Hydrophobic Not Standard

[classicURGE]

You do know Luxottica isn't some evil corporation hell-bent on driving Oakley into mediocrity, right?

Last I checked high cost with low returns is bad for ANY business. US manufacturing costs have only gone UP, materials costs have only gone UP. Add in the lens coating causing shortages, lost sales, and impatient customers and it's a no-brainer.

Not to single you out but I'm getting a little tired of everyone jumping straight to Luxottica as some faceless tyrant with their hand in the honey pot.

There may be a select few on this board who have direct knowledge of how decisions are made at Oakley, but they vast majority of us just use Lux as a scapegoat any time Oakley does something we don't approve of.

hey Rustpot,

I understand where you are coming from but during mergers companies change when cultures mix. I'm sure a lot of us fans have felt the changes already. If you don't like the change you speak up. It would be great to know if Oakley staff or VPs ever look at this forum as much as they look at there FB or Twitter account. Some companies hear their fans and customers and make changes.

All I know is Oakley reversed their decision to include the coating on their lens knowing manufacturing. Hydrophobic tech was also marketed as a reason why frames and replacement lens increased in price at the time of release.

 

[TOWSNBN]

You do know Luxottica isn't some evil corporation hell-bent on driving Oakley into mediocrity, right?

Last I checked high cost with low returns is bad for ANY business. US manufacturing costs have only gone UP, materials costs have only gone UP. Add in the lens coating causing shortages, lost sales, and impatient customers and it's a no-brainer.

Not to single you out but I'm getting a little tired of everyone jumping straight to Luxottica as some faceless tyrant with their hand in the honey pot.

There may be a select few on this board who have direct knowledge of how decisions are made at Oakley, but they vast majority of us just use Lux as a scapegoat any time Oakley does something we don't approve of.

well said. people are just jumping on the hate lux bandwagon for no other reason because it is popular. oakley does have more independence than they are given credit for even if lux is part of their life. a lot of these decisions are made by oakley directly for economic reasons or for production reasons or for product quality reasons.

 

[Rustpot]

hey Rustpot,

I understand where you are coming from but during mergers companies change when cultures mix. I'm sure a lot of us fans have felt the changes already. If you don't like the change you speak up. It would be great to know if Oakley staff or VPs ever look at this forum as much as they look at there FB or Twitter account. Some companies hear their fans and customers and make changes.

All I know is Oakley reversed their decision to include the coating on their lens knowing manufacturing. Hydrophobic tech was also marketed as a reason why frames and replacement lens increased in price at the time of release.

Keep in mind the driving force behind Oakley, Jim Jannard, left at the same time. The company went from being run by its founder and visionary to being run by another person or group of people whose driving force is profit and growth, not innovation and pushing the limits.

Just out of curiosity what sort of work are you in? I can tell you from experience manufacturing projections for cost, time, materials supply... all can go to hell fast.

I agree though, the price jump for the Radar over the M Frame and the Flak over the Half (for instance) for being Hydrophobic should be reflected in a decrease if the coating is indeed no longer applied as a feature of the lens.

 

[The Game]

I agree though, the price jump for the Radar over the M Frame and the Flak over the Half (for instance) for being Hydrophobic should be reflected in a decrease if the coating is indeed no longer applied as a feature of the lens.

incorrrect, they are still supplying you with the hydrophobic pen to supplement the lack of applying it and they still include a case which is not given to you, but included in the price of the glasses

 

[Rustpot]

incorrrect, they are still supplying you with the hydrophobic pen to supplement the lack of applying it and they still include a case which is not given to you, but included in the price of the glasses

You don't get a pen and case when you buy a spare lens. Radar non-iridium lenses are $65, M Frame are $55, and so on up the line for iridium, polarized, polarized iridium. Same with the Flak Jacket over the Half Jacket, though I'll admit I haven't priced the Fast or Half 2.0 (which aren't even sold yet?) lenses to see what's what with those.

You also get a nose piece with the M lens, where the Radar is just a lens in a box.

 

[OakleyJared]

Keep in mind the driving force behind Oakley, Jim Jannard, left at the same time. The company went from being run by its founder and visionary to being run by another person or group of people whose driving force is profit and growth, not innovation and pushing the limits.

The guy who is currently in Jim's position is pretty much the guy Jim groomed: Colin Baden is the guy who designed the HQ building and I can tell from hearing directly from him that the vision and passion is very much still alive at Oakley. Colin likes to push the boundaries just as hard as Jim did, and Jim visits HQ frequently and still has a bit of influence in the building.

 

[Zax]

When I asked about this at the store about 6 months ago, they told me they believe it is Luxotica's way of screwing their Oakley consumers. This way, we would have to buy those Hydrophobic Pens, which aren't as awesome as the permanent coating itself

 

[brownnugen]

Looking at the product description of the Flak Jacket XLJs on USSI's site, it says "FLAK JACKET™XLJ features Oakley HYDROPHOBIC™, a permanent lens coating that prevents rain and sweat from building up on the lens. It also repels skin oils and other contaminates, so the lens is smudge resistant and easy to keep clean. It even eliminates static electricity, so dirt and dust particles won't cling."

Is that wrong or are the USSI products different than what others get? Just using my FJ over the past month or so while riding or running, the sweat definitely seems to dry on them and leave it looking nasty. Also, if there is a little rain, there will be some distracting water spots on the lenses after they dry.

Several of you mention the hydrophobic pen, it this the same as the Nanoclear lens cleaner and Hydrophobic kit? or are they 2 different products?

 

[sideways]

You don't get a pen and case when you buy a spare lens. Radar non-iridium lenses are $65, M Frame are $55, and so on up the line for iridium, polarized, polarized iridium. Same with the Flak Jacket over the Half Jacket, though I'll admit I haven't priced the Fast or Half 2.0 (which aren't even sold yet?) lenses to see what's what with those.

You also get a nose piece with the M lens, where the Radar is just a lens in a box.

we sell fast jacket iridium lenses for 65. Same pricing as flak

 

[brownnugen]

Looking at the product description of the Flak Jacket XLJs on USSI's site, it says "FLAK JACKET™XLJ features Oakley HYDROPHOBIC™, a permanent lens coating that prevents rain and sweat from building up on the lens. It also repels skin oils and other contaminates, so the lens is smudge resistant and easy to keep clean. It even eliminates static electricity, so dirt and dust particles won't cling."

Is that wrong or are the USSI products different than what others get? Just using my FJ over the past month or so while riding or running, the sweat definitely seems to dry on them and leave it looking nasty. Also, if there is a little rain, there will be some distracting water spots on the lenses after they dry.

Several of you mention the hydrophobic pen, it this the same as the Nanoclear lens cleaner and Hydrophobic kit? or are they 2 different products?

anyone?