Zeal Optics Range
Green-tech comes to eyewear.
Brand: Zeal Optics
Model: Range
Materials
Unlike most plastic-framed glasses, which are made from petrochemicals, the Range—and all of Zeal’s frames—are built from a resin made from castor beans, a fast-growing, renewable resource. The company also offers a fashion line with biodegradable frames made from cotton.
Lenses
Testers loved the versatility of the polarized copper-tint lenses: “They have excellent optical sharpness, but weren’t so dark that they obscured terrain on low- or flat-light ski days,” reports one Colorado tester. Water- and oil-repellent coatings make these resistant to smudges. “They stayed scratch-free in my pack and my pockets, and I never, ever use a lens bag or case,” he adds.
Protection
Lenses wrap fully around the sides of your eyes, and wide arms add protection. “They blocked enough sunlight to keep me from squinting or wishing I had glacier glasses on a cloudless day on Colorado’s St. Mary’s Glacier,” our tester says.
$139-$169 (depending on lens); 1 oz.; zealoptics.com