It would be nice to see QC tighten to ensure that this manufacturing defect would be kept to a minimum, and if/when it would happen to take accountability and replace the defective product. Where the item was purchased does not necessarily negate the fact that a manufacturing defect has occurred.

Well, after having to return two pairs of XS's back to Oakley for loose lenses my third pair seems to be defect free. This time I ordered them from backcountry.com. Lenses are tight and the seal on the Oakley box was not cut (unlike the first pair from Oak). It's almost like Oakley sends out their best glasses to their vendors and keeps all the not so good one's to sell themselves. This is my second x-metal from backcountry.com. I've bought shoes from them also. Great customer service and returning merchandise is so much easier than Oakley.

It's almost like Oakley sends out their best glasses to their vendors and keeps all the not so good one's to sell themselves.

I feel your pain, but I highly doubt this would be planned - I believe you just happened to have two rotten lucks with Oakley & got better luck with backcountry.

I remember a time when so many Juliets were all loose on the left lense.

Also recall there was a problem with the nose flex couplers, one being tighter than the other

I luckily got an X Squared direct from Oakley & it's got no problem whatsoever - just pure beauty, love that Polished Carbon frame!

Where the item was purchased does not necessarily negate the fact that a manufacturing defect has occurred.

It most certainly dose matter. You get what you pay for.
If you buy from an Oakley dealer, and pay full price you get a warranty, the ability to do exchanges/returns ect. Buy from back channels such as Craig's list eBay you get no warranty. Thats the price of getting a "deal".

It sucks to get defective merchandise from anywhere but you are more likely to get it from the back channels than you are from a dealer. Dealers are more likely to take care of you when you do get something defective.

The below is not an attack on anyone just a general rant so if your not interested don't read it:

You get what you pay for, if you want good customer service, warranties, reward dealers/shops that give that to you by shopping with them not by coming in using their time and resources then buying form a discounter.

To many people today want something for nothing, they don't want to pay full price for anything but they want all the benefits of a full warranty, customer service ect. That stuff cost money! It cost money to replace things that have an issue, it cost money teach employees good customer service skills, it cost money to put enough employees on the sales floor to get everyone the personal attention they want. When company's have to keep lowering there prices to make a sale or people keep buying from discounters the company's have to make up that difference somewhere to stay profitable and to be able to keep making stuff for you to buy. Guess where that somewhere is! Its training budgets, cuts to the labor force, not being able to extend warranty's to people that don't have their receipt to show where/when the product was purchased.

Its just like more and more people want to buy on the internet instead of locally to save money on taxes but then they want to complain about police offers having to be laid off and roads not getting fixed. The money for that stuff comes form taxes you did not want to pay you dummies! You want a better city buy locally and vote in officials who don't waste that money.

end of rant

Right on....Nice to hear someone else express what I was trying to say previously...You get what you pay for. You want a warranty on a car, buy new or pay for the warranty...Same concept really.

Still doesn't have anything to do with shotty QAC. At least buying direct and at face value, if there is an issue, you have recourse and/or a warranty.

All that sounds very interesting, but in the end Oakley should be making the same amount of money if a product was purchased through a dealer at full price or discounted by the dealer. The dealer would make less, but not Oakley since they still charged the dealer the same price to purchase it from them (granted, however, Oakley would make more if the product was purchased directly from them by the consumer). The additional costs involved, therefore, would not be a concern.

It still seems like a way to avoid accountability for a known manufacturing defect. In today's highly competitive business environment "It's not my fault!" doesn't hold much water. We're not discussing an issue of misuse, abuse, or neglect... it's a known and clear manufacturing defect.

I don't agree. When purchasing the item through any supplier, be it OEM, reseller or others, the warranty should still apply.

The item is brand new and should be free from flaws. Oakley would have got their cut no matter what the final sale price is and that should be taken into account.

who's to say they weren't stolen from the warehouse or shipping courier? that is why that rule applies. Can't steal a car off the lot and then get it warrantied. It's just the way it works.

