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Best Cycling Eyewear - Gargoyles Balance and Cardinal Sunglasses

Best cycling eyewear like these Gargoyles Sunglasses are worn by NASCAR great Jimmie Johnson, as well as Manny Puig, who you may have seen on the Discovery Channel or MTV playing with sharks and alligators. This best cycling eyewear guards your eyes from 100% UVA, UVB and UVC light. Gargoyles lenses utilize a scratch-resistant and anti-fog coating, which offer 30% more protection than conventional lens coatings. We got a couple models from Gargoyles Sunglasses including the Balance and Cardinal models. Here's what we thought...

Gargoyles Balance Sunglasses

First a little overview...The Gargoyles Balance is Jimmie Johnson's sunglass of choice off the track. It features rubber temple tips, patterned with a unique micro-signal design to maximize hold and comfort. Smart hinges have a snap-hinge structure for durability and fit. The Balance is available in two lens color technologies, Drive and Terrain. Drive is Gargoyles' smoke colored lens, which reduces light intensity without altering the color of objects. This lens technology has been formulated for varying light conditions and provides the most natural color vision possible. Gargoyle's Terrain lens is a brown and copper blend that enhances contrast by blocking a larger percentage of blue light than gray lenses do. This lens tint is specially calibrated for changes in environmental light and shadow, to provide enhanced contrast and warmer colors.

Besportier says is like it is:

Out of the box we liked these Gargoyles Balance Sunglasses right away. We got the tortoise/brown polarized model and it came in a robust sunglass bag. The glasses are quality made and the first thing we noticed where all the cool details on the glasses like the locking snap pin stop hinge which locks the arms in place, soft rubber temple tip inserts, and the cool Gargolyles logo on the sides. We wore the glasses outside on a sunny day and they put our eyes at peace with warm brown polarized lenses, enough said. They feature a snug fit which is great for active people. Overall, If they work for #48, they'll work for you! Buy these Gargoyles Balance Sunglasses for a price of $95-$130, depending on if the lens is polarized or not.

Gargoyles Cardinal Sunglasses

A little overview...The Cardinal combines top-tier performance and features in a price
package that's difficult to match. Toric Curve Lens allows light to transmit directly to the eye. No refraction, no distortion. Precision-molded and hand-finished, the design provides 210� of seamless wraparound protection, plenty of room considering our own
peripheral vision is only 180 Degrees.

The Cardinal also incorporates Gargoyles' Ballistic Defense technology into their lenses, making them 5-6 times more impact resistant than regular polycarbonate lenses. Developed from a superior blend of polymers by Carl Zeiss Vision, the Gargoyles Ballistic Defense lenses are designed for military, safety and sport applications and exceed all ISO and ANSI test standards, as well as the MIL-STD 622 ballistic test, which consists of stopping a .22 caliber bullet at 20 feet. Ballistic Defense lenses are designed for military, safety and sport applications and exceed all ISO and ANSI test standards, as well as the MIL-STD 622 ballistic test, which consists of stopping a .22 caliber bullet at 20 feet. Adjustable, nose pads with a stainless steel core help to create a custom fit, making the Cardinal a great sunglass for cyclists or others engaged in high-speed, aggressive pursuits.

The Cardinal comes in two lens color technologies, Signature Green and Drive. Gargoyles' Signature Green lens provides a unique balance of target and background brightness to help in the tracking and location of objects in motion against a variety of outdoor backgrounds including Earth, sky and water. The Drive is Gargoyles' smoke colored lens, which reduces light intensity without altering the color of objects. This lens technology has been formulated for varying light conditions provides the most natural color vision possible. Buy these Cardinal sunglasses for a price of $110.

Besportier says is like it is:

These Cardinal sunglasses came is a heavy-duty leather case with a sunglass cleaner bag and at first sight boasted a cool race car driver shape and style. They feature Pin Stop Hinges, Dual Toric 210 Degree Vison Shield Lenes, Shatter-resistant ballistic defense lenses, Soft rubber Temple tip inserts, and Non-slip Adjustable nose pads. We got them in Blue frame/ Smoke Lenses which is probably the coolest combination and like how they provide a lot of face coverage with their tall design. Definitly a pair we'd wear to go fishing, watch a baseball game, or just out and about.

History of the Brand

Gargoyles have been around since 1979 after their founder invented the Toric lens a shape that allowed light to transmit directly to the eye. No refraction, no distortion. While the Toric provides exceptional clarity and protection, the brand didn't gain prominence until Clint Eastwood wore them in Sudden Impact and later, Arnold Schwarzenegger put them on in The Terminator. Then the military noticed and after a comprehensive study, US Special Forces found that Gargoyles were the only commercially available eyewear at the time that could meet strict military standards.

Besportier.com is not affiliated with Gargoyles. We received a free product sample for the purpose of reviewing it.

November 16, 2009 5:41 PM | Sunglasses