Unsatisfied with quality of sunglasses.

[Broccoli]

There is a Holbrook metal.

 

[Matt401]

There is a Holbrook metal.

In the XL? I've got a wide face.

 

[Yo Flawch!]

Thank you for your response.

Firstly, I was just surprised that they would assemble a frame in America, just to ship it to China, only to then forward it on to Australi.

Secondly, going through the list of styles of Holbrook xl's, there are multiple variants listed as matte black, I didn't realise that listing something as a steel frame was just another word for matte black as well. I'll admit, I didn't read into the expanded description of the glasses, I foolishly assumed an item listed as a steel frame was actually made out of composite metal. It also doesn't help that my local oakley stockist said "I don't keep the steel frame ones in stock, only the plastic frame".

Thirdly, the quality of the lense is great if there is no light source behind me. Oakley lenses have always been so much clearer than anything else, these are no different. It's the reflection I get on the inside that is the issue. Again, I assumed that, like my previous glasses, internal reflection wouldn't be an issue, I was wrong.

I love the style, that's why I bought them. And they are comfortable. I tried them on in store, they just didn't have the lense/frame option I wanted and actually suggested I just buy them online. They come with a 12 month warranty so I may keep them yet. I believe I've got 14 days to return them so I'm going to sleep on the decision for a few days.

Yes I agree, light source from behind is a difficult thing to deal with. I don't think I have any glasses that help with that. I even have some lenses with special anti-reflective coating on the inside that don't seem to help with reflections at all.

Now that I know you still have an opportunity to return the glasses, I recommend doing that. You took the time to find a forum where you could post this issue, signed up, and used your inaugural post to gripe about your experience with this specific pair of glasses. I'd say that's grounds for a return.

How about the actual quality of the glasses? You mentioned they have a great quality lens, much clearer than anything else. Are the glasses straight? Do they creak when you open/close them? Do the lenses pop out easily? Do they scratch easily?

 

[TNGoldbeard]

Thirdly, the quality of the lense is great if there is no light source behind me. Oakley lenses have always been so much clearer than anything else, these are no different. It's the reflection I get on the inside that is the issue. Again, I assumed that, like my previous glasses, internal reflection wouldn't be an issue, I was wrong.

This isn't a lens issue, it is an issue with the shape of your head and the style of the glasses that causes the outer edge to be far enough off of your face to let light in behind the lens. Frogskins and Holbrooks (among others) do this to me as well but it doesn't bother me.

Rounder style frames will negate this.

 

[TNGoldbeard]

 

[Funky-Trixtar]

Hey all from Australia. My wife ordered me a pair of Holbrook XL steel sunglasses for fathers day. I've had multiple pairs of other models over the last 20 years with little to no issue and they all felt quality made. Well, I received my sunglasses today (Direct from the oakley website) and the first thing I noticed is that my assembled in America sunglasses are shipped out of china. Secondly, the frame is not actually steel, I guess the matte black steel is just the name of the colour, disappointing. Thirdly, the reflection I get from inside the lens almost makes the point of sunglasses moot. The over all build quality of the frame seems less than something you'd pay $20 dollars for from a gas station, not $230 AUD.

Is this normal now? Is this just what they are like?

It depends, on who you speak too. From my recent experience, I've had a few questionable QC issues: things, which had Jim Jannard still been there, they would have been resolved, with a sorry and a return post and some 'goodies' thrown in for good measure. But these aren't those times and Suxottica rules the crooked roost.

 

[Matt401]

Yes I agree, light source from behind is a difficult thing to deal with. I don't think I have any glasses that help with that. I even have some lenses with special anti-reflective coating on the inside that don't seem to help with reflections at all.

Now that I know you still have an opportunity to return the glasses, I recommend doing that. You took the time to find a forum where you could post this issue, signed up, and used your inaugural post to gripe about your experience with this specific pair of glasses. I'd say that's grounds for a return.

