GLADE PROSPECT SUNGLASS REVIEW

Review by Nic Hall

Glade eyewear is new on the glasses and goggle scene. They started as a ski google company with goals to produce premium level products at an affordable price. They quickly developed a cult following with scratch resistant, anti-fog googles. We got plugged in when the owner, Curt, called and asked if we would like to check out some of their new glasses. Who isn’t a sucker for a good set of sunnies?

THE LAB
Glade eyewear has a unique take, they source the best available materials and create glasses they would like to wear. The Prospect is the first sunglass they have released and it comes packing a box of features. Zeiss CR lenses have 100% UVA/UVB protection and an anti-scratch coating. The lenses are a light grey and non-polarized, and when Zeiss is in the name, you know they are optically correct.

In case you find yourself using the Prospect as a safety glass, which seems to happen to us quite often, you can rest assured they are ANSI z80.3 certified. Frames are Grilamid Nylon and assembled over a wire structure, so they are easy to shape to your head and retain their shape. They are also made in Italy, which usually means quality in eyewear, and have all metal hinges. You can get the Prospect in clear grey, orange, and tortoise, which has a rose lens.

THE DIRT
We need glasses that can go from a 12hr road trip to pulling duty as our main riding glass and shrug off the regular abuse. I put the Prospect to heavy use as my current glasses were thrashed. After warming them up and bending to fit my face, we were off for a ride. I  was stoked that despite nose or ear grips, the Prospect held tight without bouncing much during rides and was till comfortable enough to wear for long periods in the car.

The lenses are a light grey that is just dark enough for direct sun but light enough I could still see well on shaded trails. They are not polarized, which is one of the only downsides we found with them. After several drops to dirt and gravel, along with cleaning them with whatever is around, the lenses are still scratch free.

Included in the box is a hard case but no lens cloth or soft bag. I lost the case the first day and a lens cloth could have been more useful. But, for $75 bucks, I can’t complain too much.

The Wolf’s Last Word

The Glade Prospect is a solid decent set of sunglasses that can pretty much do it all. They are light and fit well with a tint that works in all conditions. They aren’t polarized and don’t come with a lens cloth, but for $75, they are hard to beat. But the best part of Glade is that Caleb, the owner, posts his personal phone number on the Glade site for your questions or just to grab a lap with him. We can get behind that kind of company.

Price: $74.99
Website: Shopglade.com