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The Outsider: Seeing the world through colored glass |
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Written by Greyson Howard/Tahoe World
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Monday, 02 April 2007 |
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A big part of getting outdoors is the visual experience, and the one item (or maybe two, three or five items) in your kit that can really improve that is a good pair of sunglasses.
Not only do sunglasses protect your eyes from damage — either sun or small flying animals — but they can enhance your vision in different conditions. And with sunglasses, like many things, you get what you pay for; so for those of you with $5 gas station shades because “I loose them, sit on them, or my dog eats them,” invest in some quality eye cover and take good care of them.
Besides quality and fit, color will make the biggest difference, and what color you pick depends on what you are doing. Here is a quick list of hues and the conditions they should be used in.
What not to wear:
Blue Lenses. Blue may look stylish, but your eye has the hardest time in that end of the spectrum, so these glasses will destroy your contrast and depth perception. Plus turning everything blue is just plain depressing.
 Black or gray:
The old stand-by of the sunglass world. Gray doesn’t distort colors, is easy on the eyes, and gray glasses are normally dark enough for the brightest days. Gray won’t help your vision any though, so these shades are best left for casual-wear (you know, those aviators you think you look so good in) and driving glasses. Polarized gray can also be good for those days out on the lake or river, cutting glare while shading your eyes.
Brown or Gold:
This is a versatile color that covers a lot of conditions. Normally dark enough for the brightest days, the addition of golden color gives these lenses the advantage over gray for contrast and depth perception. For tree skiing, bike rides that take you in and out of the sun, and any where else your eyes need to pick up on detail in both shadow and bright light, this is a good choice.
Rose:
A little lighter than the gold lenses, rose dials up the contrast even more without being as painful as orange or yellow in bright sunlight. If clouds are in the forecast, this color lets more light in without making you squint or sending you scrambling for other glasses when the sun comes out. This is a great all-purpose color for cycling, and some rose lenses really bring out contrast in green, so this is also a good choice for golfers.
Orange and yellow:
These are the best lenses when contrast is key — and bright light isn’t in the cards. Filtering out the flat blues, these lenses will let you pick out details on the slope in dark and stormy conditions, which can be the difference between smooth sailing and catching an edge. These lenses let in the most light — after clear — so they’re also the go-to glasses for dawn and dusk activities.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 02 April 2007 )
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