Rider: 70kg,advanced
Style: Freeriding, Surf, Freestyle
Weather: 0-25 knots
Build Quality: 10/10
Satisfaction: 10/10
Disclosure: no affiliation with Leech.

Hey folks,

Finally found something I have been on a very long search for: sunglasses that are not a PITA to wear while kiting.
I thought I'd share, it might help someone in their quest.

I've tried a bunch of different sunglasses over the years (had Ion, Kurtis, Oakley, Seaspecs,..., goggles & even masks), but I've never found a pair that really worked for me.
So my strategy for the last couple of seasons was to buy a few pairs of cheap seaspecs-like to go through the summer.
They always end up broken, lost and you don't see s*** after 10 minutes on the water but it was better than nothing for the summer sessions.

I don't need fancy sunnies but for kiting (and sport in general) I want them to be strong, safe, protective, relatively comfortable & floatable (if possible).

After hearing some good feedback about the Leech sunglasses, I decided to give a go.
There are many different models and I went with the Tornado which seems to be best for watersports, so here is my take on them.



* Safe:
The legs are made of soft plastic and are quite flexible. I think this is an absolute requirement for sport glasses: no metal! I 've spent a fair amount of time with the ski patrol in the Alps, the number of accidents due to glasses is just crazy ...
Some people go skiing wearing Ray ban, thinking they look cool, but one nasty face plant and it's gameover (leg of the glasses puncturing the eye, bad cuts, etc...).
The rest of the frame and the lens is also in plastic. The lenses are made of nine different layers that make them super scratch and shock absorbant.

* Strong:
Build quality is top-notch. I had a massive crash the first day I tried them on, my hands slipped in the middle on a F16 and I fell like a rock, head first, in (not enough!) water. That was bad, one of the worst crash I've had in years. I broke a footstrap, a fin (not sure why...) and my handlepass leach in the process but hopefully no broken bones...
Anyway, I was surprised that my glasses were still on, I had a leash on them just in case but they didn't even move.
So crash test results: 5 stars.

* Eye-protection:
One thing that made me turn away from my cheap glasses is the quality of the lenses.
Sure they were tinted and helped to make the glare more bearable but I ended up with a cornea sunburn so I don't think they were so UV protective after all...
The Leech lenses are very good quality, there are different colors to choose from (copper, gray, yellow).
It's hard to estimate what's the real UV protection but I can really feel the difference at the end of the day (no red eye, no eye fatigue at all).
There are plenty of info on their website and definitely much more R&D behind these lenses compared to some random glasses you'd get off ebay.

* Comfort:
The contact areas are made of soft plastic. They fit very well, you can wear them all day, no problem.
The lenses have some a hydrophobic coating that works really well, the water just drips off.
I don't how long this will last but I've used them quite a lot and so far it's still super effective.
You just forget about the glasses and enjoy your session, that's confort to me.

* Floatable:
Yes, they do float. They won't swim back to you though...
But, the legs have holes to fit a strap so you don't have to chase them up. I've attached the Leech strap (which is also floatable), it fits perfectly.

Kiting in sunny conditions without any eye-protection is just as stupid & dangerous as riding without a kite leash, when things go wrong it's too late.
If you don't wear any because of the inconvenience (I didn't myself for years), you should definitely check Leech sunglasses out, I'm totally stoked with mine.


Cheers!

can't see tornado's on their website

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dusta said..
can't see tornado's on their website

scroll to bottom of page then across they're there $149

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Ricardo1709 said..

$149

Crikey!

Now I'm wondering if my Cheap Ebay ones ($30) have UV protection... Anyway to tell? Might have to invest in a more expensive pair.

Any plastic will absorb UV radiation like crazy, no benefit using expensive glasses when it comes to UV protection.
Most lenses are made from polycarbonate I believe.

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Kamikuza said..

Ricardo1709 said..

$149

Crikey!

f#ck that

i'd rather buy these

www.seabreeze.com.au/shop/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=25

Same thing - without the logo - for 1/3 the price on eBay. Or you can go bulk and get more for less...

If you're happy though, what does it matter? It seems a lot to shell out sight unseen though...

Been through the sunglass thing for 30 years sailing and windsurfing. Kiting poses a bit more of a problem because of a bit more contact with the water. My more expensive sunnies broke where the arm attaches near the screw. From a previous thread someone mentioned the Bunning's safety glasses. $27.50 and they threw in a strap. They have been sensational and have stood up to the rigours of kiting in the surf. This is what the website says

"Featuring a 100% polycarbonate frame and lenses with robust metal hinges, these UV Wraps n Straps T1083 safety glasses provide robust eye protection and/or glare reduction. These high quality shatter-proof safety glasses comply with both the UV protection and impact requirements set by Standards Australia and Standard NZ (AS/NZS 1337).One size fits most Offers UV and impact protection Impact resistant AS/NZS 1337.1,2010".

http://www.surfsailaustralia.com.au/listProduct/Sunglasses/Surf+Sunnies

the $49.95 pair have lasted me a few years

I started using $15 Bunnings Wraps Safety glasses and made up my own lanyard. They look good and and work great. They did tend to fog a little which I put up with then yesterday I copied the drain holes on the above Leech Tornado by simply drilling a few small holes in the same position. I tried them yesterday and no more fogging.

you guys should try the Ronstan sunnies. They are the best glasses i have ever used in the water. They float and don't look alright too.

