Frogskins - a tale of woe, but eventually a happy ending

Radar

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BITD I really really wanted a pair of Iridium Frogskins. They would have complimented my green and white Etto helmet beautifully, in a way that would only ever have been tolerated in the early 90s.

But it was never to be, no point buying them as I wear specs. Oakley rx lenses were unobtainium. So I settled for some prescription RayBans. Cool, yeah but not Frogskin cool.

Years pass, Frogskins are stopped being made, then reissued. Huzzah! But not for us prescription lens wearers who don't earn more than your average South American nation, per annum.

Late last year I was at the opticians and noticed their display about Oakley rx lenses. So I asked for a price. Frogskins with iridium prescription lenses available with my prescription? Yes, and the price? Pricey but achievable.

Early January my mind was made up, I was having clear frames with ruby iridium lenses. No problem, deep breath whilst denting the plastic.

Oakley rx lenses are only made in California now, so there might be a bit of a wait. Get the call they were ready, but the lenses were scratched so they'd have to be reordered. More waiting. Oh well I've waited 20+ years, what's another week?

Second set of lenses delivered but fail quality control. Need to be reordered again. Get fed up and ask for refund. No problem says the store manager, fully appreciate the situation. Go into store for refund, told brusquely by another member of staff i can't have a refund as they have been ordered from the supplier. Grrrr!

Phone a week later when the chap I was dealing with was back from holiday. Absolutely no problem, will sort out refund. Get refund. Then get call back new set of Frogskins have arrived, in light of all your mither we'll give them to you as a goodwill gesture. Result methinks! Pick up specs, leave opticians very very happy.

Start wearing the frogskins. They're ace, but prescription is wrong. Can't read a roadsign at 20 feet. Not good. So I go back, expecting that to be the end of it. But no, new lenses ordered (on the house). Lenses arrive, but clear. No iridium coating. Oakley say you can have those on the house sir as it was their mistake.

Yesterday I got the call, today i picked up two pairs of Frogskins with prescription lenses. One pair iridium, the other clear. All gratis. The god of karma has smiled on me finally.

So now I'm cool as... both on and off the Pace.
Just need a useable Etto...
 
Re:

I can only think you've been really good in your life.
It's very rare these days to get something for nothing.
I myself always used to want a pair of frog skins.
Well done.
 
A catalogue of bad customer service, led to a healthy dose of good customer service.

I think that is my karma account emptied, and probably overdrawn too.
 
Same thing happened to me with their Rx department (I think they're all blind). Ordered Gold Iridium lenses for my Straight Line 4.0s. Idiots shipped them ground. Premium priced lenses. Ground. A month later they came in, and one was blue. Optometrist said they shipped new ones. Called them up and asked how they were shipped. Ground. I had new prescription glasses, wasn't supposed to wear my old sunglasses, and being without my new lenses was a PITA with the condition I have in one eye (can't open my eye in bright sunlight). YOU screwed up. You should have shipped them next day Air. I can't deal with this for ANOTHER month. Lemme speak to the head of the department. Got her on the phone. Told her the same thing. Have your guys make me another set of lenses. I don't care if Jannard himself has to drive them to LAX in the Oakley Hummer and buy them their own seat on the next flight out, I want to have my sunglasses TOMORROW or I want my money back so I can go buy some glasses locally and have them made that day. They called my optometrist the next day, told him the lenses were already on their way, but to have me pick out any frame with any lenses, on them. Was going to go with M frames with implants, but my optometrist said there's "issues" with them. "Settled" on a pair of rimless titanium Why 3s with VR 28 lenses. I think the frames alone were north of $375.

They're still a bunch of poo flinging monkeys, though.
 
Re:

Happy to hear you got a result. I had a pair of prescription modded Frogskins in the mid 90s. Not genuine Oakley Rx, just standard tinted lenses. I've since had a pair of Mag Fours (genuine Oakley), and currently rock some Crosslinks(non genuine, but mirror finish blue), All have been utterly brilliant, but the Frogskins were beyond cool, in my (probably slightly naive) early twenties style of opinion.

Regards

Marge
 
My normal bike glasses are Rudy Projects with an rx insert insert. As bike glasses go, much much better and completely trouble free.

Oakley reduce the prescription to 'compensate ' for the curved lenses. Frogskins are a flat lens! That was half the problem. For an industry leader they do seem rather incompetent. Plus everything gets compounded because it gets made in California then gets shipped to Dublin before being sent to the optician (Manchester ). Ridiculous system that adds 2 days into the distribution chain. But hey ho. Positive result for me, eventually
 
Great story! Do they even make money at that department? Customer service is great at Oakley have dealt with them several times.
 
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