Blade Style Sunglasses, Black Frame/Smoke Lens

Product Information

The frame builds on the goggle-inspired design of the Eyeshade by removing the bottom half of the frame, which offers increased downward visibility. Oakley also upgraded the lenses on the later generations. While all models are made of Plutonite, later lenses include XYZ and High Definition Optics (HDO) for a clearer and more durable lens. Not to mention the Kith x Oakley pairs, which feature Prizm lenses. Related: 10 Facts About Oakley's Headquarters That Will Make You Want to Visit Now Oakley x Kitch Razor Blade Sunglasses Colorways

The glasses also house motion sensors to maintain the image properly and haptic motors for vibrating alerts. Finally, noise-cancelling microphones allow for voice control as well. Second, there are slight variations across the lens hook angles on the frames. Unfortunately, this means you cannot use lenses interchangeably across different generations of Razor Blade sunglasses. Ultimately the Blade pioneered the sports performance market and paved the way for similar sports frames to come like the M Frame and Radar. Rerelease and Heritage Collection

SHOP

The first was a pretty standard earstem similar to what you’d find on most modern sunglasses with a straight-line design that curves around your ear.

Unfortunately, these slight differences once again mean you can’t swap parts or lenses across generations. Lenses While these lenses maintain the same shape as the original Razor Blade sunglasses, as mentioned above, they can’t be shared across generations. This is due to slight changes in the frame’s angles where the lenses connect. Finally, building on this popular feature of the Eyeshade, Oakley reintroduced variations in Earstems. Each pair of Blades and Razor Blade sunglasses came with two options of earpieces that could be swapped relatively easily.

BRANDS

Of all three, the Razor Blade was the most common lens, while the Slit was the least. Unfortunately, that means today, it can be very difficult to find original Slit Blade lenses. Oakley Blade Sunglasses with Slit lenses – Photo by bandit.sunglasses Original Colorways The Original Razor Bladehas a cylindrical lens (L/R curvature only) making for a flatter lens curve, where as the Stretchline Razor Blade utilizes a toric lens which allows the bridge to retain a tighter wrap shape. If you were to overlay the two frames on top of one another you’d notice the Original Razor Bladeis flatter in comparison. Member BoostBear (Resident Razor Blade expert) While the Eyeshade got the sports world to look at Oakley, the Blade and Razor Blade sunglasses got the mainstream public’s attention.

The Stretchline and later Re-releases (Collectors, Heritage Collection and Kith) had the same general design as the original. Bu,t there are still key differences if you review each of the pairs. Vuzix has clearly designed the Blade to be as accessible and comfortable as possible, but it still has a ways to go before this editor would readily wear the Blade regularly. And, no, it has nothing to do with the fact that I already wear glasses.

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The Blades and Razor Blades forever have a place in our history. They catapulted Oakley to global recognition, became an icon of the 1980s, and laid the groundwork for decades of Oakleys to come. This is similar to the distinct lens shapes within the Radar line today. And like modern Oakleys, Blade lenses were made of Plutonite that are ANSI Z87.1 rated to protect the wearer’s eyes from projectiles.