Eyewear

Gatorz Magnum | Reviewed

When it comes to sunglasses there is quite a smattering of products used among Special Operations groups. However you seem to see two main brands used. Oakley and Gatorz. Up until yesterday I had no experience using Gatorz though I had on many occasions seen my coworkers or other Operators utilizing them. My experience lay primarily with Oakley sunglasses which I am a huge fan of. However when I opened the package for the Gatorz Magnum sunglasses to review, I was immediately impressed. The frame is constructed of 7075 Billet Aircraft Aluminum and it feels solid, and unlike any other sport / tactical sunglass pair I’ve worn up until now. The fit is what really sells it for me however.

The frame can be custom fit by slowly bending the heat-treated metal to contour to your face perfectly. Gone are the days of having sunglasses that are never really all that comfortable and cause hotspots. The frame is also very thin compared to its plastic framed brethren. This is very advantageous when wearing them under hearing protection / peltors. The thin frame allows the hearing protection to seal around the ear better, which protects your hearing more efficiently. The thin frame also alleviates the headache you can get from having a thick plastic frame pressed into your temples for hours on end. Further the styling on the Gatorz is spot on. I’m one of those guys who always looks bad in sunglasses and spends an hour finding the right pair – right out of the box this is the right pair.

I’m encouraged by the metal frame – I’ve broken many sunglasses in my job via parachuting and generally doing ops in the field. I believe that the metal frame will withstand the forces of austere environments much better than a plastic frame will. The hinge between the frame and the arms is reinforced by 5 barrel hinges, two per arm riveted in place. In comparison to the many different sunglasses that I’ve used which feature a single plastic hinge which is easily broken.

The optical quality is superb and was one thing I immediately noticed when walking outside. Everything looks sharp. My sunglasses are the grey polarized lenses and they seem well constructed utilizing TruRay optics. TruRay optics boasts impact and scratch resistance. I talked with one of the Pararescuemen that I’ve worked with in the past and he showed me his pair that he’d had for 3 years and the lenses seems to have held up very well through multiple deployments and freefall jumps. Despite all of the abuse that they have sustained they seem quite scratch free and he commented favorably upon using them for the past 3 years of his career.

Time will only tell how they hold up. I’ll be doing multiple jumps with them in the coming days and then they’ll be out to a field op for a week in the mountains for survival instructing. Stand by for a full review once I’ve had some more hands on time with the Gatorz Magnums!

Smith Drop Elite Sunglasses: Unmatched clarity and MilSpec protection

Smith Drop Elite

I’m a sucker for a good quality pair of sunglasses that double as eye protection for shooting and other adventure related activities. We have previously reviewed the Smith Frontman Elite sunglasses. The Smith Frontman Elite are a do-it-all shield for your eyes. They provide ballistic protection whether you’re on the range, the battlefield, ripping down your favorite mountain bike trail, casting a perfect line out on the water, or grabbing a beer in the afternoon sun. You no longer need to have a separate pair of sunglasses for each activity or look a little too tacticool when you head out with your friends to the pub.

The Smith Drop Elite are equally as good as the Smith Frontman Elite, but with MilSpec protection and an increased protection around your eyes. I know of a few high profile firearms instructors that swear by these and wear them daily on the range year around. If they are good enough for them, then I have to give them a try. Plus they are pretty bad ass looking too (style points).

Quick Look: Smith Drop Elite Sunglasses — Smith Drop Elite Sunglasses. Photo courtesy of Smith.

From the Smith website:

Drop into a zone of unmatched clarity and MilSpec protection. The Drop Tactical re-engineers classic Smith lines to provide maximum coverage on the most fragile part of your face. Keep fast moving debris out of your eyes and look good while doing it.

Stay tuned for a more in depth hands on review!

*Featured image courtesy of Multicam Pattern Youtube Page

Smith Optics Frontman Elite

I have lost more sunglasses than I can count on both hands. Most models were lost in my foolish youth. It generally went something like, “Hey, watch this,” as I front-flipped off the houseboat, only to see my sunglasses fly off mid-flight, lost forever to the bottom of the lake. I now take a little more care in safeguarding my eye protection. One pair I plan on keeping for a long time are the Smith Frontman Elite. If I lost these things, I would be crushed. Not because I can’t go buy another pair, but because I wouldn’t want to go a day without using them.

