Here in Northern Colorado, we have seen a real increase the popularity of outdoor sports activities such as mountain biking, snowboarding, rock climbing, kayaking, skiing, golfing and skateboarding has also created a demand for sports and performance sunglasses.
Many of these special purpose sunglasses are specifically designed to be very light and comfortable, able to withstand extreme conditions and stay comfortably in place during any activity.
Lenses
The most important part of sports sunglasses are the optical quality and visual enhancement properties of the lenses. More specifically, sports and performance lenses are available in a very wide variety of tints which are able to modify light in certain ways to enhance contrast. This contrast allows you the athlete to see certain objects (a tennis ball, for example) with greater clarity in order to enhance your reaction time, thus giving more of an ‘edge’.
Polycarbonate lenses are the lens of choice for most sport sunglasses. This is because lenses made of other materials are heavier. In contrast polycarbonates are lightweight, very strong and have a greater impact-resistance.
The demand for Polarized lenses here in Loveland, Fort Collins and Greeley is also greater because they cut down glare from light reflecting off flat surfaces such as water, snow or a basketball court. There is some debate about the advisability for the use of polarized lenses in sports such as downhill and mogul skiing, because seeing sunlight reflecting from icy patches on the slopes is often beneficial and can prevent crashes and potential injury of athletes.
Frames
Performance and sport sunglass frames are constructed of lightweight and durable materials like polyamide, which will actually keep its shape even under stress. The styles that we see are typically aerodynamic, with sleek design lines. Many frames have no-slip temple grips and nose pads are also popular features to aid in keeping this sports eyewear in place despite wearer perspiration during the heat of competition in any sport and activity here in Northern Colorado.
What’s your sport?
With so much to do in Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley, every sport and outdoor activity has its own special visual requirements. These differences have led the industry to develop sport-specific sunglasses. Today we are seeing frames and lenses which are targeted specifically to the golfer, the cyclist, the boater, the rock climber and the list goes on.
For example, a certain lens tint might help a golfer notice subtle changes in the direction of the blades of grass on a green that could affect the line of their putt, while a completely different tint might be better to help a hunter see the contrast of a flying bird against an overcast sky.
If you are an athlete of many sports and activities, there are also multipurpose sports sunglasses that feature interchangeable lenses that offer different tints for different sports, lighting conditions and activities.
For additional information or to schedule an appointment, please call 970-204-4020 or click on the link on the side of the page.
