prescription sunglasses.

[smilingcat]

okay so checked two places so far, sportsoptical.com and heavyglare.com. First one has endorsement from some members here. Second place just what's on their web site.

The second site had a picture of the different models and now I'm really confused. I like the Oakley's enduring edge and eunduring pace for its styling but for prescription they have to cutout the one piece "lense" and insert a prescription lens. This obviously will make the glasses look REALLY ugly. Same with Rudy project Freeon.

The man at heavyglare.com a former cyclist (only rides on euro bikes with campy parts... no index shifting --- a purest!) suggest Rydon, half jacket, flak jacket, jawbone. none of these appeal to me. They look too testoserone driven mean. I want something bit more sedate and not so mean looking. I don't expect cute or pretty just something stylish and sensible. Or is this too much to ask?

Any suggestions? Or do you think Rudy Project ones are not that mean looking and I just need to get over it?

Suggestion from the cycling purest: Smith Redline; RudyProject's Rydon II, kerosene; Oakley's half jacket, flak jacket, jawbone.

meh~~

The ever lucky dude i know suggest a closed frame with thicker frame on the bottom like the jawbone. he said if I were to crash on my face, the thicker bottom portion of the frame will keep it from cutting into my face. Ohhh... true..

still meh~~~
smilingcat

I also don't want to look too dorkey.

[krisl6]

I have the Rudy Project Rydon II's and really love them. I don't think they're too mean looking (definitely not when compared to say the Oakley Jawbones). Maybe you want to consider the Rudy Girl Collection instead? Just a suggestion. Good luck finding the perfect pair of sunglasses for you!

[RetroGrouch]

Hi! It's Mark from Heavyglare here. I hope I'm not out of line, but when our name comes up in posts and blogs, we try to pay attention, and help where we can.
I forgot about an Oakley that you might like. It's called the Commit. There are two lens shapes for it. It works like the Half Jacket or Flak Jacket and is designed for women. It has a much less aggressive look than the Half Jacket, Flak Jacket or Jawbone. With regard to the Rudy Project Girl line, it's the same as the regular line with regard to frame shape and construction, just in softer colors. Parts and lenses even interchange with the non-girl versions.
I hope this helps!
Mark Busse
A.B.O.C.
Heavyglare.com

[WindingRoad]

I just purchased a pair of Liberty Sport MX20's from Lenscrafters. They are a cool dark blue shiney metallic looking frame and I put polarized silver mirror coated lenses in them. They are pretty hot! They have all size ranges of these. They had them with the RecSpecs which are usually ugly as sin but this particular style looks like normal sporty sunglasses. Check them out, the price was great.

[Eden]

I have a small, narrow face so most glasses are overly large on me. I have Smith's that work well - I think they are Toasters or something like that....

[loopybunny]

I forgot about an Oakley that you might like. It's called the Commit. There are two lens shapes for it. It works like the Half Jacket or Flak Jacket and is designed for women. It has a much less aggressive look than the Half Jacket, Flak Jacket or Jawbone.

+1 for Oakley Commit
I have the the YSC edition, they're white and pink with a little YSC ribbon on the sides. Love them! They fit great and look somewhat feminine without being girly. They're currently being held hostage because I'm finally able to have the Rx Transitions lenses put in them or I'd post a picture.

[Cataboo]

Every 2 years i seem to lose a pair of prescription sunglasses while kayaking. I just got replacements at costco - $100 or so for a pair of polarized prescription lenses with a curved metal frame. I put transitions lenses in the glasses that I bought at the same time figuring that'll give me a backup for 2 years from now when I lose this pair.

And I went ahead and got some contacts, figuring what that at least I'd have them for using regular contacts - think it wouldn't suck so bad rolling the kayak and losing non-prescription sunglasses, but then realized getting river or ocean water in my eyes with contacts is not the best idea ever either.

[JennK13]

I have Rudy Projects because I have a really bad astigmatism and can only get wrap sunglasses with an insert.

Another option, for those with just "bad" vision as opposed to bad eye shape, is Zeal Optics. I have non-Rx sunglasses that I wear with my contacts and love them. They do make Rx glasses, but are a bit pricey, and my insurance covered the Rudy's from my eye doctor.

[marni]

I have two pairs of biking glasses, one is a Rayban frame and the other is an adidas frame. The raybans are not as wrap around as the Adidas but the lenses are a good size and cover quite a bit of my face plus they have a metal frame. The adidas are plastic and nearly total wrap around. I have light sensitive so called transition lenses in both sets which go to 85% light blockage. The raybans are my regular presciption which means that I can also read with them whereas the adidas are a riding prescription which goes from about 6' to distance since I can read just as easily without them at least up close, for the rest (like menus above counters,) I just peer myopically.

