Perhaps you don't expect a metal spike to drop directly on your eye, but how many times have you been hit by a small object when running, biking, walking or driving? You only have two eyes and although accidents happen (to some people more than others), there's absolutely no reason that any active individual should be saying the following "Sunglasses are too expensive". More so, if you find yourself spending money on glasses that are not Oakley, I highly encourage you to do some research as to how the company spends their money in terms of design, product development, testing and customer service.
Testimonial: Karel has crashed many times in cycling and mountain biking races and never has he broken a pair of Oakley's. Karel has been wearing Oakley glasses and gear for over 12 years. Sadly, back in Czech Republic, Karel had a major surgery when he was a teenager when he was riding his bike, showing off his skills on a bike ramp. Karel overshot the ramp and ended up in the hospital with his eye, ear and side of his face in need of major surgery. Now a day, Karel and myself never leave home without our glasses.
When I took my first trip to Napa Valley, with Oakley Women, I had the opportunity to tour the Rolling O lab. If you ever get a chance to tour the O lab, I HIGHLY recommend this life-changing tour...well, life-changing in terms of what glasses you choose for both lifestyle and athletic wear.
Having had the opportunity to learn a wealth of information from Oakley, specifically in terms of anti-bacterial clothing (beyond just "wicking), UV-A, UV-B and UV-C protection in gear, purpose of polarized vs non polarized glasses, quality of glasses to avoid slipping, headaches and to provide total clarity and comfort when wearing them, I have also had the opportunity to wear many different types of glasses on a daily basis. What's great about being an Oakley Women ambassador is that the Oakley Women line of active and stylish clothing is new, so they want our feedback. In terms of the glasses, we all know that one size doesn't fit all so for someone like me who is seeks a more sporty pair of glasses on my small face, will differ from someone who wants a more stylish pair of glasses. But the idea is that no matter what style of glasses, article of clothing or gender (male or female), Oakley is more than just a brand..it's a lifestyle.
I will be blogging more often on my feedback/testimonials with the
Oakley Women line of clothing and sunglasses so for the ladies, if you have any questions on specific glasses or clothing, please let me know. For the guys, if you have any questions, please let me know and I will do my best to answer or I can relay your message to my contacts at Oakley.
I can't say it enough but Oakley is a family and it is amazing to feel the energy around other like-minded individuals.
On the last day of our retreat, the time FINALLY came and all of us 10 ambassadors were grinning like little kids, excited to head to the Oakley headquarters in Orange County, California.
According to the Oakley website:
Based in Orange County, California, our 600,000-square-foot headquarters is a statement for all things innovative. Everything we produce, we design here. Most innovations we produce are manufactured here. Our headquarters is home to creative people who find equal time for work and play. Sports and Mad Science define our culture, and our employees live both every day. We open our doors to people who embrace work and life with equal passion.
Entering the Oakley headquarters....
(I wasn't allowed to take pics in the testing rooms or manufacturing section. However, I can say that these places were amazing and HUGE! I also didn't take pics of the dogs that are allowed to go to work with their owners, as well as the cubicles that look like a high schooler's locker...covered in everything "athletic". The dress is casual and several dozen employees have been with Oakley for over 20 years. I guess it's hard to leave a company that treats its employees like family)
