Posts Tagged eyewear
These Chums Will Help You Keep Your Glasses
The main excuse people give for not buying quality sunglasses is usually this: “I always lose them, so I’m afraid to spend a lot.”
Hey, I’ve said the same thing myself in the past. (Ditto for expensive leather gloves and fancy umbrellas.) There’s nothing worse than losing something nice, as opposed to something cheap and crappy you don’t care about.
There’s one way to better the odds of holding onto good sunglasses though, or your real glasses if that’s the case. You can use an eyewear retainer from Chums. You hook something onto the stems that allows the glasses to hang around your neck. So on or off your face, they’re still on your person.
“But those things are so dorky” or “Do I look like a surfer?” I can hear you saying. Well, there are probably a lot more of these eyewear retainer styles than you thought. The past few weeks I’ve been using a new $10 model from Chums, the ultra light Orbiter. You can barely see them in that photo at the top. That’s because they’re made of very thin coiled wire. They weigh in at less than a gram. A gram! Little rubber nubs on the end stretch to go over the tips of any glasses stems. You forget they’re there until you need them and they’re inconspicuous.
There’s what they call a “halo effect” too, which means they extend a bit to the back and stay off your head. That’s good I guess, but maybe not if you’re trying to lean your head back on a beach chair or someone walks up behind you and gets a wire in the face. Being made of metal, the Orbiter can also get a bit chilly in the cold: better for summer than on the slopes.
If you want something more traditional, you can get other eyeglass retainers in cotton, rope, or neoprene. If you’re a surfer or kayaker, you can even get a floating version.
I also hooked up a kids’ version to the first pair of sunglasses my daughter has ever worn that are worth more than $10. So far she’s gone a month without losing them, which is close to a new record. A highly recommended $6 investment for your junior traveler(s). You gotta like their promise on the package too. It says “Proven to withstand 1) white water rafting, 2) 200 mph freefalls, 3) 10-year-old on sugar.
And here’s something you don’t see often on products retailing for a few bucks: “Home grown in the USA.”
See the whole line at Chums.com
Posted by Tim in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Kids and Family on February 24th, 2010
Fashionable Tifosi Salvo Sunglasses with Polarized Lenses
I have a few different pairs of sunglasses lying around the house for different needs and activities. On the water though, there’s one word that can make a huge difference in what works: “polarized.” Putting on a pair of regular sunglasses on the open sea and then putting on a pair of Polarized ones is like the difference between an old small TV and a big flat-screen high-definition one. You can see eliminate most of the glare and see more of what’s happening on or under the water.
Since I was about to head off to the Galapagos Islands for a week on a ship, I jumped at the chance to try out this Salvo model from Tifosi Optics. I’ve got a pair of Tifosis that’s my go-to pair when biking or hiking—the Torrent—and I love them, especially the photochromatic lenses and the little vents that keep your eyes from tearing up at high speeds. This model is more fashionable though, which meant I could take just this one pair with me on the trip and know they would work fine for the deck of a boat and also sightseeing around Quito.
These have metal frames and the polycarbonate lenses are hard enough to make you think they’re real glass, so they feel solid and expensive. They’re extremely comfortable, to the point where I went rooting around for my sunglasses in my bag one day, not realizing I already had them on. They have some give in the frame and the ear stems have spring-loaded hinges that bend out a little without snapping. Rubber accents are placed in contact points to make them more comfortable.
One reason I can so heartily recommend Tifosis though is the price. These are not mall kiosk cheapies, but at a price of $50-$60, they’re quite reasonable. (The more classic aviator-looking Helo model is $34-$45.) That’s a half or third of what some of the more overhyped brands on the market retail for.
Tifosi has lines that are popular with cyclists, golfers, and tennis players, but they’re great for active travelers who just want a good pair of sunglasses that will last. This is especially true since every pair comes with a hard zippered case you can stuff in your bag or a daypack pocket without worry. Inside is an additional soft case that doubles as a lens cleaner. There’s a lifetime warranty against defects too.
For something that straddles the line between form and function, the Helo, which comes in four frame/lens combinations, is a great choice. This one is sized for small to medium faces though, so if you’ve got a big head, search the other options below. Check the Fade or Ridge if you like metal frames.
Browse the whole selection at TifosiOptics.com. Search online prices for Tifosi Salvo or see the dealer locator for independent bike and sports spots that carry this popular line.
Posted by Tim in Adventure Gear, General Gear on October 22nd, 2009
