How Big Is Oakley In Your Country?

[canhoto]

I know most of the forum must be comprised of Americans and that Oakley is obviously famous around there. However, I've always been curious as to how big and famous is Oakley around the world.

For instance, around here (Portugal), my countrymen and women are all about Ray-bans, Carreras, Arnettes, Von Zippers and any big fashion designer brand (original or knock-off) and flea-market glasses. Anything flashier than that earns you a "you're effing crazy" look from people on the streets. My own brother jokingly says I've dropped in his consideration for buying an X-Squared, even though he uses the ugliest pair of sunglasses anyone in the family has ever seen.

The only times I manage to spot some Oakleys are when I come across joggers, who wear the occasional Radar, M-Frame or Jackets when running. Other than that I rarely spot some of the most discreet frames in the range. Polished blacks with grey lenses... Mostly Hijinx, Fuel Cells, Minutes from "that olden day, when I bought these and forgot I had them". Even more rarely I spot a Wire... Whisker or Tightrope...

I find it odd though. Everyone recognizes Oakley as an excellent marque, but no one buys/uses it. The last person with whom I had a talk about this was an employee from a sun-glass store and he said people tend to dislike reflective lenses and that the flashier Oakley frames (meaning: the good ones) tend to be difficult to coordinate with the wardrobe... What the hell?

 

[SpliceD]

Even though i live and work near HQ, it's rare that i see Oakleys being worn. Just like Portugal, people here who wear "nicer" sunglasses also tend to wear Raybans and fashion designer sunglasses. 99% of what i see people wearing are the knock offs. If i do see people wearing Oakleys (and that's rare), it's mostly matte black or polished black with black icons of Gascans/Hijinx/Fuel Cells. I've noticed people around here like all black sunglasses. As it is, all my friends think i'm crazy for spending the kind of money i do on Oakleys. They always buy the cheap $5 sunglasses from the cart vendors at the shopping mall because they don't care and just toss them around in their car.

 

[Herbsley]

My own brother jokingly says I've dropped in his consideration for buying an X-Squared

No need for me to write a punchline there.
:laugh:

I'm just kidding.

Regarding your post though, it's actually quite rare that I see anyone wearing Oakleys too. Unless, as you say, it's on a cyclist/jogger etc. I'm astounded on a daily basis that I don't see more O's about the place. What is wrong with people?!?!

Having said that, I saw someone wearing Radars today, which is the first time in ages I have seen O's outside of the Herbsley family.
He was foolishly wearing them as a casual sunglass, which is just wrong of course, but nonetheless there they were.

 

[ucdavis4PT0gpa]

+1 on what SpliceD said. I never see people wearing Oakleys. Period. I'm surprised the company's sales are what they are....are people just collecting these and never wearing them? I've seen TWO Juliets in the past 10 years, I've seen a few Gascans, couple Oil Rigs. That's it. Everyone else is wearing either some cheapo dollar store pair or some designer plastic frame that all look so much alike you can't tell the difference between them. And EVERYTHING is dull all black or all gray combos. Seriously, W-T-H. My friends and family too think I'm a) crazy for spending what I do b) owning as many as I do and c) can't understand why I have so many "old man, 1980's" colored and too reflective lenses" (that's a direct quote) because they are so funky looking and "I can't see your eyes". EXACTLY!!!!!! They're SUNGLASSES...I'm not wearing some 30% transmission lens to an awards show AT NIGHT where I want to look like I'm wearing sunglasses but not actually wearing sunglasses, I'm wearing them to BLOCK THE SUN. You know, the thing proven to kill your EYES??? They're kind of important. You wouldn't walk out in a blizzard in a really warm looking jacket with no fill in it to keep you warm would you? Then why would do the equivalent with your eyes? And why the hell would you want to be boring in the process with boring a** color combos? Head shake. There-all done.

 

[Oakster]

In Canada, it seems to be quite regional. Oakley in Alberta is NUTS! Definitely the highest concentration of Oakley I have ever seen and I've travelled quite a bit. Hop over to BC and it's not even close to the same.

 

[canhoto]

I'm actually surprised. Never imagined that Oakleys would be a rare sight in the US, specially in California.

Problem is, Herbsley, that my brother thinks that all the actual Oakley line is composed of ugly glasses. Kid's not right in his head... I'm even afraid of telling you what he said about the Propaganda Hijinx and other Special Edition models I've been showing him...

 

[jward106]

I go to a fairly small state college in Central Wisconsin, not exactly where you'd expect an Oakley hub. The crazy thing is on a sunny day walking around campus I'll see at least five dudes wearing Oakleys. Given they are all Black/Grey combinations. Even those people who are wearing the shades give me odd looks when I wear a pair like the Fonseca Antix or Ducati Holbrooks.

 

[Jummeltje]

Oakley Netherlands is: monster_beetle and jummeltje......

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Here in AZ I see all kinds of people wearing Oakley. Not many rare or x-metals, but tons of radars, jackets, and gascans.

 

[vodou]

I live in Omaha, NE and I see Oakleys all the time. Mostly gascans or fives, but I see other people wearing x metals too.