Oakley Goggles

Skiing Goggles

Oakley leading the mountains for skiing.

Snowboarding Goggles

The newer breed of snowboarder benefits immensely from Oakley Technology on the slopes.

For the last 30 years, Oakley has been reshaping conventional wisdom, transforming everyday products like men and women's sunglasses, goggles, men and women's clothing, accessories, shoes, and even watches into functional works of art. Oakley invents each product with a design philosophy called sculptural physics: the discipline of wrapping science with art. To put it simply, we “seek out problems, create solutions, and wrap those solutions in art.” History

History

In 1975 Jim Jannard founded a small company that had BIG ideas. Oakley, named after a dog, released its first invention… the legendary motocross grips and the buzz began.

In 1980, Jannard decided to go into the goggle business so people everywhere would instantly recognise the Oakley logo on the straps, the MX O Frame was Oakley’s first goggle introduced to the market.

It featured a single-lens shield with vents to reduce fogging. The O Frame formed to the wearer’s face with its wraparound shape and provided better peripheral vision and protection from the elements.

The MX O Frame was so popular, even snow enthusiasts were sporting them on the slopes. This opened the door to Snow Goggles and the rest is history.

Snow Goggles

Snowboarders and skiers look for four qualities in goggles: great optics and protection, anti-fogging, downward and peripheral view, and comfort and fit.

The lens colour makes all the difference in the world in snow sports. Having the right tools on the mountain is crucial for a good ride.

Whether you're looking for a snow, motocross, or H2O goggle, there are certain qualities or characteristics to look for. After much research and probing goggle-wearers across the globe, Oakley found there are four main qualities all goggles must provide:

• High Definition Optics: superior optics, UV protection and impact protection.
• Anti-fogging.
• Downward and peripheral view.
• Comfort and fit.

High Definition Optics

• High Definition Optics (HDO®) give the wearer clearer, sharper vision and without distortion or haze that leads to eye strain, discomfort, and headaches.
• Unrivalled impact protection to enjoy an active lifestyle without the fear of losing an eye.
• 100% UV protection to stay out longer and reduce the threat of developing cataracts, macular degeneration and cancer of the eye.

FACT: The earths surfaces reflect UV rays that will reach the eye, the following percentages of UV rays are what your eyes are exposed to when outside; Earth and grass: 5%, Sand: 17%, Water: 20%, SNOW: 85%!

Oakley goggles use a variety of lens materials to provide maximum protection while its customers pursue their sport of passion. By using high quality materials, Oakley goggle lenses not only keep the rider’s face safe, they optimize clarity.

Plutonite

FACT: Did you know the windshields of space shuttles are made from polycarbonate?

Plutonite® –Oakley uses Plutonite® lenses in all their sunglasses. It is made from the purest form of optical grade polycarbonate that is free of microscopic bubbles, black specks of carbon, and embedded dust. It is designed and manufactured exclusively for Oakley. All lenses have a scratch-resistant coating to increase the surface durability and reduce scratches.

Benefits: Strong and virtually shatter proof, it's lightweight and doesn't put pressure on the face, 50% stronger then other lenses material and much thinner, inherently blocks UV radiation,

Plutonite lenses are found on our A Frame, Wisdom, Stockholm and the Crowbar.

Lexan

It is a polycarbonate that has high clarity and the ability to withstand impact. Lexan provides 100% UV protection that is built into the polycarbonate lens material. It is used on the outer lenses of the O Frame and O Frame XS goggles.

Oakley also use the high performance thermoplastic, acetate, in the inner lens of all their goggles. Acetate is light weight and treated with an anti-fog coating to reduce fogging.

Anti-Fogging

Oakley uses several methods to reduce anti-fogging, Oakley know how important clear vision is to a rider pursuing their sport of interest.

Anti-Fogging Treatment- Oakley uses and anti-fogging treatment on all of its snow goggles. The treatment is only applied to the inner lens of the dual system, and is one line of defence against anti-fogging.

Duel Lens System- The dual lens system works similarly to dual-paned windows. Two lenses are stacked together and sealed one in front of the other. A space is left between the lenses that keeps warm air from mixing with cold air, when the two do mix it causes condensation.

Venting Systems- All Oakley snow goggles feature strategically placed vents on the lenses. These vents allow maximum air circulation over the inside surface of the goggle, reducing fogging and provides fresh air for the eyes. The vents come in a variety of shapes and sizes and the bigger the vent the better the air flow.

(left to right) Wisdom, Crowbar, O Frame, A Frame.

Good Downward and Peripheral View

Riders, amateurs and pros, will both agree that poor peripheral vision is a risk they are not willing to take. Safety is the key on the slopes and in the dirt. Only the superior designs of Oakley goggles can offer up the best.

Oakley snow goggles use the same wrapped and raked design found in their high wrap sunglasses. The benefits of wrapped and raked design on a snow goggle:

• Better downward view.
• Increased peripheral vision.
• Naturally contours to the face providing comfort and fit.
• Improved impact protection.

