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At first when I saw the Flaks I was like "Meh, they just look like HJ's but a little bit more square....nothing too cool. I tried a pair of Metallic Red ones on at a SGH and I fell in love with them. They're stylish and lightweight and incredibly functional. Definately a must-have.

A tad bigger than the HJ's, more coverage, more style, nice price point, doesn't have the protruding arms with the icon like the old HJ....just a great upgrade.

Frame: Metallic Blue
Lens: G30

I LOVE THESE SHADES. The color combo is great. The G30 is perfect for any activity and really enhances colors. It seems to make all gloomy conditions GREAT and lightens things up. One of my fav lenses. You can't beat a lens with the HYDROPHIBIC coating.

Frame: Silver
Lens: Fire

Although these glasses looked great when I finally saw them in person, they proved to be a bit too large (the XLJ lenses) after trying them on (the standard Flak Jackets fit me better). True to Oakleys heritage, they fit very snug, as the "three point fit" serves its purpose well. Despite the fact that they were a bit too large, they still deserve a full five skulls for their overall quality, function, and performance.

Frame: Matte Black
Lens: VR28 Black Iridium Polarized

Having worn M Frames and Half Jackets prior to this, I was surprised at how loose this frame is in comparison. It caused me concern that they would slip around more, but so far that hasn't been the case. The design itself while still being appropriate for sports is more casual friendly than the M frame while providing better coverage than the Half Jacket, so it's very nice in that regard.

There are trade offs with an open lens system such as this as opposed to something like the Gascan. It's ligher weight and more comfortable, and you can change the lens out easier. On the other hand, light can leak in the sides causing reflections on the inside of the lens. The VR28 Black Polarized seems to suffer from more reflections than the Black Iridium I have on my half jackets. I'm not sure if that is just because of the color, the size of the lens, or the hydrophobic coating. The lenses will also get dirty quicker when sitting on top of your head because there is no frame on the bottom, but the hydrophobic lenses are also much easier to clean.

I was worried that the Polarized etched in the lens would be distracting, but I can't see it while wearing the glasses. The VR28 Black Polarized is a very nice looking lense that I will post more about in the lens review section.

All in all, a comfortable, stylish pair of glasses that provides good protection from the sun. Just taking off one star because of the reflections on the inside and also because some people might find these too loose for a sport specific frame.

Frame: Matte White
Lens: Jade Iridium

I decided to buy a glass for my outdoor sport activities like : skating, tennis or jogging. I choose the Flak jacket because i got a good offer for them and i am really fascinated. Especially the jade iridium lenses look very nice with its touch of green and you dont have to worry about the sun blinding you. The matte white frame also looks cool.
Grat piece of art.

Frame: Silver
Lens: Fire Iridium XLJ
I got custom silver frames / fire iridium XLJ lens with red ear socks and satin silver / red (inside) icons.
They are amazing!
The silver & fire iridium combo looks cool and the silver / red combo looks great too.
I'm going on a service project in South Africa in July and I'm going to bring along my oakleys to help filter out all those harsh rays.
Anyhow, all around great glasses.
Very comfortable, lightweight, durable, look good.
Con: From what I've read, the lens do scratch fairly easily, but if you take good care of your glasses then I guarantee that you won't have any issues!

Frame: Matte White
Lens: Jade Iridium, VR28 Black Iridium Polarized

Though I am not a fan of white sunglasses I fell in love with the matte white frame on these. The jade lens is also amazing. After owning half jackets for years I thought I'd step up to these and I'm not disappointed. The only thing is I wish I could get my hands on green earsocks.

Frame:Dark Grey
Lens:Fire Polarized

Cool glasses, not my normal style, i'm more of a jackets kinda guy, but partner bought me these for xmas last year and they instantly became my new favourites. Have compared the Dark Grey frames i have with the the standard Silver/Grey frames that come with non-polarized fire lenses and i have to say, these are definitely worth the extra money, they look so much cooler, more like x metal colour instead of cheap looking silver, works for me. polarized lenses are excellent as ever. extremely light to wear. i actually wear these more than any others including my pit boss just because these are so light to wear, i sometimes forget i have them on! only minor snag is that u cannot see digital camera view screens through these lenses, the polarization blacks them out, which is a pain in my job. but bar that, awesome.

Frame: Team Blue
Lens: Fire

The flack jacket is one of Oakley best frames because it's cheap, looks good with everything from a suit to a pair of board shorts and flip flops. This fame is very comfortable and the color combo's are endless.

