Identify Your Oakley Crosshair
Which frames do I have?
Counted among Oakley's first aviator style sunglasses, the Crosshair draws inspiration from the Oakley Warden and is a welcome addition to the category of metal wire lifestyle frames. Its legacy has spanned 11 years and 5 versions.
Need to know which of those 5 versions you own?
I can help.
Oakley Crosshair (2005-2011) aka Crosshair 1.0
Oakley released its first Crosshair in 2005 and it ran through 2011. It features Oakley's iconic Hammerstems — arms with an inward bend about 1/3 of the way down. They are identifiable by their aviator lens shape, vented "O" logo behind the hinge, rubber grips on the ends of the arms and the word "Crosshair" printed on the inner temple.
Crosshair Hammerstems
Oakley Crosshair S
The next addition to the Crosshair family came along a year later in 2006, with the Crosshair S (aka Crosshair Small).
These frames are strikingly similar to the original Crosshair, but feature smaller lenses for those who want something more lightweight.
The Crosshair S has the same Hammerstems, vented "O" logo behind the hinge, and rubber grips on the ends of the arms. Fresh off the factory floor, you'd find “Crosshair S” printed on the inner temple. However, that marking is often worn off with use, so you may not see it on your frames.
It can be tricky to spot the difference between the Crosshair and Crosshair S. Side-by-side, you can see the difference in the lens shape. The Crosshair S lens has more of an egg shape. However, without the ability to directly compare the two frames, it's less apparent. The best way to know for sure is to take out your ruler and measure.
Compare Crosshair (2005-2011) to Crosshair S
Oakley Crosshair 2.0
Fast forward to 2010 and we meet the Crosshair 2.0. These bad boys are easier to distinguish from previous versions as they came with a few design changes.
- The vented "O" logo is now part of the hinge and the arms are straight instead of the Hammerstem style.
- The lenses have a more squared shape.
- The nose bridge has a sharper bend unlike the gentle horseshoe slope of the previous generations.
- The last key indicator is that "Crosshair 2.0" should be printed on the inner temple.
Crosshair 2.0
Oakley Crosshair 2012
Released in 2012, the Crosshair 2012 is a throwback to the original Crosshair. It's possible they were created to address the feedback that the lenses in the original Crosshairs popped out when the frame was being adjusted.
You'll notice they have the same Vented "O" logo behind the hinge, rubber grips on the end of the arms, Hammerstems, and "Crosshair" printed on the inner temple.
Oakley Crosshair (2005-2011) vs Oakley Crosshair 2012
If you had both next to each other, the differences would be more apparent, but if you can't do a side-by-side comparison, here's what to look for:
- The bar across the 2012 bridge is *almost* flush on top (the 1st gen Crosshair dips) — don't just eyeball this, run your finger across the top
- The shape right over the bridge is also different. It's flat across the top and then curves down at the ends. The 2005-2011 generation looks more like an hourglass or a bow tie.
- There's a marked difference in the nose pads. The 2005-2011 generation nose pads have rectangular nubs lodged into wire attachments. Wire wraps the circumference of the nose pads on the Crosshair 2012.
Oakley SI Ballistic Crosshair
Last but not least, we have the SI Ballistic Crosshair. Theses frames still have the Hammerstems and rounded lenses, but there are key differences that are relatively easy to pick out.
- Most noticeably, the hinges are a leaf spring setup, which utilizes a dual-pronged arm with two contact points. This removes the hard stop from the hinge which can cause fatigue or failure under stress and allows for a tighter fit.
- The "O" icon isn’t hollowed out.
If you made it through this list and your Crosshairs aren't an exact match of any of the frames listed above, check out our blog post on how to spot fake Oakleys to ensure you have the genuine article.
Need some replacement lenses for your Oakley Crosshair?
We currently manufacture Revant replacement lenses for the Crosshair (2012), Crosshair 2.0 and Crosshair S frames. None of the Crosshair frame styles have interchangeable lenses with one another — so lenses for the Crosshair S won't fit in the Crosshair 2.0, etc.