Oakley THUMP PRO debuts, reviewed

We have a love/hate relationship with Oakley music sunglasses: we love to hate them. That's why we're overjoyed at the release and subsequent review of the brand new Oakley THUMP PRO shades. Featuring capacities of 256MB, 512MB and 1GB, the new set does manage to be the best equipped and least ridiculous member of its illustrious crew, and we're sure a select crowd might find these an attractive and convenient alternative to the armband MP3 player for active pursuits -- but that doesn't mean we can't point and laugh all the same. As expected, the THUMP PRO player is based on Oakley's BOTTLECAP line, and features "Unobtanium" nose and ear pieces to fight sweat and keep the player firmly perched on your face. CNET found 'em to be plenty comfortable, and while lacking a screen and PlaysForSure subscription support -- though regular purchased WMA tracks do work -- there were plenty enough features to be getting on with. Sadly, the audio is just OK, the 6 hour battery life might be a deal breaker for most, and the rest might be put off by hefty prices: $249, $299 and $349 for the three respective capacities. If the shades do strike your fancy, there are plenty of color options to choose from, and Oakley should be offering 'em for sale any day now.

[Via acquire]

[telepheedian @ Nov 7th 2006 10:29AM]

Why don't they simply put a sort of projector on the glasses that acts as a display? The price range is practically designed for that feature.

[JC @ Nov 7th 2006 10:36AM]

Unobtanium: Because if "U" wear these, you're a "NOB".

[Marc D. @ Nov 7th 2006 10:46AM]

Dog the Bounty Hunter is so pumped about this right now...

[IanP. @ Nov 7th 2006 10:48AM]

I'm sure Dog the Bounty Hunter and his crew will pick up the new model.

[rawr @ Nov 7th 2006 10:49AM]

I rofl'd at the tech blog reviewing high-end fashion again.

[crescentdavid @ Nov 7th 2006 11:17AM]

High fashion? Now THAT'S a laugh. More like oakley desperately tries to look hip but settles for stupid. Less quality, less features, more $$$$$.

Let me amend my statement: Oakley wants to be hip but will settle for preying on desperately stupid noob knobs.

[ajprice @ Nov 7th 2006 11:20AM]

I might be wrong on this, but they look a lot like what Nicky Hayden was wearing last weekend when he won the MotoGP Championship. So are they ^^^ the same as [url=http://www.speedtv.com/_assets/library/img/large/127014_nh2dd.jpg[/url] these?

[B1indspot @ Nov 7th 2006 11:21AM]

I'm quite sure Dog would be excited, but he has to get out of the situation with the law before he can worry about something like this.

[Deluxe @ Nov 7th 2006 11:21AM]

Wasn't there something similar to (or exactly the same as) 'Unobtanium' referenced in Futurama somewhere?

[John Stracke @ Nov 7th 2006 12:09PM]

"Unobtanium" is a standard science fiction expression for "some special substance that you can't get", such as anti-gravity paste. Oakley claiming that their sunglasses use unobtanium is monstrously arrogant.

[Deluxe @ Nov 7th 2006 12:14PM]

I 'got' the joke, I guess my confusing comes from exactly that point you made, at least now I feel validated. haha

[Eric @ Dec 16th 2006 5:42PM]

unobtainium 47 was the first Pateinted material that Oakley ever had... a moto grip ...the first of its kind, Hydrophylic... the grip industry was changed forever ... but i guess a know it like you ... would already kknow that...noob!

[Wayne @ Nov 7th 2006 12:20PM]

Oakley makes the best optics for sunglasses lenses that I've ever seen, no pun intended. However, the stupid THUMP series is simply comical. They should stick to high quality optics with lightweight, comfortable frames.

[J. R. @ Nov 7th 2006 1:22PM]

I actually wore a pair of these while snowboarding last year in Aspen. They worked out pretty well as they fit under my helmet perfectly and I could flip of the glasses part if they got fogged up. Sucked that I couldn't hardly change tracks very well, but since I could only fit 512MB of music on it, it was all good stuff anyway.

[gino bambino @ Nov 7th 2006 2:59PM]

Honestly, I'm looking forward to this from a motorcycling point of view. I'm tired of the wires and the multiple devices ... I have to wear sunglasses anyways while I ride, might as well have them combined with my music.

