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Problem with Bolle Goggle lens

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi All,

Looking for a bit of advice.

My girlfriend has a pair of Bolle Monarch goggles with the aurora lens tint. Purchased in Flaine 3 years ago. As British skiers they are used 1 week per year and when not on her head they are stored in the bag that was provided wit them.
This year in Les Arcs, December, the blue coating on the lens that combats bright light / glare rubbed off. Not impressed.

I have sent them back to Bolle UK / Bushnell Performance optics who want to charge me to replace the lens as it is out of 1 year warranty. I'm not happy with this as they have only been used for 4 weeks and looked after as well as any would expect.

Manager at Bolle UK got a little sniffy when I asked this to be escalated above her to where ever they are manufactured as I feel that as a company wiht the reputatio they have this is not good enough.

Has anybody had any similar issues or have any contact details of useful people within Bolle?

The cost of a replacement lens is not huge but it's the pricipal that is bugging me. What if I pay for a lens then it happens again when out of warranty?

Any advive greatly appreciated.

Thanks all
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Not worth getting upset over. Cough up for the lens. Life is too short.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
achilles, +1. Different if it was the first week of use, or even in the first season, but after 3 years I wouldn't be expecting a replacement.
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I bought a lovely pair of Bolle Turbulence sunglasses in the US, within a couple of months one of the lenses cracked due to the cold I think ( it's the only explaination I can find) so I contacted Bolle but (eventually) their response was take it back to the dealer (yeah right!) and I got the impression really they couldn't care less.
I'll never buy any of their gear again.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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gixxerniknik, I have a pair of Bollé sunglasses I've had for 10 years now. I had a problem with them early on and it was sorted quickly with a replacement pair of glasses.
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Hells Bells
I do wish they'd helped me out because I really loved the pair I bought. Loved the design and the interchangeable lenses. I'm sure it must just have been a one off problem because there has been no other breakages on any of the other Bolle stuff me or my mates have had. But it took 3 emails and as many weeks for them even to reply to me.
I still look on fleabay every now and then for a second hand pair!

Oh well.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
gixxerniknik,

make your mind up! either you're never buying them again or your buying them again off eBay
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
hobbiteater
oops, should make that clear, never buying Bolle new again as I don't want to support the company.
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My Bollé goggles are really nice to look at, but rubbish to look through in moderate light and are 3 years old too. I bought a pair of Uvex last week and chucked the Bollé ones in their bag.
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hobbiteater, Smile
Look at it from the manufacturers point of view. How long should a warranty last.

How were they stored? Did you lob them in your case of carefully carry the goggles onto the plane? Did anyone else mess about with them? Did you try to clean them with the wrong detergent?

It may be annoying but Bolle cannot be responsible after 12 months as whilst your facts may be true, you could have worn them in a sauna whilst polishing the lens with sandpaper.
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On a similar vein I have had Oakley sunglasses where the top layer of the lens becomes pitted. I had no joy getting them replaced as they were out of warranty but the guy in the Oakley store did say that some suncreams can damage the lens surface. Not sure if this is bull or not but maybe worth bearing in mind?
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
I love my Bollé goggles, vermillion modulators.
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Thanks for replies all.

achilles, I agree with you to a point, but I do think that the companies should be made aware of defects with their products considering how much they charge. I will prob end up paying for a new lens but just hate being fobbed off with a generic answer from a UK arm of a company who didn't even seem to think it appropriate to apologise about the fact that the goggles didn't stand up to very normal ski usage.

Won't be reccomending Bolle to anyone in future.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
MJS I had a pair of Bollé goggles for 2/3 seasons and was shocked at the way the outer coat scratched, given that I am a bit anal about bagging up and storing appropriately.

Hey Ho I thought, buy a new pair which I did October 2012. These were great and given my previous experience I was even more careful with storage, drying them thoroughly and then wrapping. They were used for 3 weeks last season.

Imagine my horror when I got them out for the PSB2013 and there were marks all over the lens Shocked Not impressed at all but as the 1yr warranty expired I decided to take it on the chin.

As an aside, I had an idea and set about carefully rubbing the outer coat off the original vermillion lens. This worked a treat and to be honest was not noticeably different without it! The only problem was, as I had my new ones by then I lent them out on a bash and they've not been returned Confused

Guess I could try the same with the newer pair - gripe is these were a much more expensive moderator lens so I think I'll wait till the marks become unbearable Razz

It is most unlikely I will return to the Bollé brand given the repeated issue which is a pity as my helmet is made by them and is awesome!
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
andyman, Sounds like the exact same thing that has happened to us. Bit rubbish in my opinion. I will put a new lens in the goggles which I will probably have to pay for but it will be cheaper than a new pair.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
even tho the guarantee has run out, your rights don't stop there. if u can show that they haven't lasted a reasonable amount of time that a lens can be expected to last, u might have a case. i've had plenty of stuff replaced from places like john lewis, costco etc who agreed our toothbrushes, hoover etc that went wrong after the guarantee had run out hadn't lasted long enough.
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Don Keebles, That has been my point with Bolle. The goggles may be out of warranty but I feel that they haven't lasted / been fit for purpose. The condition of the frame / lack of scratches is testament to how little use they have seen and how carefully they have been treated. If I have to pay for a lens it's not the end of the world bti I really don't feel the product has been up to scratch (no pun intended!).
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I think that despite lack of use you have no way of kowing (or at least being able to prove) that the lenses have not come ito contact with say a gas that has gaused the surface to peel, it's a bug I know but in the end thats why they put in limited warranties, I was particularly not impressed last year when a driver steared deliberately over my oakley sunglasses when they fell in the road, if they hadn't I could have picked them up intact as there was no traffic behind them Sad
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Hells Bells,
Quote:

I love my Bollé goggles, vermillion modulators.


+1

Mine now 3 yrs old and 5 weeks use and still look like the day I bought them.
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D G Orf, Absolutely - Still worth speaking to the relevant people though. Even if it is just peace of mind.
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Holy thread resurrection batman....

Just taken delivery of some bolle vermilion gun goggles that are already rubbed on the lenses from delivery. They'll be going back but I now think their mirrored finishes are fragile.

Is it just the mirrored ones ? Will I be safer with plain finishes?
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In the UK, its not really anything to do with the manufacturer.
Its the vendor who has to comply with the consumer right act if after 2015, or the sale of goods act before then.
Whenever a vendor starts talking about the supplier and manufacturer warranty etc.. remind them that, the relationship between the vendor and manufacturer is of no interest to you whatsoever, as you have a contract with the company who sold you the product.

Since you bought them in Flaine ( France ), then I'd just write it off as a bad buy.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
I suspect the OP has sorted their issue by now, given it was in 2014....

But any thoughts on the fragility of bolle lenses most welcome!
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I have had 2 pairs of Gravity Modulator goggles, both have leaked water into the double glazed lens which causes them to become cloudy and unusable. I cannot see where they have leaked as the seal seems to be intact.
The first was within the 1 year and I was provided with a complete new pair by Bushnell at half price. They wanted the lens back to inspect it, but as I was in resort for only another week and needed goggles I opted for the half price new pair to be posted to me.
The second pair lasted 2 seasons until a very wet day.
Both lenses have been sat on a shelf above a radiator for 9 months but remain hazed and cloudy. Needless to say, but I shall not be buying Bolle again.
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So the mirror finish is basically peelable and the double lenses is a fish tank. Great.
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I had same problem with vermillion blue out of warranty by a month and the shop managed to get me a brand new replacement pair. I think I depend where you got them. Rubbing the goggles with your gloves or even face planting seems to take the coating straight off
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