There?s good news for all those of you who take a shine to snazzy sports protective eyewear. You are going to have a lot more to choose from. Some brands are already well-ensconced in the markets here, while others are making swift inroads. So if you are a golf, skiing, skating, motor racing, baseball or fishing enthusiast, there is that ?just right? pair of eyewear that can be yours.

Oakley, Adidas, TAG Heuer, X, Bolle, Sable Water Optics, Costa Del Mar, Maui Jim and apna Fastrack are all there, selling their wares after putting them through a gruelling R&D. ?Some of them even test their lenses by dropping a 1-pound weight or metal spike onto them from a distance of 4 feet, as well as shooting a projectile at 105 miles/hour to guarantee the impact protection and resistance of the lens. Beyond what a company wants to do in the product, there is room to customise (with prescription, colour of lenses and frames, material used, etc) as per an individual?s needs,? says Dr Dhavid Cooper, CEO, Framesdirect.com, an established US-based online

optical store.

Today one sees brands like Oakley creating a frame for every sporting moment, say the experts. Available globally, and a few in India, the sporty sunglasses now just need your attention. The pleasing features could range from lenses to frames. Known for its high-definition optics and lens-impact protection and resistance, the brand has even incorporated music, creativity, design, technology, style and sports necessity into its frames.?Wiley X eyewear (selling products apt for cycling, fishing, etc) come with an American National Standards Institute approval.

Maui Jim sunglasses are ideal for surfing, tennis, golf and fishing, because of their patented polarisation technology, while Sable Water Optics are specifically designed for swimming and diving.?Costa Del Mar, where they ?encourage you to get out on the water and see what?s out there,? are specifically designed for water and outdoor sports.

Equally impressive are Bolle?s varied lenses for a variety of sports.?Its Eaglevision 2 lens, a cinnamon-coloured lens, is ideal for low-light conditions and shows breaks in the green, while the Eaglevision 2 Dark is good for brighter days on the golf course.??The brand also offers a Competivision lens, designed to mute out all colours except yellow, allowing one to have the upper-hand over the opponent.?The dark amber lens is ideal for climbing high altitudes and in extremely bright light. It is ideal for snowboarding and skiing. Today the brand is endorsed by Volleyball Olympic medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh for its benefits,? says Cooper.

What to look for?

With choices galore, what should be the deciding factor is functionality. And in functionality, one needs to carry out vision, protection, fit and durability checks. For vision, check the polycarbonate lenses that promise to protect the eyes from harmful UV rays. Then comes the curvature of the lens. The vision must be clear when looking straight ahead and from every corner, so that the eye can focus on the game.

Protection and fit go hand in hand. The eyewear must be lightweight, shatter-proof and must come with ventilation and moisture management. There just can?t be any room for sweat, and the eyewear slipping as a result.

Fitness comes from the ideal resting position of the eyewear on the nose ? the nose bridge at times can be adjusted to adapt to slimmer or broader noses, giving the wearer a personalised fit. The durability features can range from basic to innovative. Brands like Adidas ensure that both the frame and the person wearing the shades are protected in the event of a collision or fall. This is ensured through the temples breaking free when there is an impact.

The India case

Selling its eyewear in two categories ? casual/lifestyle and performance ? Adidas depends on its style add-on to sell to Indians. ?Then come other features like durability, safety, ultimate vision and comfort. In order to consciously cater to the demands of the customers? new styles, colour and technical features are continuously introduced so as to make the product contemporary and in tune with the needs of the market place,? says Andreas Gellner, managing director, Adidas India.

Fastrack, the eyewear brand from Titan has also launched a range for bikers recently. Says Simeran Bhasin, marketing manager with the brand, ?The range has specific features like wraps, polarised lenses and night-vision lenses, etc to suit biking. As bikers make the large homogenous group that uses sunglasses, it was the best segment for us to begin with.? While there are specific features available for sports in general ? plastic wraps in sporty styles, the brand has not yet targetted any other sport, but has them on its radar.

As far as making a beginning is concerned, Amrita Sharma, director, Aureole Inspecs India has launched a wide range of eyewear for sports enthusiasts. ?Some of the brands with us are Speedo, CAT and Animal with prices ranging from Rs 2,500 to Rs 7,000. The sunglasses have features such as special removable protective side shields, flexible TR90 memory plastic frames, shatter-resistant polycarbonate lenses, skull-fit temples and anti-glare REVO mirror lenses. We are currently working with the Speedo designers and have created complimenting eyewear for the Speedo FASTSKIN swimsuit. So, anyone who is picking the suit must find a sensible reason to check out what the complimentary offering is like,? she says.

With so much available, its time to get serious at the game. One can begin with the style and glamour these sport-conscious eyewear ranges promise.