I recently dropped in on the new Oakley store at SM Aura. There were so many choices, I thought a mini-buyer’s guide might be in order. I had the good fortune to meet Carlo Dionisio, the Oakley Philippines Sports Marketing Supervisor who filled me in on anything and everything I wanted to know.
The first thing I learned about are the lenses. Whether you purchase a pair of 4k or 38k sunglasses from Oakley, you get the same top-quality lenses. Oakley’s lenses sport unrivaled clarity, visual fidelity and impact resistance in a formulation they call High Definition Optics® (HDO®). When they talk about impact resistance, they’re very serious. I’ve read that they can take a shotgun blast from 15 yards and not be punctured! For an additional 3k, you can get your lenses polarized.
Oakley carries a lifestyle line, a sport line, and an upmarket line they call “Iconic.” I took a look at an entry-level and a top-of-the-line model in the lifestyle and sport lines, as well as the Iconic line.
Lifestyle
Oakley’s entry-level lifestyle models are made of O Matter® a patented lightweight material. It runs from 4k to 10k depending on the style. I took a look at Garage Rock, the style pictured above. Their upmarket lifestyle sunglasses tend to be made of acetate, a heavier material, and have metal hinges. So now you’re an expert: when examining a pair of Oakleys, look at the hinge. If its metal, you know you’re holding higher-end sunglasses. If they don’t have a metal hinge, they’re O Matter. I snapped a photo of their Jupiter Carbon shades, which have carbon fiber stems and an aluminium frame, pictured below.
Sports
On the entry level of their sports line is the Half Jacket 2.0, pictured below, which starts at about 8k.
At the upper end of their sports line, they have the Radarlock series. This is something special. I’m going to dedicate the most space to these, as I find them quite innovative. Radarlock sunglasses have a technology they call Switchlock™ that makes lens changing fast and hassle-free, allowing athletes to take advantage of Oakley’s wide array of performance lenses, which come in a number of different colors. The lens shape is equipped with Polaric Ellipsoid™ geometry, which extends clarity across the entire lens, giving you a wide-open view with maximized peripheral vision and enhanced side protection against sun, wind and impact.
The durable frame is made of O Matter™ (in order to keep them feather-light) and shaped with surge ports to maintain a cooling flow of air. Interchangeable nose pads let you achieve a comfortable, customizable fit, and the earsocks are made of a material they call Unobtainium® to increase grip when you sweat. You won’t feel any uneven pressure points with this frame because its Three-Point Fit doesn’t hook your ears — it just holds the frame comfortably in place while keeping the lens in precise optical alignment. Radarlock comes with two lenses, for both bright and low-light conditions, and with Switchlock, you can go from one to the other quickly and easily.
Iconic
The Iconic line is made for lifestyle, but carries all the technology of top of the line sport sunglasses. I got the chance to take a look at the Pit Boss II, which is 38k.
If you haven’t been in to one of their stores, you may not know that Oakley, Inc. is more than just sunglasses. They are a sport and lifestyle brand, driven to ignite the imagination through the fusion of art and science. The company manufactures and distributes high performance sunglasses, prescription lenses and frames, goggles, apparel, footwear, and accessories. The essence of the brand is communicated through hundreds of professional and amateur athletes who depend on Oakley products to provide them with the very best while they redefine what is physically possible. When In Manila, drop by Oakley for top quality eyewear, apparel, footwear, and accessories.
A Brief Guide to Oakley in the Philippines
