New Wayfarer experience?

[datrat]

Any experience with the New Wayfarers compared to the Originals?

I went and ordered a pair of New Wayfarers, green polarized with tortoise (directly from the RayBan website) without really thinking about it because I assumed they were the default plastic sunglasses to get from RayBan...

Now they came and I thought they felt cheap...creaky, there is no metal reinforcement running down the arms, the tortoise coloring only appears to be on the outer part of the plastic. They look more like a fashionable pair of sports suns than a more versatile fashion suns if that makes sense. I'm debating if I should exchange them for the Wayfarer Original, but I noticed that the Original touches my cheeks sometimes when I smile. Is that worth forgoing them? Can that be adjusted with those heat things?

Are the lenses made of the same material? I find there's even a little distortion on the far sides of the lenses...are they glass on both models?

I think I got buyers remorse or maybe I'm just spoiled from my Oliver Peoples regular glasses. I've never been a big sunglasses wearer and this is actually my first >$20 pair lol

Given the trend towards Aviators now, is the New Wafarer even classic enough to survive? Would you buy a New Wayfarer today? Are the Originals, just $10 more expensive, that much better?

 

[GG Allin]

There's this great thread for sunglasses here: https://www.styleforum.net/threads/a-thread-for-sunglasses-high-end-and-rarities-welcome.384084/

RayBan, I believe, are owned by Luxoticca, and are consequently ****.

 

[datrat]

Yeah that's how they feel. I think Oliver Peoples is luxotica too but they're OK (at least my pair is...). I've checked out that thread a bit.

Are the Wafarer Originals worth trying or would you say theyre just as bad?

I'm thinking of just using these for athletic activities and swimming and maybe getting something else more expensive for looking nice. But I'm not even sure if that's a valid application for these lol.

I just noticed there's even a crack-appreaing thing appearing in a few spots when I hold them against the light of my laptop. It almost looks like there's a crack or a scratch in the paint, even though there is no detectable groove/crack. Really do feel like junk...so disappointing.

 

[city74]

I went and looked at some. Love the size but Ray Bans just don’t do it for me in the quality department and there lenses aren’t special. Try some Costa or Smith Optics. Both of those are top notch

 

[datrat]

Yeah maybe those will be good for a better quality pair for me.

Some of the frames in the thread GG mentioned are beautiful...

Would you guys say that even the "top of the line" RayBans that are $10 more (i.e., the "Wayfarer Original" at $203 vs my "New Wayfarer" at $193) are not going to be in the same class?

(If that's true I might just keep these as my beater pair and look for something better for non-swimming in the ocean situations lol)

 

[edward.luften]

yeah i have never been much of a fan of any of the luxottica brands bc they charge prices way above the quality they provide. sure they may be better than the **** glasses you can buy at a walmart or cvs, but my experience, which is just with the raybans aviators, is that the quality has diminished greatly from the simple cheap american glasses raybans were originally designed to be. My dad used to tell me constantly about his days lifeguarding, and would sometimes talk about the day he found a pair of aviators on the beach, he had them for 15 years until he lost them when moving. My aviators on the other hand bent the metal frame by accidentally dropping them of the side of a table.

 

[city74]

Yeah maybe those will be good for a better quality pair for me.

Some of the frames in the thread GG mentioned are beautiful...

Would you guys say that even the "top of the line" RayBans that are $10 more (i.e., the "Wayfarer Original" at $203 vs my "New Wayfarer" at $193) are not going to be in the same class?

(If that's true I might just keep these as my beater pair and look for something better for non-swimming in the ocean situations lol)

They aren’t any better, I tried. Really Ray Ban to me has fallen off the “must have” sunglasses list. Their new stuff just isn’t nice, especially when they still ask a premium price. There are much better brands out there for the same money or less. Again, try Smiths or Costa or Maui Jim. All great brands and various designs. I’m sure you would be happy with any of those

 

[GG Allin]

I think that Oliver Peoples is considered the best of the Luxotica. Personally, I'd stay away from Ray Bans, unless you're really looking for a budget look. I think if budget is the main consideration, look into Maui Jim or Serengeti, which both make wayfarer type frames for just a few bucks more than Ray Ban.

 

[datrat]

lol "budget look"...I'll consider if that's the look I'm going for.

yeah city they were "must have" back when I was in college...in 2010...I guess times have a changed.

This pair does not seem like it would survive on the beach for ed's dad to find lol

 

[MMiUSA]

I feel like mine are decent in quality, but are a bit heavy IMO and don't wear particularly comfortably.

 

[Solverson]

what are the best quality brands in the RB price range?

 

[city74]

what are the best quality brands in the RB price range?

I’m a huge Smith Optics fan in the $200 range. Costa is good also

 

[Solverson]

Thanks, what do you think of Persol in terms of quality?

 

[city74]

Thanks, what do you think of Persol in terms of quality?

Quality is good but pricey I think. They also use only glass lenses so they are heavy and they usually have wide nose pieces which don’t fit slender faces usually. Those are all reasons I don’t own any