Since 1965, Smith Optics has been in the business of making high-quality, cutting-edge eyewear. Starting with goggles, they now produce ski and bike helmets along with a very wide variety of eyewear. The Smith Frontman Elite is not just a normal pair of sport sunglasses. They are infused with an immense amount of technology to, as Smith would put it, “provide protection while setting industry standards in style, function, and fit.”

smith-frontman-elite-chromapop — (Image courtesy of Smith Optics)

The Smith Frontman Elite are a do-it-all shield for your eyes. They provide ballistic protection whether you’re on the range, the battlefield, ripping down your favorite mountain bike trail, casting a perfect line out on the water, or grabbing a beer in the afternoon sun. You no longer need to have a separate pair of sunglasses for each activity or look a little too tacticool when you head out with your friends to the pub.

While deployed or on the range, many, including myself, prefer to have eyewear that doesn’t interfere with peripheral vision or rifle optics. Due to the large lenses and wrap-around feature of the impact-resistant frames, the Smith Frontman Elite allow me forget I’m even wearing eye protection. When the sun began to set on a recent outing after a full day of hiking, scrambling, and climbing, I sat down, removed the sunglasses, and realized I had been wearing them for over 10 hours straight. No headache, no pain on the bridge of my nose, and no additions to my weathering crowsfeet.

Smith Frontman Elite ChromaPop

While some manufacturers use a film coating for the polarization of their lenses, Smith Optics has created a film-free layer that is essentially embedded within the lens below two other layers. This prevents any chance of peeling or delamination of the polarized layer, therefore increasing the durability and clarity of the lenses. On both sides of the lens is a hydroleophobic layer that resists water, dirt, and grease. These layers makes the Smith Frontman Elite extremely easy to keep clean and smudge free. The color clarity of ChromaPop and the UV protection of the Smith Frontman Elite is better than any eyewear I have used in the past. After spending multiple days on alpine snow and glaciers, there is no doubt my eyes were fully protected. For more Smith Optics lense technology, go here.

Specifications:

MSRP: $119 (without ChromaPop) – $229 (with ChromaPop). If you can afford it, the ChromaPop is worth every penny.

Frame:

Impact-resistant
A medium/large fit. If you have a very narrow face, this isn’t the eyewear for you. The frame fits a medium to large face very well without leaving any gaps around the frame edges. Light is not getting past these bad boys; they offer almost as much coverage as a pair of glacier glasses.
Dimensions: 64-17-126

Lenses:

High-impact lens material that meets ANSI Z87.1 and MIL-PRF-31013 clause 3.5.1.1 (Which complies with eyewear for all NATO forces).
The lenses have an 8 base lens curvature. Smith Optics offers lens curvatures from 6 – 9. The higher the number, the more facial wraparound and coverage.

Case and cleaning: The Smith Frontman Elite comes with a soft case that doubles as a cleaning cloth, as well as a hard case for travel and crush protection.

Bottom line:

If you are in the market for a pair of sunglasses that will protect your eyes from mechanical or UV damage while looking great, the Smith Frontman Elite are it. For those with a medium to large face, these glasses will fit like they were custom tailored to your features. The lenses don’t interfere with vision, regardless of the task. I believe the hallmark of a truly great pair of shades is that you forget you’re wearing them. My lenses are the ChromaPop Polar Bronze Mirror-Finish, and I find that they work well when I’m around snow, dry land, or water. The Smith Frontman Elite offers a variety of different tints and lens colors to match your exact preference. Stop squinting and know your eyes will be protected with a pair of Smith Frontman Elite shades.

Emerson Commander and Desert Roadhouse eyewear

Emerson Eyewear: The Commander and Desert Roadhouse

Until recently I had no clue that Emerson Knives, the company known for making high quality knives, made eyewear, but they do and they’re pretty good at it. I got my hands on a pair of the Commander and also a pair of their Desert Roadhouse eyewear. Both pairs share many similarities but have different styles.

Both the Commander and Desert Roadhouse feature TR 90 high impact frames that make a solid but lightweight pair of sunglasses. They also feature impact resistant ballistic shatterproof lenses that have the ANSI Z87.1-2010 rating, which makes them great for a day on the range, real world tactical work or any other activity which requires high performance safety glasses. The lenses are also polarized which neutralizes glare and enhances clarity.

The lenses on both pairs are also coated in a special anti-scratch coating to help protect the lenses against the abuse of being thrown in a bag or and other action which could scratch the lenses. Both pair of glasses come with a soft bag for storage that also doubles as a lens cloth.

I thought that both pairs are very comfortable to wear for extended periods of time and did not make my eyes feel fatigued for any reason. However, I personally liked the Desert Roadhouse pair over the Commander. The Commander features a more curved temple pieces that make it difficult to put on the top of your head when your sunglasses are not needed. Also, when I received my shipment of glasses one of the temple pieces was loose and moved freely and the other was tight. Even after attempting to tighten the screw I was unable to fix the problem, which I found annoying considering the price of the glasses.

