Red Star worldwear

[beccaB]

Is anyone familiar with this company? We received gift certificates in the goody bag we were given at an organized ride. It looks like a premium sunglasses company that caters to athletic organizations to promote their eyewear. The gift certificates were quite large and I'm just wondering what the catch is.

[marni]

possibly that they are not suitable if you need a prescription lens? Or perhaps they are a new company doing a heavy intro freebie?

Some companies have a required budget line item for donations to sporting events.

I'd say go for it, unless they start asking for credit card info, bank info, email or anything other than a shipping address. If worse comes to worse and they are abysmal, you can always use them as a gift for a neighbor hood 5 year old, girls especially love dark glasses, or use them as a halloween disguise or something.

[stepitup]

We may have been in the same ride Sunday. My bag contained the same gift card....huge amount....I have the same uncertainty. How was your ride?

[beccaB]

I got may card from the Tour de Livingston ride. There were cards in both my bag and my husbands. It looks like you can't even use a credit card at all, just the pre- purchased gift certificate. I wont be able to use it because I wear prescription, but the contact lens wearers in the family will.

[Bike Writer]

Stepitup, I was on that ride on Sunday also, but didn't get a bag, by the time I realized at the end of the ride that I didn't have one they were all gone, many more riders than anticipated...but that's a good thing. What great weather!

[7rider]

Is anyone familiar with this company? We received gift certificates in the goody bag we were given at an organized ride. It looks like a premium sunglasses company that caters to athletic organizations to promote their eyewear. The gift certificates were quite large and I'm just wondering what the catch is.

I once gave in to an ad for super-cheap "premium" sunglasses in the back of a cycling magazine. They claimed to be uber-high end, and to get into the market were practically giving them away at fire-sale prices.

The optics were crap. They were awful. Now I know - they were so bad, they couldn't give them away.

Lessons learned: If it seems too good to be true, it usually is. Also...glasses should (generally) be tried on at a store where you can look around in daylight and see how the optics are and how they fit on your face. (I make an exception to Oakley optics...if I can score a deal on Bonktown, I'll leap).

[babeonabike]

I have received these at two rides now. In fact, because other family members ride, we have 5 of them. From looking at the site, they charge 9% of the cost for "processing". That is the only fee I uncovered, however I won't purchase because I need Rx and they don't offer that.

[sgf726]

I received these at a race last month - my husband and I did. I haven't checked it out yet but the value seems so large I was wondering what the catch was.

[drdwin]

I'm not sure about the gift cards you are talking about but I got 2 pairs several months ago with a free promo. They are a new company from what I understand. The do charge pretty steep S&H charges however refundable if you do not like the product. I kept the 2 pairs of sunglasses I received. Actually I gave one to my DH because they were too big for my face. I kept the second pair but do not use them for biking or running. They are polarized and like them for driving. Their products are certainly NOT worth the $100+ price tags on them but for under $10.00 S&H - which they will require a credit card for - they are an OK deal.