Oakley Have Been in Surf Forever, and They’re Far From Done - Stab Mag

Live Now: Chapter 11 Mini-Documentary With Dane Reynolds

834 Views

Oakley Have Been in Surf Forever, and They’re Far From Done

Heritage.

style // Apr 13, 2010
Words by Alistair Klinkenberg
Reading Time: 3 minutes

I’ll never forget when I got my first pair of Oakley Minutes. 

It would’ve been 1999, and visions of Occy, Taj and Bruce wrapped in the oval shades was too much for my ten-year-old self to resist (pretty sure I wangled one of those combined Xmas/Birthday/I’ll pay you back when I’m rich and famous type deals with mum).

That’s the image of Oakley that sits in my mind; Kalani Rob surfing chopes in a pair of Water Jackets, Occy lifting trophy’s with his pupils obscured by iridium Minutes, through to Deano Morisson rocking O on the nose (reportedly for a king’s ransom salary) when it was widely regarded that he was the most technically perfect surfer in the world, and the punkest member of the Cooly Kids.

BI and the O, just beautiful.

Heritage brands nearly always have epic tales – that’s what ultimately makes them last – and exploring briefly the history of Oakley in surf unearthed the remarkable O story as a whole. Turns out Oakley founder Jim “The Mad Scientist” Jannard, was a moto X fanatic who wanted to better clutch his hog, so he started out making grips, naming his start-up after his dog.

Frogskins are Oakley in a nut shell; sleek tech with a flash of colour.

In the early 80s Jim expanded into making Moto X goggles, which soon bled into Ski Goggles too. ’85 saw the release of the Frogskins, and from there Oakley was everywhere, including on the zincy beaks of some of the world’s best surfers. And they’ve remained there. 

The Raging Bull and the O were a force to be reckoned with, and it’s remarkable that blades are still the go-to sport shades for cricketers, cyclists and many more sports alike.

The list of World Champs who’ve rocked the O at some stage is remarkable (TC, Parko, Layne, Italo, Gabby, CJ, Mick, Lisa, Occy!) but add in cult free surfing icons like Bruce Irons, Taj, Bobby Martinez, Kalani Robb and a whole hose of others, it’s clear that Oakley’s influence in surf carries more heft than might immediately spring to mind.

And, looking at modern Oakley, you’d be a brave one to bet against their current crop hauling in a few titles between them in the coming years. Kanoa Igarashi, Griff, Julian, Italo, Sage, Ethan Ewing, Kolohe, Jordy, the threats are coming from everywhere in the O ranks. 

Brother’s been Oakley since shortly after birth.

Kolohe Andino is an all-American who has long been part of the Oakley ranks, and it makes sense, because they’re the perfect fit.

“I’ve ridden for Oakley since I was seven years old, they were actually my first sponsor,” Brother says when we prod him in between events. “To have their support and loyalty throughout my whole professional career is something really special. They definitely have left a big footprint in surfing and I am honored to be apart of the team.”

Italo is the head of the current O pack, for now… (Photo by Matt Dunbar/World Surf League via Getty Images)

The meaningful heritage brands always come back around, and Oakley are basking in the glow of a Last Dance-led heat wave; Jordan rocking Eye Jackets, Romeos, and Mars Leathers were too much for the hypebeast to ignore. So it’s going to be an interesting next chapter for Oakley. What to do with their trend resurgence is up to them. One that is for certain however, is that Oakley’s going to remain a committed force in surf. Who steps up to be their next World Champ or freesurfing dark horse is something we’ll be watching closely.

Shades young, old and classic, you know what to do.

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Full Frame: Scandinavia Is Surfing’s Next Frontier

A 30-hour drive, bathymetric maps, and 10 years of searching yield surfing's newest discovery.

Mar 29, 2024

Watch: João Chianca Had A Remarkable Hawaii Season Before His Injury

Plus an update on his condition.

Mar 28, 2024

Pittar’d And Feathered

Do the WSL judges deserve the internet's wrath? We asked the man of the hour.

Mar 28, 2024

Robbo, Pickles, And Tyler Wright Become The Underdogs Breakfast At Uninspiring Winkipop

The foreboding blade sharpens and inconsistent judging prevails on Day Two in Torquay.

Mar 27, 2024

“I Don’t Always Win Heats, But When I Do, I Try To Beat John John”

Slater shines and the axe begins its descent on Day 01 at Bells.

Mar 26, 2024

Back Against The Wall: The Ramzi Boukhiam Redemption

Morocco's first CT surfer on speaking six languages, having no coach, and snatching Fil Toledo's…

Mar 25, 2024

Will Kirra, Babies or JJF Stop a GOAT Winning at Bells?

Bluesky BOAG advice from a Superman specialist and former Trials winner.

Mar 25, 2024

Bells Preview: The WSL’s Victorian Sword Dancing Equinox Ritual

Will a Brazilian crack the Top 10 at Bells?

Mar 25, 2024

69 Shin Bones Later + the Anticlimactic State of Big Wave Record-Breaking

Lucas Chumbo might have surfed the biggest wave ever this year. But how will we…

Mar 23, 2024

Watch: ‘Fresh and Fried’ Ft the Quik Kids

How taxing is it to tackle the Gold Coast’s Triple Crown in a single day,…

Mar 23, 2024

The Popular Vote: The People’s Stab In The Dark With Kolohe Andino Champion

Which board looked best — to you —under Kolohe's talons?

Mar 22, 2024

Six Key Learnings From Portugal

Three CT events in, what do we know? 

Mar 21, 2024

‘Zipper’ Is Going On Tour, Here’s Where You Can Watch It  

Dates, times + locations for the Venice, Encinitas, Sydney + Byron premieres.  

Mar 20, 2024

Dane Reynolds On His Future, His Past, And Chapter 11’s Raison D’être

Our 9-minute plunge into the collective psyche of Ventura's pillar(s).

Mar 20, 2024

From ‘Blue Ribbon Cross Country Runner’ to Vogue – How Steph Again Is Back With A Rip Curl Remix

Everything we know about the she-GOATs sponsorship boomerang.

Mar 18, 2024

Stab Interview: Darren Handley Explains Why You Can’t Buy The Winning Stab In The Dark Model

And his decades-long standoff with Slater.

Mar 17, 2024

Griff Embraces Portugal’s Eternal Time Loop To Vanquish Medina + Ewing, Defay Delays The Inevitable

A redeeming closing act at Supertubos.

Mar 16, 2024

The Secret Behind Lungi Slabb’s Inconceivable Greenmount Funnel

Six broken boards, one leaking forehead, and five days of Superbank mysticism.

Mar 16, 2024
Advertisement