Day 4 of my 7 straight days of golf equipment reviews!
You read the title right. Callaway is in the eyewear business now. They have a new division called “Callaway Golf Eyewear.” Callaway calls their eye wear “serious equipment designed to enhance your competitive edge.” Whatever it takes as far as I’m concerned…
There are three product lines in the Callaway Golf Eyewear offering:
1. Sports Series
2. Collection Series
3. X-Series
I’m going to be doing a review on one product from each of the Callaway lines!
This review will cover the X-Series line. The model I’m covering today is the X602-RD.
Looks
The X602-RD (“602” for short from this point on) is a very stylish pair of glasses. They’re not too overboard like some glasses can be with the crazy designs that make you look like an insect or an alien. They’re high tech looking, yes, but elegant as well.
Technology
There’s quite a bit of technology in the 602’s. The frame components are made of of titanium and Grilamid. Grilamid is a high performance engineering plastic which is very strong yet flexible.
The lenses of the 602’s (and the Callaway line in general) are made of a patent pending material called Neox. Neox blocks 100% of the harmful blue rays while letting more of the visual spectrum in. Your eyes don’t have to work as hard so they don’t fatigue as easily. The Neox tinting technology also allows you to see more detail on the course and even read the greens better.
The fit of the 602’s is quite interesting. The frames are very flexible due to the Grilamid. You can twist, bend or tweak the frames so they fit your head just perfectly. Believe me, my head needs some major tweaking for glasses to fit and these fit perfectly.
Accessories
The 602’s come with a great hard case. I don’t really get companies that give you a soft case for eyewear. What’s the point of that? So when they break the soft case contains all the broken glass?
The hard case is spring loaded and seals tight to keep dust out. Obviously the folks at Callaway where thinking because you need a hard case as a golfer. I don’t like putting my glasses in my golf bag without protection. A stray ball could hit the bag, it could take a hit going in and out of the trunk or even a crazed player who loses it could throw a club and hit your bag (that has happened to me before).
Along with the hard case you get a soft slip case. This case is made of special fabric designed for cleaning the glasses.
On the course
Today was the first time I put the 602’s into action on the course. It was a very bright day with virtually no clouds in the sky.
I often get a headache after a long day on the course in the bright Sun. No such occurrence today. My eyes feel nice and rested.
I had no problems seeing the ball in flight and I loved the read I had on the greens with the 602’s. In fact I managed so well around the course with the 602’s on that I carded a 71 (-1) for my first under par round of the season. I collected about 1/4 of the cost of another pair of 602’s in the process by winning all my bets! The 602’s retail at $195.00.
Conclusion
I’m not the superstitious type, but I’m “under par lifetime” with the 602’s. I’ll be wearing them when I play tomorrow for sure! Heck, I may sleep with them on tonight.
Callaway may be new to the eyewear business but their offerings are of the highest quality and workmanship. Their design is unique and elegant. The functionality and performance on the course is excellent. Callaway has a winner here.
HOGWire – Golf Industry News
Do they do prescription lenses as an option?
Cal:
http://callawayeyewear.com/rx/index.html
Sometimes I forget you have this great website too. I haven’t been hanging around here since the Golfspace popped up.
I saw these in my TGW catalog. They look pretty nice. Unfortuntaly, I’ve never been able to hit with sunglasses on. Totally mental.
[…] 2006
Callaway Golf Eyewear Collection Series
As I mentioned before in an earlier article, Callaway is in the eyewear business now. They have a new division called “Callaway […]
I looked at most of the hot sunglasses suitable for golf, eg. PeakVision, Oakley, Nike and settled on the Callaway 602’s. Although I haven’t actually played a round with them yet they are comfortable and distortion free. The only problem I have with them is that they fit crooked on my face. No other reading or sunglasses have ever fit this way so I assume it’s the frame and that I don’t have one ear lower than the other. I just happened to be at my optometrist the other day picking up a new pair of prescription glasses. I brought the 602’s with me and he gladly offered to adjust them. He eventually gave up in frustration so I’ll try somewhere else. I did contact Callaway customer service via email and but have not received a reply yet. I should also mention that I bought the 602’s new, on-line so never physically tried them on. I paid $110 with free shipping.
Callaway has released there newest versions of the sunwear that are polychromatic (get darker depending on how bright it is. The lenses are designed to give the best contrast and clarity and are not polarized. As of June you can get them in Rx both Single vision or Progressive bifocal. Like Mui Jim, Bolle and Rudy Project it is all about the lens technology. Tony if I can help in any way about lens tech drop me a line. Thanks for Blog.