With the bulk of sellers on ebay I sincerely doubt they're stolen. But I do see your point. Just not sure if *I* agree with it :)

There's a difference between manufacturers defects and a broken item. If it's clear that something happened in the production phases of the product, it's the manufacturers fault, and they should replace it(and usually do). If it was damaged somewhere along the way AFTER production, then it's on the buyer and the producer is not on the hook.

I bought a used Honda Accord, and it came without a warranty. That didn't stop Honda from contacting me when they found out there was a defect with a part that was on there. They obviously didn't offer to fix the scratch on the roof because that was post-production. Yes, this is on a larger scale due to the issues of vehicle safety, but the same principles still apply.

Good luck getting it fixed. I think if you talk to Oakley and explain that it has a defect, they would be more than willing to fix it if you send them in. You could also get your cash back from whomever you bought them from and let them deal with Oakley.

"It's not my fault!" doesn't hold much water. We're not discussing an issue of misuse, abuse, or neglect... it's a known and clear manufacturing defect.

I don't recall anyone using a "not my fault" excuse but what ever. Whats not known is the seller could have very well bought the product at a vault from the DE case. Its clearly stated that all DE has no warranty. Now they toss the product on eBay to make a buck and don't pass that info on to the purchaser. Be mad at the seller not Oakley.

Also the whole "Oakley still got their slice no matter where it came from" argument is BS as well. As Josh says the product very well could have been stolen. I also know full well of instances where a dealer has had a credit account with Oakley and went bankrupt, and instead of sending the product back to Oakley like they are supposed to they dump it on eBay. So not only can Oakley not get their money owed, they also cant take back the product. (more times that not this is also where all the display cases come from) So your argument dose not hold up.

Last point, my original rant was not about Oakley vs the consumer, but about consumers/retail/business in general.

Just my personal opinion, but this is what is wrong with America today. Its all about me, me, me, me what can I get for nothing. Kids get out of collage and think they should instantly be CEO's or running a store. Hard work what is that? Why do I need to work hard I am "entitled" to what I want. When retailers go out of there way to help a customer no one says thank you any more, but the instant a retailer let you return something without a receipt it's phone calls all the way up the food chain until they bug someone enough that they get what they want. Why should I have to follow the rules I am "entitled" get what I want. You did not see people acting this way 25 years ago. No one has a since of the bigger picture the idea of community any more(whether on the local level, state leave or national level)and common kindness is disappearing. It's all about what I am "entitled" to.

Example: "I bought these Oakley's on eBay, for half the price they sell for in your stores and your web site. I am "entitled" to you replacing them at no cost to me. Bull Shit.

This is all my opinion, I have a right to it just like you have a right to yours. I am sorry to have taking this thread so OT. I will say no more on the subject.

My apologies to the review. The issue of Entitlement in this country is one of my big pet paves right now. While my opinion on the matter still stands. I should not have brought it onto the boards here.

I bought a used Honda Accord, and it came without a warranty. That didn't stop Honda from contacting me when they found out there was a defect with a part that was on there. They obviously didn't offer to fix the scratch on the roof because that was post-production. Yes, this is on a larger scale due to the issues of vehicle safety, but the same principles still apply.

actually this is entirely different. This is all about vehicle safety and the safety of the occupants and others around. Just like all the recalls on strollers and cribs right now due to deaths and amputations, they have an obligation to manufacture something that is safe in normal use. An axe is safe when used properly, but if you miss and hack off your leg, does the maker owe you anything??? Hell no! It goes back to the basics. If Oakley made something that wasn't safe is used properly, or lead was found high in the paints, they are bound and obligated under law to remedy the problem regardless of who the owner is or how it was acquired.

Look at camera equipment..You can visit adorama, b&h, and many others. They sell new authorized stuff, grey market, and refurbished. Each one comes with a different warranty policy. New usually has full warranty, refurb most of the time is 90 days, and grey market is yours have fun. If you buy something grey market, used, or outside of standard channels, you get what you get.


