What Makes a Model a Safehouse Exclusive?

[Rcga32]

A friend of mine had a Safehouse Radarlock. He picked it up off a skater who was friends with some who went to the Vancouver Olympics. It was a light green aqua color with yellow icons and socks and a HI yellow lens.

Its kind of funny how the athletes don't really know or care about the rarity of them. I think he picked it up for $50 or something like that if really nice shape.

I'll get some pictures if I think about it next time I see him.

Yup.
I got a couple of mine for even less than that.

Right now I think the only ones I am missing are the matte light pink, the matte navy blue, the matte black and matte white (these last two I never really cared for)..

I even have one of the Sochi Radarlocks (true ones, not the later copies) and those have the nice gloss "Sochi green "finish.

 

[narplife]

None of the colors in the pic above were ever offered for retail.
As far as what makes it a Safehouse one, basically they were limited and given (not sold) to athletes as custom pairs inside the Oakley "Safehouse" VIP area in the Olympics (and other events). Hence the name.

Typically the most common Safehouse ones were Radars and Radarlocks (but Jawbones were also available at one time) and athletes could get them built with any combo they wanted. Think of OCP but in non-retail colors.

Also most of the Safehouse Radar and Radarlocks came with straight stems. Another peculiarity was that the lenses (specifically the ones for the Olympics) did not have Oakley etching to comply with Olympics branding rules. In addition some lens tints not usually available retail were made available there. Example: the Radarlock Ruby VR50 pitch photochromic lenses...some of the most beautiful.

Hope that helps. I have a ton of these and they are very cool.

Great info, much appreciated!

Those exclusive lens choices sound more exciting than the exclusive color-ways! In the sense that you can always try painting a frame to match a Safehouse color... but not like you can duplicate a lens.

Do you know if they ever take the ‘left over’ parts/lenses are ever used for MPH models, or are they just put away in storage/given away to employees?

A friend of mine had a Safehouse Radarlock. He picked it up off a skater who was friends with some who went to the Vancouver Olympics. It was a light green aqua color with yellow icons and socks and a HI yellow lens.

Its kind of funny how the athletes don't really know or care about the rarity of them. I think he picked it up for $50 or something like that if really nice shape.

I'll get some pictures if I think about it next time I see him.

I have a couple friends who are sponsored in motocross and bmx (unforunately none by Oakley) and they carry a similar attitude to not being particularlly attached to the products they get from their sponosrs. I’ve known them to simply give away items to friends in need, as a replacement is probably sitting in their garage or just a phone call away.

Unless they were an avid Oakley fanboy prior to getting sponsored, I bet it’s viewed as just another pair of disposable sunglasses even if they’re an exclusive item.

So basically knowing the right people is how one obtains a safehouse exclusive w/o having to sell their kidney…

Yup.
I got a couple of mine for even less than that.

Right now I think the only ones I am missing are the matte light pink, the matte navy blue, the matte black and matte white (these last two I never really cared for)..

I even have one of the Sochi Radarlocks (true ones, not the later copies) and those have the nice gloss "Sochi green "finish.

From what I've seen it appears there are popular color combos, but with small differences either in icons or lens choice. So when you say you are 'missing' certain colors, is that strictly speaking in terms of the particualr frame color with the accents/lens being whatever as they were customized to each individuals choosing... or was there like a set series of pre-made combos available, in addition to the option of the exclusive customs?

 

[Rcga32]

Great info, much appreciated!

Those exclusive lens choices sound more exciting than the exclusive color-ways! In the sense that you can always try painting a frame to match a Safehouse color... but not like you can duplicate a lens.

Do you know if they ever take the ‘left over’ parts/lenses are ever used for MPH models, or are they just put away in storage/given away to employees?




I have a couple friends who are sponsored in motocross and bmx (unforunately none by Oakley) and they carry a similar attitude to not being particularlly attached to the products they get from their sponosrs. I’ve known them to simply give away items to friends in need, as a replacement is probably sitting in their garage or just a phone call away.

