ZEAL Optics Capitol

Our take Reduce your environmental impact without taking a performance hit. Like all ZEAL frames, the Capitol is built from a resin made from castor beans, a fast-growing, renewable resource. And now, the polarized lens is, too. But don’t be fooled: These environmentally friendly wayfarers are deceptively techy. Called “ellume,” ZEAL’s plant-based lens is supposedly clearer than petroleum-based polymer (which most brands use to make plastic lenses). While we preferred the color perception of the Smiths (above), ZEAL’s copper lens was second best. Nice touch: Rubber on the temples and nosepad held them in place when we sweated.

Trail cred “It honestly didn’t feel like there was a lens between my face and the elements, the terrain was so clear,” says our tester who pilots Cessnas in the Lake Tahoe area. “After wearing them on a flight, I wore them on a trail run around Donner Lake and the blues and greens were still the same: ultrasharp.”