Feeling down lately? Maybe a little Vitamin D deficiency as the late winter months drag on? I think it’s time to do a little traveling, maybe – take the Spy Optics with Happy Lenses somewhere warm and sunny this spring.
Spy Optics Atlas Sunglasses Features:
- Constructed from virtually indestructible Grilamid®
- Available with Trident™ polarization
- Features the Happy Lens™
- Sturdy 5-barrel hinges
- 6-base polycarbonate ARC® lenses
- 100% UV protection
- Comes equipped with a neoprene sunglass leash
- FRAME MEASURES: 54-19-137
- MSRP: $110-$160
Shades for travel and adventures
Everyone needs a pair of shades that are durable, lightweight and ready for anything. The Spy Atlas seems to fit that bill to me, with a sturdy design that lends itself to being stuffed in pockets or backpacks. The foundation for these glasses is the obnoxiously durable Grilamid plastic, which is meant to be stable in a wide variety of temperatures and capable of bending without breaking. I’ve used this plastic before on several pairs of glasses and it really is very sturdy.
The lenses are a 6-base polycarbonate. 6-base lenses are relatively ‘uncurved,’ making them a good option for stylish sunglasses that don’t need to wrap as tightly around the head. Perhaps more importantly, the lenses are Spy Optics’ Happy Lens. The idea here is, first, that it should do all the normal things that a good sunglass lens does: reduce glare, enhance color and contrast, and increase clarity. What the Happy lens promises to do, though, is more selectively filter out certain wavelengths of light such that ones associated with positive moods are let in to be absorbed by your retinas. The theory is that long-wave blue light stimulates serotonin production in the brain, and these let long-wave blue light through. Will it actually make you happier? Who knows. Regardless, the key thing here is that the lenses have great optical quality. I’m content with that.
The hinges are a 5-barrel metal design that’s really quite strong. I like to see strong hinges on sunglasses, and these are well embedded into the plastic of the frame. They also swing very smoothly and precisely, with no floppiness. There are no special touches at the bridge of the nose or the ear pieces; there’s just the carefully shaped Grilamid plastic. That said, if you’re having a hard time keeping the glasses on your face, you’ll be happy to know that Spy is including a neoprene sunglasses leash with each pair.
The Good:
- Strong, lightweight design
- Happy lens has great optical quality
- Hinge design is very strong and smooth
The Bad:
- Some grippy rubber on the nose would be nice
The Bottom Line: Spy Atlas
For glasses that are strong enough to travel and not scared of some hard work, the Spy Atlas is a great fit. I appreciate that I can toss them around, but there’s no doubt that the Happy lens performs like a premium lens. So, even though I can toss them around, I still try to keep them nice – that’s a great place for a sunglass to be.
Buy Now: Available from Spy Optics
