2012CC6.2 Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 You read right, i was in the oakley store this past weekend when i noticed. I picked up a pair of "Aviatior" type sunglesses to try on and boom, right on the right side it says CHINA. That really aggrevated me because the only reason i buy OAKLEYS is because they are made in the good ol' US of A. I will point out that all of their plastic type sunglasses still say Made in USA, but every metal frame i saw was made in CHINA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE Mook Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 This started happening when they were bought by the people who own Ray Ban. This was a few years back. Now, according to some sites, the country of origin will be on the box and no longer, starting in 2013, will the glasses themselves have Made in The USA on them. Sad to me, I have a LOT of Oakley Sunglasses. 2012CC6.2 and Team Adam's 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Some friends and I were just talking about this yesterday. Really love my Oakley's too sad to see them change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHL88 Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 That's a disappointment. Oakley's are awesome and really durable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan572 Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Just bought a pair a month ago, I noticed it didn't say made in usa on the frame so I looked on the box and it doesn't say anything. The packaging also said nothing so there probably made in china. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishCurse Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 I bought 4 pairs during my year of working abroad in Turkey last year (no, not for the military; I get that question almost 100% following that statement, lol. I have a membership with USStandardIssue.com which is Oakley's direct to government purchasing program and I like so many I felt I should take advantage of the 50% discount. Went a little overboard! I'm about to look at my stock to see where mine were made. Finding this thread was disconcerting. Ignorance was bliss evidently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ryan Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 As a huge Oakley guy myself I'm pretty bummed with the company as well... Their uber expensive line (metal) is made in china.. odd because they are more expensive than the plastic made in the USA models. I've worn oakley sunglasses since I was 15, I'm now 31 and have probably around 8 pairs - minus the countless pairs I've thrown away because they broke and were out of date. I still like Oakley design much more than other manufacturers' but I think the next pair of glasses I get will be from http://www.gatorz.com/ - the last USA manufactured sunglasses I can find. I may be able to live with Spy's as far as I can tell they are still made in Italy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishCurse Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Take a look at Maui Jims. I have three Pairs of them and are the highest quality polarized sunglasses I own. They used a 7 layer polarization method... I think they've upgraded to an 8 or nine layer now... btw, they are manufactured in Hawaii last I checked. They are expensive, but worth each and every penny. Glass lenses, spring loaded hinges, scratch proof due to glass lenses, but offer polycarbonate lenses in the sport line for active wearers. Check them out, you wont be disappointed. 07stanggt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Adam's Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 (edited) A bummer, indeed as I have a lot of Oakleys as well. I'll echo what Matt says, I really like my Maui Jims! Edited July 8, 2013 by Nick@Adams Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08G8V8 Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 I really like my Maui Jims. I checked and they are made in Italy and Japan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Adam's Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 I'm pretty sure the bulk of Oakley hasn't been made in the US since they were bought out. The last 3 or 4 pairs I've bought were made in Italy (as most quality sunglasses seem to be anymore). Not surprised they've moved to China for some models though... it seems to be the pattern for companies that get that big. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egott_91 Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 I believe the pair I've had since I was 15 or 16 were made in the US. I would like to get a new pair of sunglasses, but these have lasted me so long and will continue to last me for awhile as long as they don't get damaged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2005 Crossfire Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Luxottica (who also own the rights to Ray Ban, Persol, Sunglass Hut among others) purchased Oakley in 2007. All lenses and O Matter (polycarbonite) frames are of U.S. origin/manufacture as were the since discontinued X Metal titanium frames. Currently, all wire and acetate frame models are of Chinese origin/manufacture (hence the stamp). The chinese frames are shipped to the Foothill Ranch facility in CA. for assembly. Rumor has it that sonn the lenses will ship to the far east for end product assembly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kustom_FX Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 I ordered a custom pair of regular O's for my daily glasses, was assured they were USA Made.. got them. .China.. my $ was refunded.. Very sad indeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randyfox Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Ugh, really disappointed here. I have been a huge Oakley fan since my first pair of M-Frames I bought when I was 12. I am more of a fan of the plastic framed ones anyways, but had a old pair of Half Wires that finally gave out just recently that I had for years. Those things took a beating. I will definitely be looking at them more carefully from now on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ryan Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 I'm not a huge fan of the Maui Jim styles... So I went out and bought a pair of Spy Optics Polarized Coopers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02Xtreme07ss Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 This is pretty depressing. I just started looking into getting a new set of glasses and was looking at a set of Flak Jacket XLJs with polarized lenses. I guess I need to check the frames before I get my hopes up. I've had a dozen pairs of Oakleys over the years and none of them ever let me down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ryan Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 It is, I used to love going to 1 Icon drive in foothill ranch to visit headquarters and take my sunglasses in for warranty work. If your frames were out of date and needed repair they would upgrade you to the newest model for $40. I have oakley shoes, sandals, watches, ect ect. I still love their stuff, but I'll be very choosy as to what I'm buying from them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE Mook Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 Yeah just check it before you buy like everything else. When it comes down to it, we all have let China win just a little bit in our daily lives with cell phones, mp3 players, etc. It's just a matter of how much we let them win everyday that makes a difference. Mook 2012CC6.2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02Xtreme07ss Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 (edited) I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but here is the response I received to my email requesting if the Flak Jackets were made in America. Sad. Thank you for contacting us. All Oakley eyewear is designed and engineered in the U.S., however, some eyewear components and products are also manufactured in Luxottica owned facilities or at supply partner locations around the globe. We are unable to determine the production origin of the Flak Jackets Edited July 14, 2013 by 02Xtreme07ss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ryan Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 That's kind of a BS answer 'unable to determine.' They know exactly where the manufacturing plants are and what components come out of them. My Judge II watch was made in switzerland, thank god I didn't buy a $800 chinese watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Slow Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but here is the response I received to my email requesting if the Flak Jackets were made in America. Sad. The last pair of Flak Jackets I saw in our lab this past week said Made In USA. Of course I have no idea the age of the frame but a quick trip to Lenswackers, Pearle or Sunglass Hut which are owned by Luxottica should answer your question. I am willing to bet any of those three would have Oakley in stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02Xtreme07ss Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 That's kind of a BS answer 'unable to determine.' They know exactly where the manufacturing plants are and what components come out of them. My Judge II watch was made in switzerland, thank god I didn't buy a $800 chinese watch. My thoughts exactly. If they really wanted to answer the question, they could. The fact that they won't just pushes me away. I'm glad your watch ended up being made in Switzerland. The last pair of Flak Jackets I saw in our lab this past week said Made In USA. Of course I have no idea the age of the frame but a quick trip to Lenswackers, Pearle or Sunglass Hut which are owned by Luxottica should answer your question. I am willing to bet any of those three would have Oakley in stock. Thanks for the confirmation and suggestion. I will stop in at the local Sunglass Hut and physically look at the frames to verify where they are made (I'll purchase them there too if they say USA). All of my prior Oakley say 'Made in the USA' on the frames. If these don't, they can keep them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryW Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 i switched from Oakley to Rudy Project. Use to wear Oakley Jaw Bones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A72Cut Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 These are made in Arizona (really, I've actually toured the facility and they make the entire product on site on these mini-van-sized CNC machines, powder coat them in SD, and then insert lenses and ship them straight from Yuma). http://www.liquidpolarized.com The styles are pretty limited, but the quality is very high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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