I agree with Defender about the whole "Entitlement" thing. That was the basis of another discussion. Nobody who circumvents the system is entitled to sh!t. You got a receipt, you got a warranty/exchange policy...You don't, sux to be you...It happens. You buy a used car and a fender falls off, oh damn, that sucks, but it's yours (unless you opt for a warranty which you pay for). You buy a new car and a fender falls off, they replace/repair it...I don't feel pissed if I try and get nowhere, it's the roll of the dice.

Defender, preach on brother, preach on....Our government revolves around catering to those who are "Entitled"...Or those with deep pockets and healthy lobbyists...You want something, earn it or pay for it...No handouts, no taken care of because I complain, and certainly no free rides!

Not to split hairs, but grey market items do have a warranty, and Adorama/B&H will handle that aspect if you send them directly back to them. Just an aside in case anyone was thinking about going that route. But for $30 off a grand, I'd rather skip it an help a domestic job.

Defender is sounding like a grumpy old man rocking on his chair on the porch with a glass of lemonade on a cool summer evening. LOL

Actually, there are a lot of good points made regarding shifts in the frame of mind of the general consumer and general public. Particularly apparent and frustrating for those of us that work with the public - retail or not.

One little aspect not highlighted as much as the 'Oakley should stand behind the warranty where/how ever it was purchased' is that the ebay seller needs to stand behind the product description. If it was sold as 'new', and was not received in new condition, look to send it back to the seller. The onus falls on the seller if an item is not described as received. Going back to the seller is the correct way. Going back to Oakley is a bit more questionable.

Not to split hairs, but grey market items do have a warranty, and Adorama/B&H will handle that aspect if you send them directly back to them.

But the key point in that is you send it to the seller, NOT the manufacturer...They will handle the repair as a customer service since you bought it from them. Kind of like a used car with a warranty from that dealer. You did pay for it, just another option to save a little bit. I wouldn't chance it on high end photo equip, but glasses, that's a little different. Supporting the local is always the best route, but we have to feed our addiction, so we all take different measures to do so.

Defender is sounding like a grumpy old man rocking on his chair on the porch with a glass of lemonade on a cool summer evening. LOL

Get off my lawn you damed kids! =)

So X-Squared, huh?

Ah yes, the XS. Oakley should've given it a better name. Not that "X-Squared" is bad, but it doesn't reflect how great the XS really is. I really miss the cool names.

Just my personal opinion, but this is what is wrong with America today. Its all about me, me, me, me what can I get for nothing. Kids get out of collage and think they should instantly be CEO's or running a store. Hard work what is that? Why do I need to work hard I am "entitled" to what I want. When retailers go out of there way to help a customer no one says thank you any more, but the instant a retailer let you return something without a receipt it's phone calls all the way up the food chain until they bug someone enough that they get what they want. Why should I have to follow the rules I am "entitled" get what I want. You did not see people acting this way 25 years ago. No one has a since of the bigger picture the idea of community any more(whether on the local level, state leave or national level)and common kindness is disappearing. It's all about what I am "entitled" to.

I agree with most of that, and what's equally disturbing is the fact that so many are so quick to absolve themselves of responsibility, decline accountability, and not fix problems that they are liable for - such as known manufacturing defects. It's known as the "It's not my fault!" syndrome. No, it was not explicitly stated, but implied.

Oakley messed up the lenses - not anyone else. I think Oakley should fix them.

As I was saying...

X-Squared, anyone?


Complaints department is on the 11th floor

Just drop it please

One item that does bother me about X Squared, other than the lenses, where's the Square!? I thought that these would have been a Square O X-Metal. The lenses have a great shape, and when I ask the previous, I am not looking for a metal Twitch, but some thicker more decorative stem with the Square icon would have been cool. I love my Juliet 2 though.

Yeah...while that makes sense - Oakley wants to segment their collection & have them apart from each other

That being said, Square O as a collection is really not targeted to the same consumer as X-Metal


How about this for a hypothesis: maybe that's why the name changed from SquareX to X Squared...not particuarly square, but squarER from a Juliet...?

I'm thinkin' X Squared OCP would be a huge success (+Red, Emerald, Gold Polarized, etc. just to name a few). Anyone have any idea when this might take place?

Very well put Alex