Edge Eyewear was a completely new company to me.
Ian over at Tactical-Kit asked me if I wanted to take a look over a couple of styles, with the added bonus that I could do a GAW with one pair.
Before I accepted I had a look at Edge’s website, to get a feel for the brand. I also wanted to make absolutely sure that the company hit the European Union standard for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); and they do. Edge eyewear is independently tested for EN 166.
Not only that, but they also list the appropriate US ANSI standard.
Some of the tests involved in this may be of some interest. I was particularly pleased to see one regarding astigmatism, which I have in one eye. Also check out some of the impact tests associated with ANSI.
As an additional primer, have a look at Edge’s lens technology and lens material pages. It’s fascinating.
Notwithstanding all that highly encouraging stuff, I didn’t want to write a blog about something I wouldn’t use myself. So, aside from the essential PPE aspect, the glasses had to look cool; and they do. The quality of the frames is also great for the price point.
Both models come merchandised in cartons which do a good job of listing the safety standards attained, plus other features – particularly Edge’s Vapor Shield anti-fog coating.
The latter is pretty impressive, which we’ll get on to later.
The Acid Gambit set I have for review is the three lens system, and it’s what will be available in the GAW. It comes in a decent case and retails for a very reasonable £69.99.
The frame design and lenses are listed on Tactical-Kit’s website as:
FRAME TECH
+ Design Patent D597122
+ Matte Black Nylon Frame
+ Soft TPR Temple Tips for ComfortSG611
Vapor Shield Clear – 85% of light passes through this lens blocks 99.9% of UVA/UVB/UVC raysSG610
Vapor Shield Tiger’s Eye – 50% of light passes through this lens blocks 99.9% of UVA/UVB/UVC raysSG61-G15
Vapor Shield G-15 – 15% of light passes through this lens blocks 99.9% of UVA/UVB/UVC rays
Aside from additional lenses, the kit is bundled with a durable rubberized retention lanyard (called a ‘gummy’ leash) plus a microfiber draw string pouch which doubles as a cleaning cloth.
As with all lenses, it’s really important to follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.
Eyewear isn’t the easiest subject to document with photos, but here are a few I took of the Acid Gambit, which show where it’s made, its form factor and its soft temple tips – which are really comfortable and help keep the glasses locked to your face.
The nose piece is also really comfortable, and resists slipping for prolonged periods while under the duress of exercise (perspiration and vigorous movement).
As with anything worn, aside from the safety aspect, quality and coolness, the deciding factor is fit.
In that respect, the seriously affordable Fastlink model actually suits me better.
Now, while I keep a pair of Oakley M-Frames, Monster Dogs and ESS Rollbars at home for sunglasses – all of which are considerably more expensive than the Fastlink – I tend to use ‘disposable’ eyewear for tasks which require saftey glasses.
Why? Because the lenses take such a beating.
Even the most expensive lenses get scratched to hell after a few months. So, I make sure the glasses I use for safety purposes are made to stringent EU standards and fit my face properly, so that I am protected; I then replace them regularly.
The frame design and lenses available for this model are listed on Tactical-Kit’s website thus:
FRAME TECH
+ Patent Pending Frame Design
+ Matte Black Nylon Frame
+ Soft TPR Temple Tips for ComfortXFL61-G15
Vapor Shield G-15 – 15% of light passes through this lens blocks 99.9% of UVA/UVB/UVC raysXFL610
Vapor Shield Tiger’s Eye – 50% of light passes through this lens blocks 99.9% of UVA/UVB/UVC raysXFL611
Vapor Shield Clear – 85% of light passes through this lens blocks 99.9% of UVA/UVB/UVC rays
The soft temple tips are user adjustable for fit. The nose piece is, again, really comfortable and keeps the glasses where they should be.
Now, I haven’t picked up on any notable distortion with either of the Edge models, but I’m not the best judge of that.
Vapor Shield
As mentioned earlier, the Vapor Shield anti-fog lenses work really well and are a feature of both glasses – regardless of the price differential.
As a sterile demonstration, here’s what happened when I put the Edge glasses in a shower room, along with a pair of generic spectacles:
As you can see, the Edge glasses aren’t fogged at all. The generic spectacles, on the other hand, are fogged beyond being usable.
Now, the real decider on how well they fare with fogging will come only after repeated cleaning. To test this feature adequately, I’ll have to put the glasses through some hard use, get them dirty, then clean them. And repeat.
So, I’ll be keeping the Fastlink pair and reporting back at a later date.
The Acid Gambit set, however, will be going to one lucky reader…as soon as I’ve thought of a good way to promote the blog by giving them away.
The Reptile House 