OK OK I was wrong (Oakley Minutes)

Member Name: LouisaNott

Product:	Oakley Minutes
Date:	10/06/01 (836 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great protection and visibility, good fit, look funky

Disadvantages: Nothing really

Two years ago a friend of me was boasting about the "amazingness" of his new sunglasses. He'd bought a pair of Oakley eyejackets, and boy, was I unimpressed. This particular model was black with red frames, looked awful on his face, and I just knew that he'd bought them for show. Poser!

2 years on from that little experience, and I now own a pair of Minutes myself. Yes, I am a prize hypocrite, and I know it. I'll justify myself now...

My eyes get really tired in the summer months, even when I'm wearing sunglasses, because of the strain of the light, and the fact that i'm not used to wearing glasses, it irritates me to be looking at the world through a manky piece of plastic all the time. Oakleys are great. Not only are the lenses that I've got (gold iridium) really relaxing, but they are perfectly made so as not to bend the light like so many cheap pairs do, so you don't feel like you're wearing them at all, as the visibility is great. They cut out all the nasty UV and blue rays, and leave everything looking less glary, and more gold. The world looks nice, and your eyes are safe. Any more safety and these would be illegal for driving in.

Now I've justified buying a pair of Oakley lenses, I have to justify why you should buy these frames. They really are very comfortable indeed, again, you don't feel as if you're wearing any glasses at all. They don't get all hot and sticky like other, cheaper, glasses do, as the plastic isn't glossy, but it's matt, and great. Also, they stay on your face well and in the right position thanks to the rubbery bits at the ends of the arms. Yes, these arms have a penchant for breaking, but Oakleys are guaranteed for 12 months against anything, and the company are very good at fixing broken glasses very fast, and often for free even if it is after that year. Often you'll just get a free pair, which is excellent.

Oakleys can have a kna
ck of making people look a bit of a wally. This stems from people not being open minded to the different available styles out there, and just buying standard black frames with black lenses, which look awful on many people. For me, having a dark complexion, I found that rootbeer and gold iridium was best for me, as they tone in with my face, and don't stand out really badly. With Oakleys, the colour is really important, so take some time getting it right. Also, the style is vital too. For me, minutes were the best for me, although wires suit some people better. I like minutes are they are smaller on your face, and have a better, more pointy shaped lense from the standard eyejackets.

Now the price...ouch...It's common knowledge that Oakleys cost, on average, 12p to make, and nearly 600 times that to buy (mine weer 70 quid online at www.mx1.co.uk, as opposed to 85 in the shops). This is just the manufacturing cost, and reflects the amount of resources that have been put into making them as good as they are. Believe me, it's money well spent, and you'll be glad you did the moment you go out in the sun in these.

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