[M. Rod Von Hugenstein @ Nov 7th 2006 4:36PM]

I used to work in the warranty department at Oakley, until my a-hole boss and I decided to part ways. (Yeah Jeff K. I'm talking to you) Anyway, I was always kind of neutral on the Thump. I saw what it took to design these, and Oakley really did try to make it the best they could. They used better quality components than you might think. Anyway, I saw some tool walking around an outdoor mall recently wearing a thump, and it was the most embarrassing thing I have ever seen. This guy thought he was so awesome. Ever since then, I have laughed everytime I see these things. The only place where these would be acceptable is some kind of sport, but even then you are pushing it.

[Wow. @ Nov 7th 2006 4:49PM]

And why are these better than owning the shades and earphones/pm3 player separately? If you want something that has no screen, you might as well just get the new shuffle for 80 and then use the spare change to get a nicer pair of Oakleys.

Oh no, but then...two devices? That's not trendy!
Trust me, only Lil Jon, Tom Cruise, and apparently Dog the Bounty Hunter will care.

[pbase @ Nov 7th 2006 5:33PM]

About $600 bucks when they first came out, the originals can now be had at $99, brand new.

Put in a HUD display with eye tracking in order to change the music, and I might consider buying one.

[Jaredude @ Nov 7th 2006 8:39PM]

Unobtanium LOL It's amazing what junk marketers will come up with to pitch their products. How 'bout they add bluetooth to this and make a 2GB Oakley MP3. That would be cool

[Dave @ Nov 8th 2006 2:38AM]

I would consider purchasing these if they also functioned as a camera, a phone, an eBook reader, and a portable gaming console.

[az_runner @ Nov 8th 2006 3:55AM]

I agree with RAWR. It is funny to see a tech blog try and comment on something that isn't intended for them. They don't get that it's not about the MP3 player and thus they are trying to compare apples to oranges (pardon the pun). What's even more funny though is if the tech crowd had ever gone to watch a marathon, instead of sitting on their asses frying their balls off with their laptops while watching Stargate SG-1, they would be amazed to see the number of people wearing some version of the THUMP. They would actually see a world where only a few well designed electronic pieces actually survive. Just to give you tech folk reading this a tip, iPod nanos with white earbuds and a Nike attachment don't cut it, you still have wires and weigh three times too much.

[quicklime @ Nov 11th 2006 1:50PM]

Thank you. Finally somebody who sees the value of these. Since when did THUMP become the secret joke? Oakley is a cutting edge company that had an excellent idea. They will come to incorporate more options and technology in this line as well. They just had to work the kinks out. I, for one, am snickering at the earbudded Ipod generation. These are much more practical.

[Louie @ Nov 8th 2006 9:07PM]

I bought a pair of Oakley RAZRWIRE, and Oakley customer service and warranty is horrible. I will never buy Oakley's again. Overhyped crap.

[Stephanie Beranek @ Nov 10th 2006 5:24PM]

What I want to know is "Who writes this Copy for AOL?" "These ones"????? Doesn't everyone who can read & write know that's as ungrammatical as you can get? How can you advertise a "High End" Product with Low End Copy?

[littlewaywelt @ Nov 16th 2006 12:42PM]

This is an awesome product. Perfect for running. Agree with the other poster that wires just don't cut it. Carrying an ipod (even a shuffle) for 20 miles becomes tiresome and who wants an uncomfortable arm band and all that weight. Not to mention how much a cord can chaffe on a three+ hour run.

[KKL @ Nov 23rd 2006 10:15AM]

Finally, a few people who actually get it.
I imagine most of the negative comments came from Guys who look like the comic book store owner from the Simpson�s, so your comments on a sport MP3 sunglass are kind of irrelevant. Sure they have a way to go, but each one looks like its getting better, Did Henry Ford come straight to market with the Mustang?

[Eric @ Dec 16th 2006 5:40PM]

YES !!!! finally someone that would actually GO OUTSIDE... do any of you geeks( because i know you like to be called that) ever see DAYLIGHT... bro if i am rippin down a hill on my Cannondale Gemini, i do not want some wires from my i pod getting caught on my handle bars... as welll as the steady tapping on my chest, from the headphone wires, while i run.... but i guess most of you live on "hot pockets" and would not understand the concept of an active lifestyle.... PS, I have been around the block with MP3(rio, iriver ,4 ipods, as well as the very first one that EVERYONE laughed at... ) and its funny how everyone is ready to still claim the old BALL and Chain is still "cool" ... we have had to be connected to a box and wires since the first tape "walkman" ... but nerds and geeks love low tech ... playin a Atari 1600 in your mom's basement.. whatever... like you guys ever decided for the world what was cool........ (oh i forgot WINDOWS!!!) I use a MAC, and I have all all of those MP3's as well as 2 different Thumps. I LOVE them!!!