5 comfort
5 looks
5 cost
5 total

Frame: Flak Jacket Plasma
Lens: Gold Iridium


Nice glasses. Leave less of a mark on my nose from the unobtainable than my half wires did, presumably due to the 0-matter frame vs the carbon fiber on the half wire. I originally had the regular lens, but I had to trade out my first frame at the 0-store due to a blemish on the frame paint. I took the opportunity to exchange for the XLJ lens as well and am glad I did. Although some prefer the contemporary style of the regular flaks, the XLJ do have superior coverage, superior protection, and offer a unique look. A+

Frame: White
Lens: Black Iridim
WOW first pair of oakleys and they are fantastic. They are extremely comfortable and don't squeeze your head at all but they also stay on through almost all physical motions.
Pros: Comfortable, lightweight, secure, they look good sporty yet stylish, hydrophobic coating.
Cons: they creak when opening or flexing. if you wear them often on a hat or something wider than your head they can stretch and become looser when you wear them, the lenses scratch really easily

Frame: Matte Black (SI)
Lens: Gray

These are the only Oakley sunglasses that fit my face. They aren't bulkie, they're not heavy, and they work well if you like wearing baseball hats all the time. I personally chose the XLJ lenses. They covered my face a little better than the standard lense, and they have that signature Oakley design. I'm the guy that wears his sunglasses on his forehead every once in awhile, and the Flak Jacket is so light weight that it leaves little to no marks on my forehead. If I'm indoors for a long while, I'll wear them on top of my head, but I have to flip them up-side-down, otherwise they'll sit too high on my head and fall off. But putting them on this way, they stay on and don't move. I highly recommend these for anyone who likes the outdoors/sports. I've run with these many times and they don't jiggle around or seem to loosen on my face. All I needed was a pair of sunglasses that functioned and the Flak Jacket does just that.

Frame: Dark Gray
Lens: VR28 Black Iridium Polarized/Ice Iridium

I origionally got these with the Ice then installed the VR28 BI Polarized. I cannot be happier with this frame. It is a great active/casual sunglass. It definately stands out, but doesn't stand out so much that it can't be worn on most occasions.

The frame is lightweight, durable, and extremely comfortable. The XLJ lens is just enough coverage for me. A must have for any fan of the O

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These are great glasses. I'm not sure which lens style I prefer: regular or XLJ. Either way, the Flak Jacket is still my go-to sunglass. Absolute perfection in both form and function.

Frame: Team Orange
Lens: Fire Iridium Polarized

The Flak is one of (if not the) most functional glass Oakley makes. The design, while not extreme, is unique enough to stand out from the crowd yet provide functional, everyday protection in a wide variety of lens and frame options.

When I finally decided to get a Flak, the XLJ lens was the obvious choice. To be honest, I'm not sure why Oakley makes a standard lens in this model and Half Jacket as, on my standard sized head and face, the XLJ coverage is barely enough to keep out the light and not make the lenses appear overly wide and narrow (narrow as is not very high in relation to the width of the lens). When I did decide on it and I realized an orange frame option was available, I almost flipped. Never being a fan of the Oakley products in Atomic Orange, yet orange being my favorite color, I was thrilled to find TEAM ORANGE as orange is my favorite color and this shade is a dead match to my Mustang. Getting it combined with Fire Polarized however was a problem and I ended up getting a custom Orange and Black and installing Fire Polarized lenses.

The fit of these is very good, however I personally had issues with the nosebridge area lifting off my nose when I smiled; the larger nosebombs helped....but then that lifted the front of the frames too high and I could almost look under the bottom of the lens. The only way to fix it was to wear them at a particular spot on my nose...which was cumbersome at first, but became habit after awhile. When on, the glasses look great; this design IS a little less aggressive than the Half, but the Half had/has so many fit and long term quality issues that the Flak solves, that it doesn't make them worth having vs. the Flak. Add to that the near weightless wearing experience and you have a comfortable winner.

The case that comes with these is really cool; there are slots for the glasses and two additional sets of lenses (nice touch, but pointless in my view....as I will get to later) and is fully padded. The only thing I wonder is why a sub $200 pair of glasses has a more padded case than a $400 pair of X Metals????