Both pairs were under 125 each and the adidas are totally plastic which is definitely a safety feature, plus they have been through two major falls that took out ribs, helmets , and consciousness without breaking or scratching.

They may not be full fashion but they are just what I need, plus since I got them from my regular eye doctor, the lenses can be changed to a new prescription in less than a week and do not require a special order and I can always get the fit adjusted free of charge.

marni

[BellaMTB]

I also got the Smith Toaster Slider: http://www.smithoptics.com/Toaster-S....html?fl=flase and had Sports Optical make the lenses. I'd pick out a good quality frame in a style that you really like first (& preferably have tried on), then try to find someone who can make the lenses for that frame in your Rx (before you actually purchase the frame, that is). Good luck!

[SadieKate]

No opinion about the choice of frames but I can tell you my hubby wouldn't have prescription cycling glasses if it weren't for HeavyGlare.com. He has one really weak eye and need some horrendous curve. They managed to do it in a Rudy Project frame.

[smilingcat]

My broken pair is Smith Moab HP. The lenses are on a clip-on frame. The clip-on frame broke at the nose bridge.

I did talk to Bret at Sports optical and through our conversation, I found that he has some extra clip-on frames around. And he said, if I were to send him my broken clip-on with the prescription lenses, he could install the lenses into a new frame for a dirt cheap price of $50.00. WooHoo!!! beats spending $600 for a new cycling glasses.

Broken pair is being shipped to Sports Optical. I like $50 much better than $600. cheap is wonderful.

[Owlie]

I'm a little confused about what you meant by the comment on the Oakleys, but--bummer. I liked those and have terrible eyesight. My mum actually said something about getting me glasses through Lenscrafters (and I can order the Oakley frame through them) while I still come under insurance. I'm due for an eye exam as it is...Come on, spring break!

[Fontinalis]

I have had multi focal prescription in my everyday glasses for a few years now.
When riding my bike, I tried using no prescription : disaster as I couldn't see the wholes ahead of me on the road, nor what was straight under my bike.
I tried with just the prescription for far : disaster as I couldn't read anything when I needed to. Maps, notes, etc.
I tried switching from my sunglasses to my regular multifocal glasses and I was going nuts.

So, in the end, I went with some Oakley that really wrap around and perfectly protect my eyes against wind, cold, dust, etc. They are just dark enough, and I had them made with my multi focal (three different prescriptions). My optician told me Oakley were the only ones that successfully did multifocals in such curved lenses. And Oakley did it themselves, it was not an in house job, but done at Oakley and shipped back to my optician.

Those being different then my regular day glasses (different curvature of the lenses), I used the Oakley at first to drive, as they were making me slightly dizzy.

After two very short drives, my little brain had already figured out how to process/correct the aberations caused by the curved images, and my vision was 100% perfect, looking straight, looking sideways, etc.

I have been riding my bike daily for the entire duration of my 2009 season (spring-summer-fall) with those Oakley. BEST money ever spent on ANY kind of glasses. If I was to loose them or break them, I would RUSH back to my optician to have the exact same pair done again, even if it was not cheap. It was worth every penny of it.

I believe the model is Oakly (4+1). And they are tortoise color. They don't look mean or too overly agressive. And they are nice looking enough to wear on and off the road. I use them to drive and ride.

It was not straight off the shelf of course, the prescription was faxed to Oakley (in CA), and it took a week or so before the actual glasses with rx were shipped back to us in Montreal.

I can't believe that I actually rode my bike whitout my prescriptions. It was really unsafe.

What I also like about those glasses is their fit. Snug without being tight or uncomforable. They stay put, even on a hot sweaty summer day. I also like their shade/tint as they were not too dark, so I can wear them on a day when it is not a bright sun, and I can still see very well.

I hope this helps.

Good luck with finding the perfect glasses for you.

[Nancy55]

I found a Maui Jim frame ( Sandy Beach ) and worked with Brett at Sportsoptical, and now have the perfect sunglasses for cycling and running. I have a very small face, and needed a bifocal included for map reading. I also elected to go with the transitional lenses which go from 10% to 80%, which are perfect in all light conditions (even dead of night), and they change very quickly. I had to pass on the polarized, because there was a choice between transitional and polarized, and I only wanted to buy one pair, but I have not really noticed a difference. I LOVE these glasses! The lens quality is terrific, and the people at sportsoptical were very helpful and patient.