After a decade, the Tailend is back—as the Oakley Tailend Ti. Oakley has slimmed down the futuristic 2015 model with its own titanium alloy and sent it back to the streets in collaboration with Vancouver-based HAVEN. The first drop is August 8th in Vancouver, with online to follow later. Price? Still a secret, but it won't leave anyone cold.
The Tailend was already a greatest hits of Oakley's "mad science" era in 2015: round lenses that nod to Mars/Moon, the rimless energy of the Zero series, and a touch of Madman theatricality. All of this is condensed into a frame with a "pencil-hidden" half-frame behind the lens - and those spirally twisted arms that you can recognize from ten feet away. The result? Oakley Tailend Ti – a silhouette that's bold enough for Instagram, but wearable enough for real life.
Titanium you can barely feel – Oakley Tailend Ti
The main new feature for the 10th anniversary is the material: Oakley’s own titanium, which significantly lightens the already futuristic frame. The sculptural lines and laser-etched details are retained, but the feel on the face is lighter, more “all-day wearable.” The spring hinges also remain – those silent comfort heroes that ensure the glasses securely hug your head without squeezing it like headphones on long flights.
Prizm Ruby: contrast on steroids
Oakley Tailend Ti rounds out the package with Prizm Ruby lenses. Prizm isn’t a marketing gimmick, it’s a fine-tuning of color channels: it emphasizes relevant wavelengths, reduces “noise,” and makes the world feel a little less gray-blue and a little more “HD.” The Ruby tint adds a film filter without the app. On the road, that means clearer reading of asphalt texture and shadow/sun contrast; in the city, that inevitable “who’s wearing them?” moment.
Canadian exclusives: how to get them
The game plan is classic streetwear: first a physical drop, then online. HAVEN has a global pre-release exclusive: Friday, August 8th, from 6-10pm in Vancouver (355 Railway Street), with the Oakley team on site. The online release will follow later, once the dust settles and the Instagram Highlights have done their thing. If you’re a collector or just an aesthetic opportunist, you know what that means: whoever waits will be scrolling through the resale.
Price and rarity: prepare your budget (and nerves)
The official price of the Tailend Ti hasn’t been confirmed (yet) – HAVEN and Oakley are keeping quiet. But the latest titanium cousin from the house, the Plantaris Ti, is listed at $2,640 at Oakley, so expect the Tailend Ti to be no “budget sci-fi.” Quantities won’t be infinite either, meaning “add to cart” will be more of a sport than a routine.
Who is Tailend Ti for?
For those who love a design that doesn’t ask for permission. The Oakley Tailend Ti’s round lenses flatter narrow to medium-wide faces, titanium is a savior for those whose nose bridge starts to hurt after two hours, and Prizm Ruby is ideal for city driving, cycling, and walks where the light changes quickly. If X-Metal was once too much of a “sculpture for the window,” the Tailend Ti is that same spirit, sculpted for real life—minimalism that doesn’t sacrifice character.
Microtechnology, macrostyle: specifications without boredom
- Model: Oakley Tailend Ti.
- Frame: Oakley's own titanium alloy, with fine laser engravings.
- Lenses: Prizm Ruby (high contrast, clear image).
- Shape: round, rimless with a virtual half-frame behind the lens.
- Mechanics: spring hinges, iconic spiral levers.
- Exclusive: global pre-release at HAVEN, then online.
- Date: August 8th (Vancouver). If ever there was a “come early, leave happier” moment.
Why this is important (and fun)
The stock of justified nostalgic futurism is rare. Oakley Tailend Ti Remember that advanced industrial design can also be comfortable, and that circles never go out of style – they just need the right material and the right lens. This is mad-science minimalism: cool enough for a photo, practical enough for the whole day. If X-Metal taught you to dream, Tailend Ti teaches you to wear those dreams to coffee, in a gallery and on a terrace with a view.
