While the stylised Oakley eyewear company makes some of the most desirable high-end glasses and ski goggles in the world, there are many other products the organisation provides the public. Nowadays, a variety of styles of footwear, bags, wristwatches, prescription glasses and clothing items are advertised under the Oakley umbrella: this is pretty amazing for an entity that got its start in the backseat an automobile!

The innovative designs placed into Oakley products often flatten competitors, this includes Oakley's clearly visible 'O' insignia that often presents itself on the sides of most of their shades and goggles. More recently, the unique skull symbol is also making an impact on the younger generation, who are apparently gaining an interest in Oakley products.

Oakley is the brainchild of Jim Jannard, who in the year 1975, began selling, what was known then as, "The Oakley Grip" from the back of his vehicle. While traveling to motocross events, Jannard marketed the grips to riders, who appreciated their uniqueness. The Oakley brand garnered a reputation by word-of-mouth, but as the grips were always "invisible" in motocross competitions, they got a poor level of exposure. In 1980, Jannard created a pair of goggles called the "O-Frame", which showed the classic Oakley brand on the strap. This was to be the first time the brand "Oakley" became clearly visible.

In 1984, the "Oakley Factory Pilot" (sunglasses with the same fashion as the O-Frame) was launched. Factory Pilots were built in plastic and offered removable lenses. They rapidly became a favorite of professional cyclists, such as Tour de France winner, Greg LeMond. The coming years would see the introduction of a variety of other sunglasses, like the Blades, Razor Blades, and the Mumbos.

Many consumers praise the quality of Oakley goods and don’t mind spending their cash to own an authentic pair of sunglasses, sports eveshields or ski goggles. The company's compliance in the basic impact and high impact safety under ANSI Z87.1 requisites also appeals to many buyers.

The materials used as well as the fabrication of Oakley goods have also earned a reputation as some of the best available. Oakley is also responsible for setting a trend in eye-wear prices that continues to influence present market trends.

It is worth pointing out that Oakley frames are made from materials that the company has copyrighted. For instance:

* O-Luminum is the name given to the aluminum alloy used to make some Oakley glasses, such as the RazrWire.
* O Matter is the name Oakley invented for the nylon composite found in most of the plastic eyewear that Oakley makes.
* X Metal refers to the titanium alloy used in the "X Metal" range of Oakley products.
* Many people are also impressed by the patented Oakley lenses, which deliver impact resistance and block all varieties of Ultraviolet and dangerous blue light.

Over the decades, Jannard's dream to create and market products that worked better and pushed the boundaries of technology and physics became a massive success story. Today, those years of Oakley creativity and flair have earned more than 540 copyrights that touch the lives of millions in over 110 countries globally.

Javier Melendez is a regular contributor to Oakley-Visor.com. His recent articles review the Oakley football visors in depth.