Unless they were an avid Oakley fanboy prior to getting sponsored, I bet it’s viewed as just another pair of disposable sunglasses even if they’re an exclusive item.

So basically knowing the right people is how one obtains a safehouse exclusive w/o having to sell their kidney…



From what I've seen it appears there are popular color combos, but with small differences either in icons or lens choice. So when you say you are 'missing' certain colors, is that strictly speaking in terms of the particualr frame color with the accents/lens being whatever as they were customized to each individuals choosing... or was there like a set series of pre-made combos available, in addition to the option of the exclusive customs?

Not sure what they did with leftovers. Pretty sure they were not MPH material, though.

What I mean about the colors yes I am referring to frame colors. In the case of Radarlocks, at least with the ones I have seen (a lot!), you had no choice in the accent band color as it is pretty much always the same color as the frame EXCEPT it is glossy instead of matte to give some contrast. Customization would be for earsocks, icons and lenses primarily.

 

[BoostBear]

Not sure. I know they were available when they were Jawbones but not sure if they were also after they changed to being Racing Jackets.

Darn, was hoping for a solid yes lol. It's hard to say without another Safehouse racing jacket example to use for reference, but that green color in front of matte white radar is quite close to what my pair have... what do you think?

 

[narplife]

Not sure what they did with leftovers. Pretty sure they were not MPH material, though.

What I mean about the colors yes I am referring to frame colors. In the case of Radarlocks, at least with the ones I have seen (a lot!), you had no choice in the accent band color as it is pretty much always the same color as the frame EXCEPT it is glossy instead of matte to give some contrast. Customization would be for earsocks, icons and lenses primarily.

I'll take your word on it being the case for the accents as I see in your thread you have quite a few of them! An in my search I couldn't turn up any mis-matched accent pairs. Was the photo I found cover all the colors that were offered for Safehouse, or did they retire some/add others?

Also I understand that the actual Safehouse is a chill spot for Oakley athletes to hang out, an thats where the term Safehouse Exclusive stems from. But has the chill spot been around before this OCP exclusive option was offered - if so what year was this OCP exclusive color options instilled?

 

[Rcga32]

I'll take your word on it being the case for the accents as I see in your thread you have quite a few of them! An in my search I couldn't turn up any mis-matched accent pairs. Was the photo I found cover all the colors that were offered for Safehouse, or did they retire some/add others?

Also I understand that the actual Safehouse is a chill spot for Oakley athletes to hang out, an thats where the term Safehouse Exclusive stems from. But has the chill spot been around before this OCP exclusive option was offered - if so what year was this OCP exclusive color options instilled?

Yeah that's what I was referring to when I mentioned : "... were limited and given (not sold) to athletes as custom pairs inside the Oakley "Safehouse" VIP area in the Olympics"

As far as how long the Safehouse has been around, I think since the 2008 Olympics. But they have had it at other non Olympic events too.

I think at one point they did have "team" gloss colors as options... Maybe it was 2010 when they switched to the matte ones?

I think that pic covers most of them. I know that pic as it was mentioned in a sale thread here for those a while back and were eventually sold on Ebay.

 

[Rcga32]

@MarcelN for more comments since he has a lot of experience with the Safehouse ones

 

[the_owl]

I currently own the Matte Jawbone safehouse in Tigball5 thread. its a VR50 Ruby. Ive never seen a safehouse RJ

 

["TRUMP"]

I currently own the Matte Jawbone safehouse in Tidezealots thread. its a VR50 Ruby. Ive never seen a safehouse RJ
View attachment 624894

Fake

 

[BoostBear]

I currently own the Matte Jawbone safehouse in Tidezealots thread. its a VR50 Ruby. Ive never seen a safehouse RJ
View attachment 624894

What's the official color called of the radar frame.?.. looks like a possible match to my RJ's color.