Drennan Kenderdine has been using the new Rapide 5-lens shooting glasses for a while now, and is highly impressed with the value for money they offer!
Sometimes the best equipment is the simplest. Designed to do a job without all the flare and guff; just clean, tidy, well put together, and perfectly designed for the job at hand. An added bonus is when it also carries a realistic price tag, one that Joe Soap can afford. Taking into account all of the above sentiments, the new Rapide 5 Interchangeable Lens Set from Evolution Sunglasses & Eyewear are tickedy boo! I usually put the price of things at the bottom of a review, but I’m actually going to put it towards the top, and for good reason. For £79.95 you get the following...
Specifications
A 5-lens interchangeable set of glasses with black and red temple arms, supplied with dark grey, yellow, orange, purple and rose coloured lenses. The dark grey lens has a 10% VLT (visible light transmission), meaning it’s ideal for shooting into the sun. The lenses are Class 1 Optical Quality, and they are of a rimless design (no frame or bridge to obscure vision), with adjustable nose pads. The double injected TR90 nylon temples are super strong but ultra-light, and flex for extended wear comfort. The glasses feature a full-wrap fit for complete eye protection.
The ‘airflow’ frame design prevents misting up on cooler days, and the lenses are impact resistant, shatterproof polycarbonate (complying with EN166F), and have the following coatings:
- Hydrophobic and Oleophobic: repels water, dust, oil, fingerprint smudges and dirt
- Easy clean, no friction surface
- Anti-Scratch
The package is supplied with cleaning cloth, soft carry pouch and hard case, with compartments for the spare lenses. Free UK Delivery!
Practical testing
That paragraph is straight from Evolution’s website, and describes what you get from this bundle perfectly; but I’m going to add my penny's worth with some feedback on how they actually perform.
Lately, Mother Nature has been fairly bipolar with the weather, presenting everything from rain (absolutely lashing it down) to blazing sunshine; you name it, she’s sent it my way, and some of it all in one day!
In the blazing heat I found the Rapide glasses came into their own thanks to being so light... in fact, they're super light! Most shooting glasses are weightier, and in the heat they tend to dig into the nose while the arms begin to irritate behind the ears. I have not experienced this with the Rapide. I’ve actually worn them as sunglasses for day to day activities as they are that comfortable to wear, and the dark grey lens certainly makes a huge difference to clarity of vision on bright days.
Each lens has its own nose piece which is adjustable to suit the structure of your face. The ultralight, click-on click-off arms make changing lenses a doddle, and the wraparound style, with no frame to obscure the sight picture, means there is no light creeping in from the edges of the frame, and so your eyes get the full benefit of whichever lens colour you have chosen; for me, this is both essential and a pleasure. The case is functional – it does exactly what it needs to do and fits easily into a range bag.
In all, the new Rapide glasses are, for the money, leaps and bounds ahead of the competition, and certainly will compete with other brands that are tenfold the price.
RRP: £79.99
sunglassesforsport.com