sunglasses

[bentforlife]

Okay ladies,

We all know the importance of eye protection while we ride. I'm curious to know what kind of sun glasses you wear. Do you have a large/medium/small face? What you like about your glasses.

I'm trying to get some ideas for myself and really would like the input.

Thanks, Donna :cool:

[Cdalekat]

Wish I could be of a help. But most sunglasses (especially the sport sunglasses) make me look like an alien (or just really bad).

It's really frustrating to shop for sunglasses with a friend of mine - I call her "accessory girl" because she could randomly pull any pair off the rack and look fabulous. :cool:

So I wear my causual sunglasses and I constantly have to push them up because they fall down my nose. :(

[Irulan]

hehe I get what ever's on sale at Big 5. I seem to have a little problem with leaving them on the bumpers of cars, falling on them, sitting on them....

penny

[annie]

I like my Smith Sliders pretty well. They came with interchangeable lenses and I use them all. I am thinking of getting a new pair, tho', cause I've had them for three years and the lenses are starting to get a little scratched. I'd actually like to find a pair that fits a bit tighter to my head. These are ok, never had them even close to falling off, but I still think a pair made for small faces is what I will end up, assuming I can find some. In the past, I've gotten cheapies from Performance or Nashbar and had good luck with them, too, having them last 2-3 years. I must admit to wanting them not solely for fit and function...... they have to look good, too! So before I buy again, I am going to try on various models and make sure they are just right. If I find anything, I'll post. I do think it's very important to wear eye protection, be it from wind, sun, flying debris, whatever.

[snowtulip]

I have a pair of Zeal Optics (model is ZU01) with interchangeable lenses. I love them because I have a small face and they fit great. I tried many of the smaller Smith glasses, but always looked like a bug because they were still too large for my face. I also used Spy microscoop, they were a little larger, but my eyelashes didn't touch the lens (so nice). I'd recommend both if you have a small face and long eyelashes.
Enjoy!

[Kathi]

I second the vote for Zeal Optics, great for small faces. I like the Winks for riding, they protect my eyes (contacts) better. And they don't slide when I sweat!

[doctorfrau]

I'm with Irulan on this one. So far I have only bought what I could find cheap at Wally World or Gabriel's. I do get the polycarbonate lenses so they don't shatter, and something polarized 'cause since I had my eyes "LASIK'd", I find Glare much harder to deal with.

I'm sure one of these days I'll break down and buy a "real" pair, but so far I've been able to find other things to spend the money on ! :) :cool:

[annie]

Snowtulip,

Which model of Zeal sunglasses do you have? I did a search with the model number you wrote and didn't get any results. Just looking at the website, I like the looks of the Rush and the Zooni. Did you get all the lenses, including the polarized one? How are they at keeping the wind out of your eyes? I have contacts and need my sunglasses to prevent drying of my lenses.

Kathi,

I checked out the Winks, too. Very nice! It didn't look like they came with interchangeable lenses, tho', which I really need, especially for off-road riding.

Thanks both of you for the information.

[snowtulip]

Hi Annie,
I have the zooni, I bought the polarized gray and the clear lens (for night riding). They wrap nicely around the eyes and have been great at preventing my contact lens' from drying out. If you do buy some, I'd recommend you practice changing out the lenses before going out for a ride.
Good Luck and Enjoy!

[Kathi]

I'm a little compulsive on sunglasses (2 pair winks and 1 zooni), actually Zeal had a trade in deal last summer, if you sent in a pair of used Smith's, Bolle's etc. you got a pair of Zeal's half price. So I have a pair of Wink's with rose polarized lenses and a pair of grey polarized. I use the rose on partly cloudy to sunny days days and the grey ones on really sunny days. The Zooni's are smaller and don't cover my eyes as well as the Winks and I don't think they fit with my helmet as well. I wear contacts so I need the added protection. Yesterday it was windy and buggy when I was riding and I got nothing in my eyes.
My original pair of winks had interchangeable lenses but I prefer the polarized lenses. You don't have to adjust to shadows when your riding and you can see better in the shade.
A friend tried my on and liked them so well she immediately ordered a pair.
I had the Smith sliders but the Winks fit so much better.

