Customer Reviews

Smith Pivlock V90 Sunglass (Gunmetal, Ignitor)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Leading up to Ironman Louisville this year, I have been quite desperate to find something that could keep up with my rate of perspiration. That's right, I sweat...a TON. I need a pair of glasses that are lightweight, has a great field of vision, minimal or no frames that would allow sweat to pool, lenses that would allow my copious amounts of sweat to run off easily and allows for a boatload of airflow to keep my eyes and brow line cool(ish). The Pivlock V90 Max fits the bill on all accounts.

First, weight; the Pivlock's are amazingly lightweight. Aside from their weight in hand, the action and fit make them that much more invisible. While the weight of some glasses belies cheap and half-baked manufacturing, the Pivlocks are actually designed with that in mind using what they call the Grilamid TR90 frames, built for flexible, light yet hard core construction.

Next, the lens. Well, as far as traditional frames go, the Pivlocks have none. This means absolutely zero interfering with any part of your periphery. The field of vision goes seamlessly from the through the lens, to over or under the lens (if you can get around the great coverage). The V90 Max's come with three lenses, bronze mirror, ignitor (rose tinted) and clear. Each of the lenses offers a clear, easy to clean, larger surface and they have a sweat seal hydrocoating that allows sweat to roll off easily. The changing of the lens takes about 10 seconds flat and is super simple yet sturdy.

The shape of the glasses makes them very comfortable an firmly, yet lightly, fitting on your face. They offer a huge amount of coverage that once again, has no frames to distort your field of vision. Even with that much coverage, the airflow is unparalleled in my experience. There is no frame lip to interrupt or stop the airflow over the brow and air flows throughout the entire perimeter of the lens, keeping your face and eye area cooler than any glasses I've tried. After a six hour ride I came home and HAD to show my wife the lack of sweat on the lenses!

The one possible detractor for some people may be the size of the V90's. They probably work best on a medium to large face because of their size. This isn't to say that they wouldn't "work" on everyone, that's a matter of taste and preference.

I highly recommend the Smith Pivlock V90 Max glasses. As long as I can keep these bad boys on my face they'll be there. On top of that, Smith's lifetime warranty certainly helps!

OH! I almost forgot!! Take a look at the amazing, removable prescription system that the V90's offer!

When I bought these glasses, I was dubious about the way the temple supports locked to the lens. Surely a product with a warranty will hold up.

I took them out for two bike rides, and stored them in their case between rides. I've had them for just over three weeks. No impacts, no drops, nothing of note whatsoever.

I took them out of their case today and noticed two large cracks emanating from the hole the temple supports locked in. I had to ride with, as they were the only pair I had with me. By the time I finished my 25 mile ride, the cracks had extended nearly to the perimeter of the lens.

I am very disappointed with this product.

I bought these because there are no frame rims, which obstruct my field of view when riding in the "aero position" (leaning forward with elbows in the aero bars). Other brands of glasses, no matter how cool, have framed rims that block my field of view when I ride in the aero position. I would have to either really crane my head upward to get a field of view (pain in neck), or else accept the top frame rim of the glasses obstructing my view of the road ahead -- kind of dangerous.

These glasses are a delight and even more so due to their innovation in interchangeable / removable lenses. Unlike other styles that require popping or unlocking of sorts, these lenses detach the lens from the frame at the hinge itself - making the swap from the sunny day lens to the cloudy day lens or the clear lens easier and quicker than anything I've used yet! Bravo! Five stars!!!!!

I owned a previous pair of Smith Optics before. I had that pair for almost two years now and couldn't be happier. I only bought this because this style suited me more. I've had them for almost a month now and I absolutely love them. It's full coverage for your eyes and no frames blocking your vision. Sometimes I forget that I'm wearing them. The best thing about Smith glasses is that there is no eye fatigue. Unlike other brands that charge just as much or more, their products are designed to bend light and make it look natural so your eyes don't get tired from over-compensating. I can go on long runs, bike rides, and play various sports such as baseball and volleyball; and rarely do I ever have to fidget with them. They just sit snugly on my nose despite the sweat. All my friends have tried them on and everyone is envious. If you get brown lenses, they totally make a difference in action sports. It increases depth perception by filtering out scattered light, and allows you to see deeper shadows so you can gauge how far something is. It really helps if a volleyball or baseball is coming at you lightning quick.

I don't know what that guy did to his pair as described in the other review. These glasses are pretty sturdy just like any other, if not more. Even if your glasses break for any reason, Smith products have a lifetime warranty. They replace it for you at no charge. The warranty says they only cover defects, but I and plenty of others, actually broke them accidentally and Smith still honored our warranties. I sent them in, and I got a new pair within a week! (I broke my older version, not the current one) I've tried many brands and none come close to the quality and level of service of Smith sunglasses. I don't know why people even bother with other brands when this one takes care of you for life.

I've worn a lot of different sunglasses for cycling. This is the best pair I've ever used. I really love not seeing the frame anywhere around my face. The three lense types cover every condition I've experienced. I've swapped lenses repeatedly without any damage or evidence of wear at the connecting points. The Ignitor lense has always been one of the best lenses for variable light conditions. I've used these all summer for 100+ mile road races and several long mountain bike trips. I've recently used the clear lenses for running at night. No problems whatsoever. I'm at Amazon today buying a pair for my wife.

Amazing sunglasses. I love my V90 Max. V90 Max is light and fantastic looking. Mirrors are very easy to change and 3 mirrors cover all weather conditions. Large mirror cover sunlight from the top and the bottom, the right and the left side and you will never be dazzled. I recommend this sunglasses for cycling, skiing, running.

I got these because I was looking for some light weight no frame glasses for cycling.
I had considered some Oakleys but they're very pricey.
I ran across these and tried them out, I instantly loved them.

They're very comfortable. They are well ventilated and don't fog up.
And you can't beat the fact that they come with 3 lenses and 2 different arms.
These are probably the best buy for any roadie.

This product has exceeded my expectations. The case seems durable and holds the three lenses securely. The lenses are excellent quality and they are interchanged easily.

I purchased these for running mainly and I was impressed how lightweight and fog resistant they are. I have a small face and nose and they fit my face well with lots of coverage. They came with 3 lenses (one black, one pink and one clear) and 2 nose pieces. The case is rather large for storage of all the extra parts. I like how they don't have a frame around the outside which would obstruct my view. Very happy with this purchase and would recommend to other runners.

Love these! They don't fog, and the interchangeable lenses are fantastic, both because they are easy to change out and the darker ones protect my eyes from the sun. I'm an ultramarathon runner and my eyes are extremely sensitive to light due to a genetic condition, so I am picky about sunglasses and love these.