• Take 30 seconds to register your free account to access deals, post topics, and view exclusive content!

    Register Today

    Join the largest Oakley Forum on the web!

Half X Worth It?

True, but the nosebridge thing is a designed-wear component that can be tuned up. Since Oakley no longer supports them, nobody else has come up with a solution to the spring hinge problems yet, as far as I can tell.

To be clear, though, I'm no HX expert and bow to the opinion of those more experienced. I just know I'd buy R2 over HX any day, if in the market for half-frame x-metals.
Some of us don't look good in R2. Just bigger and doesnt hug the face as well. I myself think I am dang sexy in my half x. So much so that Oakley ought to pay me lol Just bigger and doesn't hug the face as well. I love the spring action at it holds to my face like a diaper on a baby's hiney
 
True, but the nosebridge thing is a designed-wear component that can be tuned up. Since Oakley no longer supports them, nobody else has come up with a solution to the spring hinge problems yet, as far as I can tell.

To be clear, though, I'm no HX expert and bow to the opinion of those more experienced. I just know I'd buy R2 over HX any day, if in the market for half-frame x-metals.
I don't know why they would design a item to wearout. I would much rather buy some damaged or used half X's that I can pop the stems off and have extra pieces so as rubbers and nose bombs instead of having to send my Oakley's away to have tuned up. You can find distressed half X's cheap if you have patience
 
I don't know why they would design a item to wearout.

It's part of their "3 point fit" philosophy where they design certain flex points to fit a variety of head shapes better than a fixed frame (such as the HX nosebridge). But with flex, you have wear, so it's best to create a design that has cheap replacement parts for the wear points. @Rustpot, in post #129 in the "Rumor: New X-Metal" thread, explained it better than I can:

"That still puts a titanium piece in fatigue.

If you're designing a wear component you do it with cheap, readily made pieces.

You can re-fit the X Metals with various other materials from various sources. If you use a machined/cast/forged metal piece you severely limit serviceability and raise the cost of service substantially.

It's the same reason your service items on a car are straight threads with a gasket. You can make them out of taper seals, but service changes from replacing a $0.03 O-ring every time to needing to replacing a $10 fitting. You can keep 100 o rings on the shelf, but I doubt you'd buy one replacement fitting.

It's why your brake pads are $50 and the rotor is $200. Brake pads aren't made from the best material to create friction with the rotor, but they're made to wear faster so you replace a low-cost part more frequently rather than having to replace several high-dollar parts when catastrophic failure occurs."

That quote of post #129 is from a discussion that starts at post #123, worth reading for full context:
http://www.oakleyforum.com/threads/rumor-new-x-metal.20681/page-13#ixzz2uyZF7DHr

That said, I'm not trying to tell anybody what to do, just offering my opinion, feel free to ignore it. I just think this info adds value to the conversation.

I do think your strategy to cannibalize other HXs is effective, but it's not a long-term strategy; you'll eventually run out of cheap HXs...
 
It's part of their "3 point fit" philosophy where they design certain flex points to fit a variety of head shapes better than a fixed frame (such as the HX nosebridge). But with flex, you have wear, so it's best to create a design that has cheap replacement parts for the wear points. @Rustpot, in post #129 in the "Rumor: New X-Metal" thread, explained it better than I can:

"That still puts a titanium piece in fatigue.

If you're designing a wear component you do it with cheap, readily made pieces.

You can re-fit the X Metals with various other materials from various sources. If you use a machined/cast/forged metal piece you severely limit serviceability and raise the cost of service substantially.

It's the same reason your service items on a car are straight threads with a gasket. You can make them out of taper seals, but service changes from replacing a $0.03 O-ring every time to needing to replacing a $10 fitting. You can keep 100 o rings on the shelf, but I doubt you'd buy one replacement fitting.

It's why your brake pads are $50 and the rotor is $200. Brake pads aren't made from the best material to create friction with the rotor, but they're made to wear faster so you replace a low-cost part more frequently rather than having to replace several high-dollar parts when catastrophic failure occurs."

That quote of post #129 is from a discussion that starts at post #123, worth reading for full context:
http://www.oakleyforum.com/threads/rumor-new-x-metal.20681/page-13#ixzz2uyZF7DHr

That said, I'm not trying to tell anybody what to do, just offering my opinion, feel free to ignore it. I just think this info adds value to the conversation.

I do think your strategy to cannibalize other HXs is effective, but it's not a long-term strategy; you'll eventually run out of cheap HXs...
Feel free to disagree with me anytime. That's what this forum is about. Educating people
 
As far as look, the Half X is my favorite of the metals. When the hinge broke on one of my polished pairs though it turned me off of them completely. Luckily I only paid 150 for them, so it was only 150 down the drain, and I can use the rubbers and lenses for parts. I wouldn't recommend them for the simple fact that the hinges do break. But as far as look, comfort.. they're amazing.
 
Don't pull me into this man. I was talking specifically from an engineering/design standpoint to defend the use of rubber bits as flex couplers when they were called an engineering flaw.
 
Don't pull me into this man. I was talking specifically from an engineering/design standpoint to defend the use of rubber bits as flex couplers when they were called an engineering flaw.

No worries. Lawman0210 didn't understand why they'd design an item to wear out and I thought you'd given a great explanation in another post. That's all...
 
I just got mine. Was on the fence about them. Since wearing them briefly, I have gotten a few compliments on them. I went with the polished and black tungsten.

Good to know on the hinge. I will keep an eye on them.
 
Someone send me a pair, preferably with one working and one broken hinge. I'll see what I can do to get parts drawn up for replacements.

Worst case is you paid a few bucks to ship them to me and didn't have a broken frame for a month.
 
Someone send me a pair, preferably with one working and one broken hinge. I'll see what I can do to get parts drawn up for replacements.

I would be interested in seeing where this goes. I don't think it is worth it to me to invest in a pair just to have the arm break with no fix. The thing I love about the Juliet is that there are plenty of places to get new rubbers, lenses, have the nose bridge repaired, etc. If I knew that I could get a replacement hinge it would be more inclined to try them out.
 
Back
Top