Just over three years ago I was given a pair of HB sunglasses courtesy of the friendly people at Hot Buttered Surfboards & Surfwear in Australia as thanks for some help with their website. More recently you may recall the tragedy when those very same sunglasses disappeared, and the additional emotional turmoil when HB Australia advised me they no longer stocked those particular lenses - not with that style of frame nor any other!

I purchased some Oakley sunnies but they just didn't cut it, so I returned the Oakleys and contacted HB Australia again to see if they would give me a contact for the manufacturer. They couldn't do that as all queries regarding stock have to go through HB's distributors / licensees, so instead they contacted their new US licensee to see if he could help.

Not long later I received an email from Lee, the new HB USA Licensee, whom advised they were no longer importing the Species frames, but said he had a few pairs left in inventory and would check there. Unfortunately he didn't have the matte black Species frames, nor any frames with the blue mirror lenses (they aren't doing the blue lens at all now), but offered to try and hook me up with a custom pair. Stoke!

This morning, nearly two months later, I received the custom sunnies. They were made in Brazil and then took a while coming through customs, but were well worth the wait. I actually got two pairs so if they get stolen again I'll have a backup pair. The photo above I just took about an hour ago with our camera - looks good huh, although the frames are in fact black, not silvery-grey.

What an amazing level of service that was - it's not often you'll find someone willing to go that extra mile to help, let alone a whole company that are willing to go for it, so thanks Lee and Hot Buttered, you guys rock!

..update 18th August..

Just had an email from Lee - he mentioned they do have the multi blue flash lenses available in the Spark frame as replacement lenses, and may bring in some of the blue flash lenses in other frame styles at a later date, so if you're interested, go for it - they're excellent sunnies, liteweight, durable and comfortable.