[kate]

I have the Bolle Parole model and think they are great, they don't keep sliding down. They also have an insert that I had my regular prescription put in so that I could read my bike computer. They are not polarized because the computer cover is and with 2 polarized lenses you see all fuzzy.

I also have Maui Jims that I love but they don't have the inserts in them so I can't read.:(

Kate

[adkoch]

If you're looking for a little research, there was a nice long thread about this same topic last summer, too! It was very helpful!! Good Luck!

~Angie

[SadieKate]

I swear by the SL2 model of Smith Sliders. These are made for a smaller facer. They don't budge even on a long fast rattle-you-to-the-bone downhill, give me good eye coverage (important for contact lens wearers), and don't hit my checkbones. I think I have about 4 colors of lenses all of which have been used. I wouldn't buy expensive glasses that didn't have interchangeable lenses.

I always keep them on Chums so that they're either on my face or around my neck. Seems to lessen the scratch and sit factor. I've been getting 5 years per pair. That makes it only about 20 bucks a year.

[cyclingnewbie]

Holy Cow! I had no idea!! I just take out my contacts and put on prescription glasses or prescription sunglasses and head out. I've never had any trouble with crud in my eyes, being able to read my computer or glasses sliding down my face. I had no idea I was so out of style!!

[Veronica]

I usually ride with my contacts in. The only time I've had trouble was my last descent off Diablo for the DMD staff ride. I had a contact blow out of my eye. It was sitting on sunglasses, but I couldn't stop soon enough to save it. Fortunately I had packed my glasses in with changes of clothes, so when i got to the rest stop, I just switched.

Veronica

[SadieKate]

Just remember, some of us have prescriptions so thick that we have no peripheral vision unless we wear contacts. I'm petrified to ride in Rx glasses!!

Mtb biking can be scary because your range of vision is so narrow and depth perception gets screwy. Road biking is scary because you have to turn 180 degrees in the saddle to see cars coming from behind. No way do I wear my glasses.

Also, I have these incredible comfy 30 day extended wear lenses so why keep taking them in and out and risk tearing them?

Sarah

[SadieKate]

About "crud in my eyes" -- when you're sharing the trail with horses and cows, sooner or later something green and slimy will eventually land on your face. :(

[cyclingnewbie]

In addition to just wearing my regular glasses, I use a rear view mirror that attaches to the stem of my glasses when I'm on roads and not bike trails. That way I can see what's behind me without turning at all. I have a pretty strong prescription, but I have never noticed the peripheral vision problem mentioned. I can certainly see how that could be a problem on a mtn. bike. Maybe I'm too new at this to be sophisticated enough to know that I have a problem!! :D

[SadieKate]

I don't think it is newness! It is just personal comfort. Though I'm not a vision expert, I think extremely nearsighted people (like moi) probably notice it the most. I know people who are farsighted who say their peripheral vision is not affected. My nearsighted husband doesn't have the problem, but he doesn't wear dble-thick coke bottles either! :D

[Surlygirl]

Hey,
Are the Zeal sunglasses you guys like the wink Wired or have they discontinued the style that you guys recommend?
I did a google and found the WinkWired for 49.99.

[Kathi]

Oops, they were originally called Winks but Zeal changed the name to Zink (I think). I checked the boxes they came in and they both say wink, however, the description of the zinks sound the same as the winks. I checked my order from last year and zinks were on the list but they sent me winks, so I'm pretty sure they're the same.
Good luck

[grannydea]

I have to say that I buy what I can get at the dollar store. So far I have found two pairs that fit good keep gunk out of my eyes and are fully functional one super dark lens and one yellow lens. Good glasses in my opinion. Like Irulan I too have been known to forget them on bumpers sit on them ect. (or worse for some) let my grandson play with them. I can pay good hard earned money on bikes, bike clothing, and parts for the bike but not for sunglasses.
Dea