One of the primary ideas behind the Half and Flak Jackets has always been lens interchangibility...but that was a huge hassle in the Half and, though improved, I feel is still a huge issue in the Flak. Changing the lenses is still a process reserved for seasonal changes (like you wear a darker lens May to Sep and a lighter lens Oct to January etc). Changing these lenses every day or 2 or 3 times a week is more hassle than its worth to me. I needed a G30 lens and, in the end, felt it was worth the extra cost to just get the Metallic Blue with G30 vs. buy the G30 lenses and swap them out, especially considering I might want to wear my Orange Flak's in the morning with G30 and in the day with Fire....and have to change out to do so. That however is just me; for others they may not mind or have different needs. For those like me, a Jawbone may be the solution, but until they come out with a paired down version of those HUGE glasses, we will be left waiting.

Overall, the Flak is a GREAT VALUE on a very functional and stylish set of glasses.

Frame: Black Knight
Lens: Black Iridium
My brother just got me these from West Point and they are AMAZING, the flat black color looks great and the gold "o" lets you know its West Point colors. The sunglasses fit amazing, they are lightweight yet feel durable like they can take a beating. The xlj lenses provide excellent coverage and have the sporty shape to them. Overall 5 stars, I like these more than the half jackets and I have 4 pairs of those.

Frame: Gray Smoke
Lens: Black Iridium

My favorite pair of sport sunglasses. I sweat a LOT, and the nosebombs don't budge. The earstems are very elastic and grippy, which lets the frame mold to your head very well, regardless of size or shape. The coverage offered by the XLJ lens is awesome, after a few minutes i completely forget they are on. Definitely a huge improvement on the already fantastic half jackets. I do find that the flaks are a little less aggressive looking though.

Frame: Metallic Blue
Lens: G30

Frames
I bought these for cricket and golf because my old EJs, crosshairs and gascans were just a liabity for excercise. I have a small head and these still fit really well. I tried them on in Vision Express and there almost too big but the ones that arrived are fine.

Lenses
I got the Golf specific lenses for trying to hunt down the ball in the rough but may have to buy some Ice Iridium for cricket because although these lenses are good for contrast they dont do a good job of blocking out the sun. If I have to take a high catch into the sun I am struggling!

I tried taking out the lenses to give them a proper clean and this was my only concern - when I bent the frame like Dann told me to do the lens was fired into me. You have to be careful or you might drop them. I was worried about how much pressure I had to put on the frames to release the lens.

Frame: White Text
Lens: +Red

I like the fit of the Flak Jackets - they are quite comfortable. They also look great and come in a wide range of color options, both for the frame and for the lenses. The permanent hydrophobic coating on the lenses makes these glasses even greater, in my opinion. They're almost like an updated version of the Half Jackets, just a bit more rigid and curvy in appearance. Whether you want these for sport or just for a casual pair of sunglasses, it's hard to go wrong with a pair of Flak Jackets.

Frame: MLB Philadelphia Phillies White
Lens: Black iridium

Great pair of glasses. Super light. Great coverage. Hydrophic lens doesn't get oil marks from my hair. Even the XLJ lenses didn't push on my cheekbones. I love the fact that you can pop out the lenses and swap them for different colors. I wore these during the Phillies historic World Series run (purchased the last pair in the Philly market the day they made it to the series). There is an etched "p" in the lens which makes it stand out in a subtle way. The dust bag/micro bag is very cool. The box is decorated with the MLB teams and has the threading of a baseball. The glasses come with a carrying case, as well. One of the best deals going with Oakley.

Frame: The frame is incredibly comfortable, if you enjoyed the Half-Jacket or even the M-Frame, you will fall in love with this frame. It fits perfectly under a bike helmet and is narrow around the sides so it has a nice fit during sports.

Lens: The lenses, what can I say..the G30 is excellent for golfing, the DEEP BLUE is incredible for fishing. The great thing is the interchangeable lenses! You can get any type of lenses for any conditions for a low cost!

Frame: Metallic Red
Lens: VR28 Black

Another home run for Oakley (and appropriately they release an MLB lineup). While I can't say for sure this overtakes the Half Jacket, they do prove a worth competitor. While I like the round rather than flat stems of the HJ, and the overall design, the dual cam hinges do work very well keeping the stems from flapping around. The hydrophobic coating is a huge help and reduced the need to constantly clean your lens down to an absolute minimum. One of my daily pairs and worth every penny.

Frame: Matt Black SI
Lens: Black Iridium / Grey

I've been an Oakley buyer since the Mid 80s and have had about 30 pairs of them. These are up there with my favourites.

