Salice 011 CRX Sunglasses Review
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Italian manufacturer Salice have a long history in manufacturing eyewear. The company was founded in 1919 and originally made protective screens for industrial use. But in the mid 1940's Salice turned to making sunglasses and a decade later SKI goggles. Now, nearly 100 years on the Salice brand boasts a range of technical sports eyewear and helmets in its portfolio. I have been testing the Salice 011 CRX sunglasses glasses.
The Technology
Salice sunglasses are available in a choice of frame colours and lenses. This means that you can pretty much bespoke your glasses to fit your taste. They come in a large padded case and depending on the model you choose - come with 2 or 3 lenses. The frame is made from a lightweight Thermoplastic called Grilamid. The result is a flexible but strong frame. The rubber pads in the arms and the nose pad are made from Megol rubber. This is a soft and flexible compound, allowing the glasses to remain comfortable during hours of wear.
The lenses are made from a tough, scratch resistant Polycarbonate. The Salice 011 CRX (Chromolex) lenses are designed to adjust to the sunlight conditions. This means that on brighter days, the outer-lens darkens to reduce the glare from the sun. Salice's lenses are also hydro-repellent and designed to allow water to roll off when cycling in the wet. The inner surface of the lenses are treated to reduce the dazzling affect from reflected light.
As is common with cycling sunglasses, the Salice 011 CRX sunglasses have interchangeable lenses and this particular model come with a vented orange lens for low light/night riding. The lens shape curves around the face for maximum protection to the riders peripheral vision.
In Use
I picked up a pair of Salice 011 CRX sunglasses from the UK distributor Manby International Sportswear - at the NEC Cycle Show. I was impressed by how comfortable they felt to wear. The flexibility of the Megol rubber nose pads let the glasses sit nicely in place without pressure. The 011 lenses are slightly smaller than a lot of Salice's other models, so I didn't feel like I was trying on a pair of the companies ski goggles.
I have tested the glasses in most weather conditions over the last few weeks. I am impressed by the quality of the CRX lenses. The glare from the sun was sufficiently reduced by the outer lens adjusting on a bright (sunny) day. This was to be expected - but I really liked the fact that the brightness of the inner-lens didn't really suffer on cloudy or over-cast days. The Salice 011 CRX lenses do a reasonable job of repelling rain and spray from wet roads. On occasions in heavy rain, I did find myself wiping the lenses when stopped at traffic lights due to the build up of water. I found the glasses had a tendency to steam up when I came to a stop, despite the ventilation holes between the frame and the top of the lens. But this soon cleared when I began riding again.
Changing the lenses out proved to be a nervy experience at first. I was a bit worried about the amount of force I needed to apply This is down to the fact that the single lenses is secured in 3 places - left and right corners and then in the centre above the nose. But the strength of the lenses and the flexibility of the frames are demonstrated in this task. Salice also provide a short video tutorial on their website and the Salice YouTube channel.
Salice 011 CRX Sunglasses review conclusion
Cycling sunglasses are a very personal thing and everyone has their own style. The nice thing about Salice's range is that you can choose the frame and lenses to fit your style (and face). I have got on very well with the Salice 011 CRX sunglasses that I have been testing. That is largely down to the fact they are incredibly comfortable to wear. The build quality is clear from the outset and the CRX light-reactive lenses work without a second thought, thanks to the addition of an anti-glare layer on the inner-lens. I would have liked a clear or tinted lens over the orange. But this is personal preference rather than a reflection on the quality of the Salice 011 CRX. This model has a retail price of £74.95 which is very reasonable when you compare some of the competition prices. Overall - these are very impressive (cycling) sunglasses.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_message message_box_style="solid-icon" message_box_color="blue" icon_fontawesome="fa fa-shopping-cart"]
Salice 011 CRX Sunglasses available from:
ProBikeKit - from £48.99[/vc_message][/vc_column][/vc_row]