First Look: Smith Hookset Sunglasses

Picture: Courtesy Smith Optics

Smith Optics’ latest body and lens combo has been out for some time now, and I’ve had the nice fortune of sporting them for 4 or 5 months.

Sun shades are exhausting to evaluation as a result of they’re arguably essentially the most subjective piece of drugs for anglers. A superb fly rod is normally acknowledged as good, even when it’s not everybody’s cup of tea. Sun shades, although? They’re actually the lens by way of which we see the world, and people will at all times differ on what they like and don’t like.

That mentioned, I’d be shocked if somebody didn’t benefit from the Hookset frames, paired with the Brown Inexperienced Mirror ChromaPop Glass PolarChromic lenses. Sure, that’s a mouthful, however these lenses are what makes this new pair of glasses value consideration.

Smith spent the previous couple of years working to launch the primary true revolution in sun shades expertise in years. Sure, new lens tints have been launched, and each producer has new frames able to drop at a second’s discover. However because the introduction of ChromaPop, 580, or Prism lenses a couple of decade in the past, has there been an intuitive leap ahead in sun shades design?

Probably not. That’s, till the ChromaPop Glass PolarChromic lenses.

These lenses marry Smith’s proprietary ChromaPop expertise with a brand-new PolarChromic lens that adjustments its tint based mostly on the quantity of UV gentle hitting the glass. Which means the lenses loosen up in low-light conditions, and darken when it’s shiny and sunny. Basically, you’re getting two units of lenses in a single.

It’s not only a advertising and marketing gimmick, both. Like I discussed earlier, I’ve worn these lenses for 4 or 5 months now, they usually’ve rapidly grow to be my go-to lens, displacing even the brand new Gold Mirror lenses from Costa. That’s not a knock on Costa in any respect, as a result of I like their lenses (the Gold Mirror, particularly, are simply unbelievable for trout fishing). Fairly, it’s a little bit of reward to Smith for elevating the bar so excessive. With the ChromaPop Glass PolarChromic lenses, I can put on my sun shades even in low-light, overcast days such as you usually expertise in Alaska, and never want one other pair when it will get too sunny.

The brand new frames are extremely comfy, as properly. The Hookset frames are a superb center floor between the larger-framed Information’s Selection that Smith makes, and a few of their slimmer fashions.

Total, I’m impressed as all get out with these lenses, and I stay up for seeing what’s subsequent from Smith.