I guess the same applies for many things...

If you need tools for a small project, save your bucks and get some 'best buy' or Trojan (it's usually more than enough for my needs).
Now, if you're a tradies or plan to use them hard and regularly, don't waste your money on cheap tools that will need to be replaced every fortnight and get good quality ones ( and yes, you'll probably pay twice as much for the same screwdriver but at least it'll last).

There is definitely a difference of quality between lenses (and build quality in general), the choice is yours but you usually get what you pay for.

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Poida said..
http://www.surfsailaustralia.com.au/listProduct/Sunglasses/Surf+Sunnies

the $49.95 pair have lasted me a few years

Any Oakley Waterjacket clone that you're paying more than $25 for is a con.

Hydrophoboc coatings are great but... as someone up there said, crap in the water sticks anyway so they get murky after a few hours, even in fresh water.

Best glasses I've used are 720-armor Sharks.... but I got the v2 for free and won't pay $280 for glasses! Even if they never ever fogged and mostly floated. Until the strap got ripped off in a fast wipeout and they sunk.

Now using Sundogs and they're also perfect no fogging, float very well, and we're under $100. Unfortunately, the lens coating has crazed so that sucks. Next glasses I'm going to try are those Specs things, I think they're called... kinda like goggles and $60.

The problem with expensive glasses is they get scratched then they're completely useless. It is far better to use relatively cheap glasses and replace them when they get damaged.

UV protection is not really an issue. That problem was solved years ago and even $20 glasses are going to give you full protection.

Same goes for impact protection. All safety glasses are made from polycarbonate and that stuff is more than strong enough.

Head straps are also a bit dodgy. There is no such thing as a head strap that won't slip off or let go if you take a big enough hit from the wrong angle. I have had glasses come off even when worn under a helmet.

As Kamakuza says, even coatings only do a half-arsed job and keeping **** off your lenses. The best thing I have found is to wash them thoroughly with warm water and dishwashing detergent. That gets all the grease and filth off that create a nucleus that allows fogging and grime to form.

One thing to be careful of on cheap glasses is hard or sharp-ish edges. Wet skin can be cut fairly easily.

If you have straps that have the rubber tubes at the end for the end of the glasses to go in... you can tighten up a cable tie around the end and there's no way the strap will come off short of snapping. I also connect my glasses to my wettie zipper pull string in case they get pulled up over the top of my head.

My main pair is a giant pair of specsavers aviator glasses with one of the cheap straps, zip tied as above. The hinges have also been hot-glued because a) I faceplanted flying my trainer kite in a gusty nor-wester and bent/weakened the joints, and b) the hinges are starting to rust! I suspect they're not the safest thing to wear in the water, but work well.

I've recently invested in a proper pair of sea-specs, because I thought I'd lost my sunnies. Turned out I'd just left them in the back of the car, even though I looked there! Let's be honest, my aviators are super daggy with their hot glue and zip-ties too, so I was due a new pair. I'm finding I prefer the aviator style so far - I prefer the bigger lenses further away, helps with fogging, and the seaspecs strap tries to pull them down too far

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Gorgo said..Head straps are also a bit dodgy. There is no such thing as a head strap that won't slip off or let go if you take a big enough hit from the wrong angle. I have had glasses come off even when worn under a helmet.

I respectfully disagree. I used to lose sunglasses with straps all of the time, until I bought a pair of these:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Sea-Specs-Polarized-BLACK-Sunglasses-Fishing-Surfing-Polarised-Seaspecs-Jetski-/271124548166?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item3f20484a46

They have a slidey thing at the back that you pull to the right and they sit in real tight like swimming goggles. When you're done you slide it to the left and you can take them off. I've had dozens of stacks and they've never even come loose.

In fact they look suspiciously similar to the seabreeze branded glasses, but are half the price.

Feel free to disagree all you want. Seaspecs are the ones I have lost the most of. I buy them in the 3-for-2 deal where you get 3 pairs for $100. I've been using them for more than 10 years and lost maybe 4 pairs.

www.seaspecs.com/todays-special-ezp-12

It's got nothing to do with the quality of the product or the design. It's just a simple fact of life. You get pounded hard enough by the sea and **** is gunna fall apart.

I now backup the head strap with a sewn loop on the buckle that joins onto a sewn loop on the zip puller. That's pretty reliable so far. I think it's better than a loop around your neck. That could result in tangles and strangling. The worst the zip pull leash can do is rip the zip puller off the wettie.