Lightweight, comfortable and good to look at.

:-)

Frame: New Grey
Lens: Ice Iridium

These are bsolutly amazing. Lens are clearest i have ever seen. Fit perfectly, never slide off great for sports too.

Frame: Silver, Navy blue, Metallic Red
Lens: Many in XLJ shape

One of the most functional pairs of Oakleys to date. If you do anything that can be considered "athletic", these fit the bill perfectly. I wear these playing sports, mountain biking, and basically for anything else I can come up with. G30 lens for low light conditions, and black or slate iridium when the sun comes out. The lenses are ridiculously easy to change (even easier than the half jackets they replaced) and the hydrophobic lens coating makes all the difference - especially if you're doing something that causes you to sweat (no oil build-up on lens surface like the non-hydrophobic lenses). The fit is perfect - especially under a hat or bike helmet. These are the go-to style when you want to work hard outside and not worry about your glasses.

Frame: Polished White
Lens: Black Iridium

I got a great deal on these and tried to wear them for a few days. They fit my huge head surprisingly well but still hurt after a few hours. I did fall in love with the hydrophobic coating though and in my experience it worked just as advertised. My lenses stayed a lot cleaner through everyday use and were much easier to clean using just the bag. Even greasy smudges wiped right off with no problems.

I do recommend these for women also because my best friend tried them on and liked them so much they became hers.

As always you can never go wrong with Black Iridium, in my opinion it is Oakley's best all around lens.

Frame: Jet Black
Lens: Black Iridium XLJ

I've had these for awhile now and I really like them. They hydrophobic lens coating is amazing. I took them to the lake and sure enough, all the water droplets beaded up on the lenses and rolled off. Very cool and very helpful. The XLJ lenses are great when wearing them for sports, you don't have to worry about light coming in under the lenses and distracting your eye. These won't be collector glasses, but that wasn't there intent in the first place. They're just awesome glasses that do their job; work.

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I fully agree with OsmosisJones. These are a great "big brother" to the Half Jackets that I love so much. I haven't decided on my color combo yet, but I'll definitely be picking up a set of these. I like the slightly broader coverage, and the fact that they come with a case at their lower price point. I still want a set of Radars as well, which grip the nose better for sports purposes, but the Flaks fit that nice spot between casual and sporty that make me love my Half Jackets so much.

I dock them one star for not being quite as grippy around the nose as the Radar, which would make them perfect, IMO. Plus, I'd like to see Ruby or G26 as a lens color option.

Frame: Polished White
Lens: Black Iridium XLJ

The Flak Jackets took many 'try-ons' for me ever since they came out and took a while to eventually grow on me, like the rest of the Oakleys. Once I tried one with an XLJ lens, it became a pair that I had to get. The fit is very sufficient, and not overkilled like the fit of the half jacket. Extremely comfortable. XLJ eye coverage will be perfect for many.

I didn't have any white colored Oakleys, so I went for the white look, to ensure they would look good with any lens color that may come out in the future. The frame lines and bottom cut of the new XLJ lens are really what make The Look for the glass in direct sunlight. Its a bold, fluid look that screams Oakley. Also, the special lens coating does what its supposed to, it repels water and oil, making for extremely easy to clean lenses.

I almost went Custom for the ice iridium, but the O store didn't have the blue earsocks (and I don't think they exist either), and the guy swapping the lenses for me was really putting undue stress on the frame. Plus, it didn't seem like I would get to customize the Icon, which has the inside of the O painted the same color as the Earsocks (slate). You would think that an in-store custom job would mean that all the components would come from a bin, but its still a matter of the staff running around and finding the boxes containing your requested components. I felt bad, but my common sense kicked in at that point to save $10-$15 and I opted for the factory born glasses since I'm more than capable of customizing my own glasses. I'm glad that I did since I can get Ice Iridium polarized from one of the online retailers. I'll probably get the G20 Black Iridium as a sport lens as well.

The only thing I'm kinda upset about was how I missed the extremely minor defect of iridium application on the upper nose corner of the right lens ...there is a dark overspray that you have to look for. I still may trek down to the O-store to do an exchange (since they probably won't see it). Its like Oakley has significantly ramped up their overall production, because the lens I had during the inspection before that one had an unremovable black spot on a lens. And a juliet ruby lens I ordered direct from Oakley at the beginning of summer had a minor edge surface scratch where the screw goes. For this recent lack of lens quality control, I'm giving 4 stars.