Lightness is often a term bandied about by fashion frames companies hoping to conjure up a minimal feel to their frames but at this year’s Silmo in Paris it was the sports eyewear suppliers talking about lightness and getting out the scales.
Anyone who has competed in sport will understand the importance of lightness and as more people take part the demands on sports eyewear will increase.
Alice Delhomme, marketing and communications manager at Demetz, had the smile of a proud mum on her lips as she announced the firm’s Lazer Run weighed in at 23g. This Silmo d’Or winning frame is designed for a range of sports and has a geometry suited to smaller faces. She says the unisex Lazer Run is designed to allow people to do the sports they like. It comes with three pairs of polycarbonate lenses in clear, yellow and blue grey tints all with an anti-fog coating.
It is made of TR90, aluminium and non-slip rubber in a range of ultra-modern colours ranging from matte to neon in blue and black and through to orange and pink. Demetz, which does not currently distribute in the UK, uses an optical insert to bring prescription optics to the frame.
Addressing the former lack of UK representation were the team from Lenstec, known better for its lenses than its frame offerings. It was on hand to support its Julbo Explorer 2.0 product which also made it to the shortlist of the Silmo d’Or. For sport more familiar to the Brits, such as running, Julbo has its Aero (also 23g), Aerolite and Breeze models. Julbo has a strong heritage in lenses being one of the first firms to bring Trivex photochromic and polarised photochromic into its higher end plano lenses where polycarbonate is used by others. Julbo has also reworked its lens stickers to help users understand the lenses better and to highlight its brands. Its photochromic Zebra Light has a category 1 to 3 filter while Zebra has filter strengths of category 2 to 4. Both have anti-fog as standard and prescriptions needs are met by an insert.
‘Julbo have been focused on the extreme end of biking including downhill and enduro, of course if their products work for these extremes they should meet all expectations on the road as well,’ says Paul Walden, technical and sales director at Lenstec. He adds that Julbo has employed clever use of Trivex NXT photochromic technology to extend the frame’s usage throughout the day and in all weathers through its Speed products such as Eole, Venturi and Zephyr. Julbo’s heritage is in the slopes and still boasts a number of dedicated wrap models which have been revamped. Among these is the new; Explorer 2.0, Tamang and Makalu all featuring Cat 4 solutions either in photochromic or solid tinted options, including the addition of new lateral sun protection design changes to meet the new Cat 4 legislation.
Cébé S'Track
Another Silmo d’Or finalist was Versport’s Troy, another brand in the Lenstec stable. It offers a sport protective frame with in-frame prescription glazing. Troy is another super lightweight frame which features exchangeable temples and a push-lock closing system to retain the lens in the frame. Wearer comfort is increased by a wishbone temple tip and an airflow system around the bridge to reduce fogging. For further security a headband can also be fitted.
‘We are still only scratching the surface in terms of supply of dedicated sports eyewear in the UK,’ says Walden. Running and cycling have become huge in the UK and Julbo’s dedicated sports range, although aimed at elite and extreme sports, will filter down to offer better performance at all levels of those taking part in sports. He is also hopeful that the ski and boarding market could develop in the UK. ‘It may be not as small as we all think some of the estimates differ from less than one million to a survey carried out by ABTA of people booking winter holidays which put the estimate at over two million.’ Indoor slopes and climbing all add to the market.
‘Some practice staff feel a little stand offish around sports eyewear, in most cases the patient will be happy to discuss their requirements. I still find it amazing when talking to spectacle wearing friends that in 2016 they are still blissfully unaware of the huge number of sporting spectacles and goggles available for them in Rx, and we need to try harder I think.’
Completing the Silmo d’Or sports award line up was Nike’s Vaporwing Elite from Marchon. This ultra-modern piece is the athlete’s version of the Vaporwing and takes the sleek look to another level. Where the Elite differs is that it uses a single Zeiss shield for the optics rather than two distinct lenses cut from a single shield. The lens is made from Polyamide which as well as being light has an abbe value closer to glass than polycarbonate so enables excellent optics.
Nike’s Vaporwing Elite
Head of marketing Clara Prudent says Nike looks to aerodynamics for the shape of the lens and the frame but what is also in its mind is how Nike can help the athlete. ‘They took a sports frame then rethought it. Does it need two lenses? How can we make it more aerodynamic?’
This thinking was extended to the materials used with Magnesium employed for the front. Magnesium does not absorb heat so remains cool against the skin. The rubberised temples have channels to take away sweat from the face and have voids to aid airflow, reduce weight and increase ventilation. The material also tightens as it comes into contact with sweat creating a firmer grip. The silicone nose bridge is designed to self-adjust as it is worn increasing security further in a package that weighs just 24g.
Also on show was Nike’s ultimate sunglass, the one-piece Wing. A single sheet of Polyamide forms both the shield and the frame of this sunglass. It is further melded to the athletes face by the inclusion of a silicone strap. It is designed using the same aerodynamic principles as the Vaporwing but is aimed, and priced, for professional athletes.
A regular at the international events is Bushnell Performance optics which is probably best known for its Bolle and Serengeti brands. It is pushing hard on the protective, prescription sports eyewear front with a relaunch of the range and a modular category 1-3 line up. While this has proved successful, says key account manager Craig McNeill, there is still a lot of education needed around sports eye wear and protection in particular. Prescription eyewear per se is our biggest growth area,’ he says and this growth has mirrored the interest in sports such as cycling. Bolle was also pulling in the crowds with its sporty, fashionable tie ups from Tour de France teams like AGR2 La Mondiale and Orica. They were winning stages of the Tour in Bolle’s Aeromax this summer but, says McNeill there is so much more potential with sports. ‘In countries like Spain and France endurance sports are massive,’ pointing to products like the trail running frame S’Track which will be getting new models in the spring. Extreme mountain biking, alpine sports, snow sports and water sports are all popular on the continent and have eyewear links. He says Bolle in the UK exhibited at the Bike Show earlier this year and picked up 20 prescription jobs in one morning showing the potential is there. ‘There is a real lack of awareness. Because there is still a lack of knowledge there’s still a big market out there,’ he says echoing Walden’s words.
Bolle Aeromax
Moving slightly away from extreme sports styling Mondottica highlights the sporty virtues of its Spine technology. This self-closing hinge technology, recently acquired by Mondottica, was developed to hold spectacles securely to the face but has other benefits too according to head of business development James Conn. He says Spine is perhaps the first frame that keeps the prescription of the lenses steady as the frame is not distorted by use. He says the autoclose mechanism constantly adjusts and its abilities have been tested by an Olympic gymnasts performing on the bar and the trampoline.
Conn says this proves sports eyewear does not have to be wraparound to stay in place. He says the mechanism lends itself to fishing, running, cycling, even skiing where users might prefer an everyday frame. He says people have always wanted eyewear that does everything. ‘Why not use this frame and upgrade your lenses?’