Comfort and fit

Urethane Frame- The frame material used on ALL Oakley goggles is called urethane. Urethane is a form of plastic that is virtually unbreakable and is known for its ability to hold its shape and stay flexible in the various climates and conditions.

All Goggles have a textured interior frame, like the skin of an orange. If the frame were smooth and customer were to wear a light lens transmission. Sunlight could beam through the lens and reflect off the shiny interior frame and into the wearer’s eyes. The texture helps to disperse light away from the eyes to eliminate unnecessary distractions.

Face Foam- Face foam is assembled onto the goggles in layers. Most Oakley snow goggles will offer three layers of face foam for extra cushion and comfort. The more face foam you have, the more comfortable the fit. The layer closest to the skin is made from polar fleece, adding a softness to the face.

Adjustable Straps- All of Oakley’s goggles have adjustable straps, this allows a more customized fit for a variety of head shapes, sizes, and dimensions.

Lens Options:

While on the slopes people need to have goggle lenses that will enhance their depth perception on white backgrounds. Whether your sport of choice is skiing, snowboarding, and jetting around on your snowmobile, optimizing your vision for changing light conditions is critical. Oakley offers a wide variety of lens options in contrast colours.

Non-Iridium- Standard non-Iridium lenses are a good all-purpose lens and are ideal for medium to low light conditions.

Iridium- Oakley’s Iridium is a specially formulated lens coating that allows you to tune transmission for specific light conditions. Iridium lenses are created when superheated metal oxides are fused to the lens at the molecular level to create a uniform layer. The coating acts like a mirror to reflect glare and increase contrast.

Polarized- Polarized lenses are the most effective way to cut down reflected glare. Regular tinted sun lenses reduce the amount of visible light, but they do not offer protection against glare. Polarized lenses work well to shield your eyes from reflections off water, snow, or shiny objects. They are perfect for bright, high glare conditions.

NOTE: Polarized lenses can make slushy snow look like powder, fresh snow and absorb 99% of the glare reflected off the snow. Polarized lenses can make it difficult to distinguish patches of ice from regular snow.

Snow Goggle Lenses

The most important element in snow goggle lens selection is the contrast it provides. Mountain and weather conditions are always changing. It is good to determine what lighting condition the lens will be predominately used for.

Skiers and snowboarders cross in and out of bright sunny areas to shadowy areas. Some may need help in finding an appropriate lens that will offer proper coverage for the changing light conditions.

Brown provides the best contrast against a white background, excellent for medium light conditions.

Rose has the highest contrast and is best for low light conditions.

Dark Iridium coated lenses offer the most shade for eyes on bright sunny days, great for reflecting sunlight away from eyes.

Amber and orange block blue light, offering a brighter view on cloudy, hazy or foggy days.

Yellow adds contrast and is best for flat and dim sunlight situations.

For general-purpose wear choose the lightest density that will be comfortable for you in both sunny and overcast conditions. Lenses that are too dark may impair vision in areas of shade or in rapidly changing lighting conditions.

The best colour density or darkness of a lens depends on personal preference and the ambient light level. VR28 and VR50 are the same colour but vary in density.

Darker doesn't mean its better. The darker the lenses, the more visible light it blocks. Brighter conditions demand darker lenses.

Care Tips

Oakley Iridium lens coating is engineered to block glare and heighten contrast. The Iridium must be treated with special care to avoid scratching. Use only mild soap and water; never use cleaning solutions.

All Oakley goggles are enamelled with a special formulated F3 Series anti-fog treatment. When cleaning the inside face of a lens, special care must be taken to avoid scratching. Use the goggle bag or a soft cotton cloth to blot the lens and dab the excess moisture. Rubbing may scratch the lens.

NEVER rub the inner lens surface when wet!!!

If snow or water should collect inside the goggle, follow these steps:

• Shake excess snow from the goggle interior.
• Clear all ventilation ports and lens vents.
• Use the Microfibre bag that is included with your goggle to gently blot any remaining moisture.
• Allow time for moisture to dissipate. Once the goggle is put back on, keep moving as much as possible. Airflow through the vents will help dry the goggle.

Follow these guidelines to maximize performance and longevity:

• Avoid resting the goggle on your forehead or hat. This reduces the efficiency of ventilation ports and exposes the interior to moisture vapour from melting snow and perspiration.
• To minimize fogging, keep the goggle on your face.

For proper cleaning and storage, remember the following:

• Do not use paper products, ski gloves or other abrasive materials to clean the goggle.
• Allow the goggle to air dry before storing for extended periods.
• Do not leave the goggle in areas of concentrated heat and sunlight, such as on a car dashboard or hanging from a rear-view mirror.
• Protect the lens and face foam by storing the goggle in its protective bag or case.

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