Overall, Both pairs are high quality and do an excellent job of protecting your eyes.

You can see the full line of Emerson eyewear on their website

Author – Cameron Paidousis is a former Police Officer and is a current member in the Air National Guard where he serves in Security Forces. For his civilian job he works as security contractor for the U.S. Government. When not working he enjoys spending time with his family along with kayaking, hiking, and traveling.

Hobie Cruz-R Polarized Sunglasses | First Look

In 1950, a young Hobie Alter converted his love for woodworking and started messing around with surfboard construction. Since then, California based Hobie has become a lifestyle brand revolving around fun and water. From the iconic Hobie Cat sailboat to surfboards, kayaks, sunglasses and SUP boards, Hobie has innovated many new ways to play on the water. One of the new polarized sunglasses from the Hydro collection is the Cruz-R.

Hobies Hydro Collection is clearly focused on the water sportsman. Wether you’re kayak fishing, sailing or just hanging out at the dock, the Cruz-R is designed to be on your face. Featuring a unique Hydro Infinity polarized lens that repels water, sweat and sunscreen. As an avid sea-kayaker, I appreciate a lens that can shed water. The Great Lakes can dish out some nasty conditions and I’ve been caught in them before. And wiping off your sunglasses after smashing through a wave is impossible when you can’t let go of your paddle for even a second.

A fully adjustable removable retainer system is also included with the Cruz-R. This wire retainer just clips onto the end of the temple arm. A nice feature considering I’ve lost an expensive pair of sunglasses when I found myself upside down in Lake Superior. These Hobie Polarized Cruz-R sunglasses are my new “go-to” shades when paddling. But they’re not only for water sports. While in Utah, I had a few days to give these new shades a try hiking in the rocky landscape.

Hobie Cruz-R features courtesy of hobiepolarized.com

Hydroclean™ Plus Hydro Infinity lenses
TR-90 Frame
Durable Precision Flex Hinges
8 Base Polarized Lenses
L Fit 64-18-125
Megol Rubber Anti-Fog Gasket
Hydro Retainer
RX Friendly
MSRP from $99.99

The Cruz-R is available in two frame colors and five lens colors. All configurations feature the Hydro Infinity polarized lenses. Additionally, the Hydro Collection includes 4 unique frame designs. It’s been a few years since I was kid rocking a plaid pair of Hobie board shorts. So I appreciate my reunion with this iconic surf brand. Take a minute and browse the Hobie Polarized website. What you’ll find is a surprising value for such a feature packed line-up of sunglasses.

Outdoor Retailer 2017 | Hobie Polarized Sunglasses

As part of our Outdoor Retailer experience this year we started with Hobie Polarized. Our goal is to bring new products and companies into the Loadout Room That we have not showcased before. Case in point; Hobie Polarized. At first I was a little leery of talking to another sunglasses company because we have showcased other sunglasses already and honestly how many pairs of them can we review before it becomes uninteresting and not worth your time.

After we sat down with the representative and started talking I posed the question to her; What sets Hobie Polarized apart from Oakley, Smith Optics and Gatorz Eyewear? She didn’t hesitate with her response. What set’s Hobie Polarized apart is two-fold. First off, ALL Hobie sunglasses are polarized no matter what style you choose. The second and probably more impressive reason is their Hydro Lens Technology. I’ll reference their website so that I don’t screw anything up in the translation.

From their website:

Hobie Polarized has always stood for the highest quality polarized lenses available. With the addition of our new revolutionary HydroClean Plus lens coating, you get unmatched vision on and off the water. The lenses start with Hobie’s proven polarized film technology. A series of enhanced hydrophobic and anti-reflective coatings are then applied to each lens under carefully controlled conditions. The result is a lens that sheds water, resists dust and grime and is easy to clean. Our HydroClean Plus lenses continue the Hobie Polarized tradition of eliminating glare, innovation and quality you’ve come to trust and rely on.

HYDRO INFINITY LENSES
We have raised the bar with the new Hydro Infinity lens technology! We took out Hydroclean Plus coating and wrapper it 360 degrees around our Hobie lenses, giving you the best hydrophobic and oleophobic coverage available. Only Hydro Infinity lenses repeal water, sunscreen and sweat from all angles, making them perfectly suited for any outdoor enthusiasts who can’t stop to clean their Hobie’s while taking on the elements!

All in all we left the meeting pretty damn impressed and with a pair to test and evaluate for you guys. We got an opportunity to get some cool pictures of them while we were doing some recreational free climbing.

Stay tuned for a more detailed review of these shades!