Oakley Cleaning Tips

[catchandrelease]

I bought some new Oakley Flak Jackets for this year and have been really frustrated with cleaning them. They just won't get clean. Oakley had a promotion of giving away a free cleaning kit with every purchase, but even that does not work. The other complaint I have with them is that they frequently fog up, primarily right in the middle of the lens and around the top frame. If anyone has any tips for cleaning and/or the lenses fogging up it would be greatly appreciated. If anyone has had the same problem(s) I would love to hear about that too.

[Nick Kanauz]

C&R-Stop by a local dive shop. They sell anti fog sticks. I have used them on my dive masks in the past, and still use them on my prescription lens. It should do the trick...use a "soft" cloth to wipe them off though. Hope this helps.

[deantre]

When I shot competition for the army, we would rub the inside of our shooting glasses with a glycerine based soap, they are the ones that are kind of clear translucent looking. You would just rub a line in and polish it into the inside. works like a charm, Nutrogena comes to mind as one of the soaps. Hope this helps, Dean

[scottwebster]

For cleaning them, go to a jewelry store and get a polishing rag. Been using them for years on my Oakleys and they work great.

[catchandrelease]

Thanks for the tips. I just bought the glasses, so I'm a little apprehensive about smearing anti-fog products on them. I have 2 cleaning rags, both given to me by Oakley. I'm really surprised no one else had any problems getting the lenses clean. I guess everyone else was smart enough to buy Coastas if they were spending that much anyway. Live and learn I guess.

[Trav]

I HAVE to buy the cheapest polarized glasses I can find. They will only last me 2-10 months, or somewhere in between, before I break them, scratch them, or lose them. It's the most fiscally responsible thing I can do for that revolving door. And at that point, cleaning isn't much of an issue other than using my shirt.

[Dave Hardy]

Unlike Trav, I have not been fiscally responsible with my eye-wear purchases. This is no joke, I have around twenty pair of assorted frames/lenses of Costas, Smith/Action Optics and Ocean Waves. Now, I don't lose or break mine, but I am always experimenting with the various lenses in different weather conditions. I am also trying to find the ultimate frame for comfort and coverage.

With that said, I do a lot of lens cleaning, because I cannot stand even the slightest bit of debris/spray/spots on my lenses while I am wearing them. Here is what I have found works for me:

1) rinse lenses with warm water
2) rub a small shot of unscented liquid soap on both sides of the lens with your thumb and index finger, adding a bit more water to the mix to create a lather
3) thoroughly rinse the lenses and then wipe dry with a terry cloth towel
4) I also have a microfiber towel for any fine tuning/touch up

After doing this, the on-the-water clean up seems much easier and I do this with a small microfiber/lens cloth.

In the end, this is nothing revolutionary, but I have found it to be a great system for me.

Dave Hardy

[catchandrelease]

Thanks for the info. I will have to give that a try. I have been using the "special" spray (rubbing alcohol mixed with water) and cloth Oakley provided me with. It's a $15-$20 kit they gave me as a promo and I was stupid enough to fall for it. The lenses are scratch free and always kept in their case (also provided by Oakley) whenever they are not in use. I was reading the cleaning instructions the other day, and they recommend that I only use their kit for Iridium lenses, which is what I have of course. I'm going to go to eye doctor that sells Oakleys and ask their opinion of using soap. Their kit is completely worthless.

[Mark Benson]

Dave:

No vinegar??? LOL!!!

Mark