By Jody Johnson-Pettit

Whether you’re a cyclist, a runner, enjoy fishing or are out for an afternoon on the links, there is specially designed eyewear for you.

Bollé is the only sunglass brand that has a specific lens for each sporting activity. One of Bollé’s key categories is cycling sunglasses.

“We continue to improve, so athletes can use them to maximize their performance,” says René Gerber, marketing manager for Bushnell.

The Bollé AeroMax is a lightweight shield that incorporates B-MAX technology, providing exceptional vertical and horizontal field of view. The super-light lens is made from NXT technology and offers the optical clarity of mineral lenses with the lightweight and impact resistance of organic lenses. This sport shield also includes B-FLOW technology, which is precision frame venting that helps prevent moisture build up.

“Sunglasses should be seen as part of the equipment an athlete needs for protection and for improving their performance,” says Gerber. “If you are a casual active person, a pair of sport sunglasses with a wrap and neutral grey polarized lenses, which are good for all purposes, should work for you. If you are a golfer, then you may want to invest in a pair of golf sunglasses with golf appropriate lenses.”

Bollé has a lens specifically for golf. The exclusive Photochromic V3 golf lens features a finely tuned brown lens that highlights subtleties on the course, while lightening and darkening to adapt to the environment.

For the runner, Adidas Sport Eyewear, distributed in Canada by the Canadian Optical Supply Co. Ltd., offers three new models – the pacyr, tempest and proshift.

The pacyr boasts a huge field of vision with large, pilot shaped, ultra-lightweight frames. The new tempest and proshift are a trimmed down ultra-lightweight frames. The tempest is a cat-eye shape for women, while the panto-style proshift appeals to both sexes.

All three models offer a stable fit with adjustable nose pads and gripped inside temples. There is a large assortment of lenses to choose from for any weather scenario, including filters that reduce eye fatigue by harmonizing light fluctuations.

Smith Optics also builds purpose-driven sports eyewear products to help give athletes an advantage.

“Our end goal is to build great looking performance eyewear that provides protection and enables you to confidently focus on your favourite activities,” says Mark McCann, Global Category Manager – Eyewear at Smith.

Smith Optics eyewear features ChromaPop colour-enhancing lenses made from polycarbonate material for protection, and non-slip megol nosepads and temples for a comfortable fit.

“We are continuing to build on our ChromaPop technology platform with the launch of ChromaPop polarized glass to meet the needs of avid anglers,” says McCann.
Launching this summer, ChromaPop glass will be offered in several frame models, including the best-selling Guide’s Choice.

The company also recently launched two new sport models – the Tempo and Tempo MAX.
“Inspired by the need for speed, Tempo is our new Velocity performance frame with interchangeable twin lenses,” says McCann. “Utilizing a medium coverage lens size, this high-wrap 9 base twin-lens style with ChromaPop technology offers superior visual performance while cycling, running, and more.”

Costa, meanwhile, continues to build on the industry-leading 580 Polarized lens technology, which is being offered with several new frame and lens options.
“The 2017 award-winning Sunrise Silver mirror lens offers enhanced vision in low light conditions. This lens is available in polycarbonate for Plano and Trivex to suit the prescription needs of the customer,” says Gerald Johns, Centennial Optical’s national frames sales manager.

“It is now available in two new frame styles, Cape and Montauk. Each frame has special design elements to increase all day comfort for the avid fisher enthusiast.”
These frames have special venting in the front and temples to help manage heat and sweat, and the wider temple design helps prevent eye fatigue.

“Costa is also excited to offer several new plastic styles with West Coast flair, including Rincon, Remora, Slack Tide, and Half Moon,” says Johns. “Rounding out the 2018 collection are two metal frames, Canaveral for men and Piper for ladies.”

Shamir Canada offers the Attitude III Sport, a very successful design to meet the needs of active wearers.

“With a standard progressive lens design, active wearers often feel as if they are ‘tripping’ over the intermediate zone in the lens,” says Martin Bell, director of education and quality assurance. “By moving the focal length outward to be focused on the ground, this problem is reduced.”

The Shamir Attitude III Sport is specially compensated to eliminate peripheral distortions, allowing the wearer to concentrate on their sport, rather than fighting with their lenses and small field of view.