How about the actual quality of the glasses? You mentioned they have a great quality lens, much clearer than anything else. Are the glasses straight? Do they creak when you open/close them? Do the lenses pop out easily? Do they scratch easily?

This is the thing, I've got reading glasses where I've had 2 of the exact frame and lense, paid the extra for the anti reflective coating only to have 1 pair come back with slices of the lense that weren't coated, like there was an issue in the coating process. I was wondering if this was the issue here and I had just gotten unlucky, apparently it's not, it's a common complaint.

As far as the quality of the frame, it feels lightweight but made out of cheap plastic, but that doesn't mean it is, it could be extremely resilient. The lenses don't pop out easily, although I haven't tried to see if they do, I've worn them for less than 5 minutes. The frames fit well and the hinge feels very nice, they are tight but easily manoeuvrable, which I like. And as far as scratches go, no idea, I do everything in my power to not scratch a lense.

 

[iamFLIP]

Thank you for your response.

Firstly, I was just surprised that they would assemble a frame in America, just to ship it to China, only to then forward it on to Australi.

Secondly, going through the list of styles of Holbrook xl's, there are multiple variants listed as matte black, I didn't realise that listing something as a steel frame was just another word for matte black as well. I'll admit, I didn't read into the expanded description of the glasses, I foolishly assumed an item listed as a steel frame was actually made out of composite metal. It also doesn't help that my local oakley stockist said "I don't keep the steel frame ones in stock, only the plastic frame".

Thirdly, the quality of the lense is great if there is no light source behind me. Oakley lenses have always been so much clearer than anything else, these are no different. It's the reflection I get on the inside that is the issue. Again, I assumed that, like my previous glasses, internal reflection wouldn't be an issue, I was wrong.

I love the style, that's why I bought them. And they are comfortable. I tried them on in store, they just didn't have the lense/frame option I wanted and actually suggested I just buy them online. They come with a 12 month warranty so I may keep them yet. I believe I've got 14 days to return them so I'm going to sleep on the decision for a few days.

I assume that this is the pair you ordered: Oakley Holbrook™ XL Prizm Black Polarized Lenses, Steel Frame Sunglasses | Oakley®

STEEL = color of the frame.

And if you click on the product info, you'd see that the frame is made of O Mater material (plastic and not steel).

The problem with the reflection inside the lenses could be minimized or totally eliminated by wearing different style, one with curvier frame like Eye Jacket Redux.

 

[Matt401]

I assume that this is the pair you ordered: Oakley Holbrook™ XL Prizm Black Polarized Lenses, Steel Frame Sunglasses | Oakley®

STEEL = color of the frame.

And if you click on the product info, you'd see that the frame is made of O Mater material (plastic and not steel).

The problem with the reflection inside the lenses could be minimized or totally eliminated by wearing different style, one with curvier frame like Eye Jacket Redux.

They are the ones. And yes, as stated before, I didn't go into the expanded info, that was my mistake. However the wording used in conjunction with the sales rep at the shop saying "I don't keep the steel frames in stock only the plastic ones" I incorrectly assumed they were metal, once again living up to the multitude of sayings regarding assumptions.

Yes, apparently a different style would fix the issue. I like the style of the Holbrook xl though. I've already explained why I thought that was a fault in the manufacturing process, not a feature of it. Again, I assumed one of the top sunglass manufacturers in the world would have anti glare coating on the inside of their lenses as standard practice. My old oakleys never had this issue, but yes, they were a smaller tighter, more round frame and lense.

 

[iamFLIP]

Yes, apparently a different style would fix the issue. I like the style of the Holbrook xl though. I've already explained why I thought that was a fault in the manufacturing process, not a feature of it. Again, I assumed one of the top sunglass manufacturers in the world would have anti glare coating on the inside of their lenses as standard practice. My old oakleys never had this issue, but yes, they were a smaller tighter, more round frame and lense.