Through the years, Oakley climbed the ranks as the best eyewear brand in the sea of other brands because of James Jannard’s unmatched quality creation.
Nonetheless, over the years, Oakley also lost a lot- independence, its waves of fans, and even most of its famed quality.
However, by hitting rock bottom, the only place to go is up, and that’s where Oakley is now striving to head!
Experimenting is nothing new in the life of James Jannard- the Mad Scientist. Because of experimenting, he discovered the same solution that set off his success, after all!
That’s why Oakley has to do the same thing all over again, and you can see its attempts turn out as a success from two of Oakley’s creations: the Fuel Cell and the Gascan models.
About Oakley Fuel Cell
The Oakley Fuel Cell was first introduced as Gascan’s bigger, younger brother in 2009.
It serves as one of Oakley’s attempts at the idea of “art and technology, mixed.”
And what it got is this clean style that visualizes the Oakley authenticity, meant for both a controlled environment and one where you can get your hands dirty.
About Oakley Gascan
Since it was already mentioned earlier, Gascan is the top-dog between the two that comes with the extra four years of experience it had over the Fuel Cell which was released in 2005.
Gascan became Oakley’s official turning point, trading its usual soft curves for a more angular look that frames the wearer’s face into a clean look by making it a wrap-around pair of lifestyle shades.
The first in Oakley’s line!
With this much impact, Oakley even decided to shift its logo exclusively for this design alone. Instead of the standard “O,” you now have a square one as a reference to the toric lens technology used.
Comparison of Oakley Fuel Cell and Oakley Gascan
At First Glance
Of course, since the Fuel Cell heavily resembles the Gascan, you might wonder what the heck makes them so different from each other.
If you look closely, though, you’ll notice something.
Like playing “spot the difference,” having the two side-by-side will help speed up your examination.
And through this examination, you’ll find that the two models actually have different sizes!
If you still remember that little description for the Fuel Cell, you probably know by now that one is bigger than the Gascan by a few millimeters despite being the earlier model.
While the Gascan has a lens height of 35 millimeters, the Fuel Cell has 38 millimeters. The Gascan only has 15 millimeters for the bridge, and the Fuel Cell has 19 millimeters. Lastly, for the arm length, Gascan has 128 millimeters, but the Fuel Cell has 130 millimeters.
The only thing the two models have in common is their lens width, which is 60 millimeters each.
Cover Me!
Both models’ wrap-around design does a good job of covering your eyes properly!
As the name implies, the wrap-around design will have your head in a secure hug and ensure you have all the coverage you’ll want.
And you might even forget you’re wearing a pair in the first place, all because of the Lightweight O Matter frame material used for ease and comfort!
Besides that, a small detail is included on the end pieces of the arms.
If you’re more than familiar with using eyewear, then you must be no stranger to that uncomfortable squeeze you’d feel whenever you’re wearing earmuffs or headphones over your choice of eyewear.
That’s because they have a standard round design, or at least have a curve into it. And those end pieces tend to press against the back of your ears, which will most definitely cause a headache and a TON of annoyance on your side.
But Oakley thought ahead of that minor flaw!
Both Gascan and Fuel Cell models are designed to have the entire length of the arms pressed flat against the sides of your face, making it close to impossible for it to cause any aching even after wearing it for a prolonged period.
Speaking of faces, as you know, both models have a wrap-around design, but their size difference should be significant for you as the wearer.
It’s mentioned earlier that Gascan is the smallest of the two, so this makes it well-equipped for those who have slimmer, smaller face shapes.
On the other hand, the Fuel Cell is built for much bigger, wider faces.
Unless you want to look like you’re wearing goggles, it’s recommended you get the one that complements your appearances well!
Hit It with your Best Shot!
Both models don’t just look solid as a false advertisement; they’re both MADE to be sturdy!
Let’s go with the lenses first.
As you already know, Oakley Twin Toric lens technology is used alongside Oakley High Definition Optics (HDO).
Just the HDO alone should be enough for you to know how golden these lenses are since they’re made to maintain optical correction for refraction power and provide visual clarity and prismatic power.
Serving as the “backbone” for this technology is the Oakley Impact Protection that’s applied both on the lenses AND the frame, too!
This is proven by Oakley’s many high-impact and high-mass tests, such as blasting a quarter-inch steel shot at 102 mph from a pneumatic cannon or dropping a metal spike weighing over a pound from a height of 4 feet.
Oakley and its experimenting, right?
Another thing, if you find yourself not content with the HDO lenses, you can just pop them out and have them replaced with Iridium or Plutonite lenses.
For the Gascan, the Prizm lenses are also available as one of your options.
Which is Better?
Now, coming to the holy grail of all questions- which one is better?
Well, neither of the two models are comparatively better since they’re literally at the same level as each other.
The only difference available is their lens height, so you’ll inevitably find yourself preferring one over the other because everyone has different face shapes.
Both models are available to accommodate everyone’s tastes, and it’s Oakley’s job to serve its customers well.
Final Words
Despite its many problematic critics, Oakley works hard to give what the people want as much as it can.
And it even went so far as to get out of its comfort zone when it’s trying out solid angles instead of soft curves.
As many welcome these two models due to Oakley’s always-improving quality, maybe you could try it for yourself to know which one is up to your alley?
