011, Oakley released a Ducati Polished Red Pit Boss. At this time the Ducati Oakley partnership was thriving so it was no surprise to see these.
However, that didn’t change how the bright red pair of sunglasses grabs your attention.
Finally, shortly after the Ducati, Oakley released a 100th anniversary Indy 500 commemorative Pit Boss.
Each one featured an upgraded storage box, more similar to that from the C-Six where the sunglasses could be stored and displayed fully extended.
Additionally, each pair came with a piece of the original Indy 500 brickyard brick! The $1100 price tag on these bad boys made up for all the cool add-ons you received too!
Oakley Pit Boss II Sunglasses
Frame and Design
As mentioned earlier, the Pit Boss II sunglasses are similar in design to the original but with some key updates.
The Pit Boss II is technically not a part of the Elite line for Oakley, so you won’t find the elite logo on the frame.
Instead, you’ll find a standard Oakley ellipsis adorning the earstem. And a similar logo on the box. While the sturdier “luxury” box was included with the Pit Boss II, there is a standard O on the outside, not the elite log.
Moving onto the design, Oakley toned down the aggressive styling on the Pit Boss II adding in some curves to soften the hard cuts on the Pit Boss I.
The biggest functional enhancement is the addition of Unobtainium earsocks and nosepads. These rubber-like grips added to the earstems solved any issues of the Pit Boss I sunglasses slipping off your face. Let’s face it, no one wants $600 Oakleys falling off while they’re out and about.
Lenses
Similar to the Pit Boss I, every Pit Boss II colorway featured polarized lenses. Unfortunately, Oakley didn’t improve the color selection.
As you’ll see in the colorways section below the lenses were all in the Grey/Black family.
This isn’t entirely surprising as the Pit Boss appears to be Oakley’s attempt at a “Luxury” frame. And as much as we’d love to see Oakley release some Prizm lenses for this epic pair, we don’t see it actually happening.
Similar to the original, the lenses on the Pit Boss II could be replaced. And it’s generally more common to see these types of swaps on the PBII because they are not a part of the elite line and overall a bit less rare than the original Pit Boss.
Available Colorways
The Oakley Pit Boss II was available in 3 colorways which we’ve listed below. And unlike the original, there were no fancy limited editions for this variation:
- Matte Black with Black Iridium Polarized
- Polished Black with VR28 Black Iridium Polarized
- Polished Rootbeer with Tungsten Iridium Polarized
Pit Boss I vs. Pit Boss II Sunglasses
The Pit Boss I and II are similar but with some key differences as well. Let’s break them down.
First, the Pit Boss I is an elite Oakley meaning it features the elite logo on the box and sunglasses, while the Pit Boss II has the standard O ellipsis.
This doesn’t change any function of the sunglasses but will likely matter to some collectors.
Next is the design. The Pit Boss I sunglasses are a bit more aggressive in styling than the Pit Boss II’s softer curves.
However, this is definitely up for debate and will depend on personal preference. Both are similar and fantastic frames so it really comes down to which one you like better in design.
Finally, and likely the biggest difference – unobtanium.
The addition of Unobtainium nosepads and ear grips to the Pit Boss II is a huge enhancement over the Pit Boss I. Especially if you plan on actually wearing these sunglasses and not just collecting/storing them.
These rubbers not only add a large amount of comfort to wearing the Pit Boss but also offer protection from sliding off your face.
Where to Find Pit Boss Sunglasses for Sale?
If you’re looking for a pair of Pit Boss sunglasses for sale, you’ll need to head to the aftermarket since Oakley discontinued the frame many years ago.
But this doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. It just means you may need to open your wallet a bit wider depending on what you’re looking for.
First, your best bet to find either the Pit Boss I or Pit Boss II for sale is going to be sites such as our Oakley Forum Sunglasses Exchange, which has over 20,000 listings for buying, selling, and trading rare and discontinued Oakleys.
Outside of our site, your best bet will be auction sites such as eBay.
But be very careful as there are a large number of fake Pit Boss sunglasses out there because of the high price tag. Always be sure you know how to spot fake Oakleys before buying.
Final Thoughts
The Oakley Pit Boss is an epic pair of sunglasses.
We’re a bit partial to the Pit Boss I due to the elite designation and because it makes us think of the wild C-Six sunglasses.
But overall both the PBI and PBII sunglasses are fantastic, well-made pairs that anyone would be lucky to snag in their collection.
Still have a question?
Are you a fan of the Pit Boss I or Pit Boss II? Or still have a question? Join the largest online Oakley community and let us know in the thread below!