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Gorgo said..
Feel free to disagree all you want. Seaspecs are the ones I have lost the most of. I buy them in the 3-for-2 deal where you get 3 pairs for $100. I've been using them for more than 10 years and lost maybe 4 pairs.

www.seaspecs.com/todays-special-ezp-12

It's got nothing to do with the quality of the product or the design. It's just a simple fact of life. You get pounded hard enough by the sea and **** is gunna fall apart.

I now backup the head strap with a sewn loop on the buckle that joins onto a sewn loop on the zip puller. That's pretty reliable so far. I think it's better than a loop around your neck. That could result in tangles and strangling. The worst the zip pull leash can do is rip the zip puller off the wettie.

Polarized is nice too...

One of the pairs of SeaSpecs I lost were tied to the wetsuit zipper... the knot pulled undone

Neck straps bother me, but each to their own. The wetsuit strap could also cause issues... Better IMO to have something that floats... and is cheap.

Say, are there any UV blocking CLEAR lenses?

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Gorgo said...

I now backup the head strap with a sewn loop on the buckle that joins onto a sewn loop on the zip puller. That's pretty reliable so far. I think it's better than a loop around your neck. That could result in tangles and strangling. The worst the zip pull leash can do is rip the zip puller off the wettie.

Yeah but what do you do for the six months of tge year where you dont need to or cant wear a wettie coz its too hot?

Wear a thinner, shorter wettie, or just wear the glasses and hope, or just not wear the glasses.

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Kamikuza said..
...
Polarized is nice too...

One of the pairs of SeaSpecs I lost were tied to the wetsuit zipper... the knot pulled undone

Neck straps bother me, but each to their own. The wetsuit strap could also cause issues... Better IMO to have something that floats... and is cheap.

Say, are there any UV blocking CLEAR lenses?

I'm not a huge fan of polarised sunnies, although I wear them because that's how they come. You get funny looking patterns on wave faces that are a bit distracting.

I did say that neck straps were a bad thing which is why I use a wetsuit leash.


Yes knots do come undone. That is why I sewed a short loop on the end of the zip puller. I have a longer loop on the sunnies and my cap and they just loop through the zip puller loop. There's no way the glasses can come off the loop. If a massive tangle happened the zip puller would pull off the zip. Either way there's nothing choking me.

I did once make a velcro neck leash but it was too much dicking around and too easy to lose or forget.

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Phoney said..

Gorgo said...

I now backup the head strap with a sewn loop on the buckle that joins onto a sewn loop on the zip puller. That's pretty reliable so far. I think it's better than a loop around your neck. That could result in tangles and strangling. The worst the zip pull leash can do is rip the zip puller off the wettie.

Yeah but what do you do for the six months of tge year where you dont need to or cant wear a wettie coz its too hot?

Wear a thinner/shorter wettie.

I live in Melbourne and even on the warm days wind chill sets in and limits the amount of time you can stay out on the water and in the wind. A wettie is also essential for sun protection.

On the outrageously hot days I might just wear my glasses under a surf bucket cap and hope that I don't lose them. Usually those 40+ degree days are too blustery and unpleasant for kiting so I tend to cruise around on a directional or raceboard keeping cool.

Everyone has their preference with polarised lenses.

What about non polarised lenses. Are they better for kiting? A polarised lens lets you see through the water, great for fishing.

Anyone tried non polarised sunnies

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Phoney said..


They have a slidey thing at the back that you pull to the right and they sit in real tight like swimming goggles. When you're done you slide it to the left and you can take them off. I've had dozens of stacks and they've never even come loose.

In fact they look suspiciously similar to the seabreeze branded glasses, but are half the price.

I agree, they are very hard to lose if properly worn.

I have the "original" seaspecs and I have compared them to a mate's el cheapo ebay seaspecs: They are identical just without logo. Identical down to the screws and to the mould seams!!! The next pair I'll buy will be the ebay copy but even after 3 years I still have not lost the original pair.

Polarized seems to take the glare off the water... Never noticed funny patterns.

Apparently, brown lenses are best as they filter the light rather than just make it dark....

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mwdnasa said..
Any plastic will absorb UV radiation like crazy, no benefit using expensive glasses when it comes to UV protection.
Most lenses are made from polycarbonate I believe.

M8, thanks for this important looking graph but it means absolutely nothing to most of us.

I have tried the goggle ones with the foam eye socket pads - totally crap. - $25
i have tried seaspecs sunnies, they are the next best thing to useless for their fogging and droplet hugging properties. $45
I still have both pairs but they sit in the glove box unused.

I did some research and found out why they are the price they are.
Their protective layer is a "stick on" layer over a basic lens.
The more pricey and hopefully better lenses have all the polarization and UV filters built into the lenses.
I'm getting a pair this week so I'll road test them and drop by here to let you know how I reckon they went.

Pretty simple graph, easy to understand. A good post.

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Brohan said..
Now I'm wondering if my Cheap Ebay ones ($30) have UV protection... Anyway to tell? Might have to invest in a more expensive pair.

Do you get sunburned eye lids when you wear them?