While chatting with an O-Store Manager last week he highlighted a couple of things that I found interesting. First off, I didn't realize they shutdown the X-Metal factory/plant in Nevada. He said they aren't making it anymore, so future 'x-metal' type frames maybe created with the newer material 'Factory Lite' which has crept into the Jupiter line up. The Manager thinks that this new Factory Lite material and carbon fiber will be introduced into more and more product lines in the near future. He also said to keep an eye out (pardon the pun) on a revamped line of Wires, possibly coming back again with a Factory Lite twist. He believes something interesting is coming since his Boss and the Bosses Boss are pretty mum on what's in the pipeline.

Has anyone else heard or seen anything related to the Factory Lite or the discontinuation of the X-Metal?

There has been rumblings of an X-metal relaunch (even as soon as this year), but nothing entirely concrete just yet.

Would not be surprised if they paired up titanium and CF, but I'm not sure if they'd wholly replace the X-metal line with it. We'll see.

The current Factory Lite is Aluminum (O-luminum as they call it), and has been a staple of the SGH exclusives for the Hatchet and Jury as well. A Ti version would be cool, but they are already in the original X-Metal price range, so I'd hate to see the prices jump any higher. We'll definitely see a return of the X-Metal's again, just never know in what form.

bring back the mars , crater, the leather , romeo , the juliet, the penny the xx all of them they need to have a entirley new section of oakley "classics" all the greatest hits from years past from the eye shades to the trenchcoats , this way i can have all the ones i always wanted and y'alls orignal stuff will just be worth that much more

and have worked with carbin fiber in cars , snowboards , sail boards and bikes , and lots and lots of industrail applications i can tell u u will have to have some kind of wirt sub frame under the carbin fiber if you were to make a for example on a juliet or a romeo haveing worked in the composite materiales ill tell u making things that small wount be easy , or cheep

All this makes me wonder how well the JFL sold overall at the retail level.

Jury ended up at under the $100 mark by the end.

The FLJ fits too snug on my kisser.Faces less wide might enjoy it. Just not me.

Agreed, more for thinner faces. Can't wear them but really dig them. Very solid release. Gonna have to grab some before they're gone.

i found the JFL to be a solid design, just a shame it fits quite tight and doesnt give. materials wise its more "innovative" than the other recent releases,( frogskin/holbrook clones) but then again, Rayban have been doing carbonfiber arms/alu frame for years now...

little bird tells me the Mad Scientist designs will return... let us hope that day doesnt dissapoint.

What Hans told us at RED, contradicts all the rumors we've heard (for the better), so I just hope it's true.

What did he say then?