As I mentioned before in an earlier article, 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.”
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 Collection Series line. The model from the Collection Series I’m covering today is the C401-ORGN.
Looks
The C401-ORGN’s (401 for short) are a pair of more traditionally styled sunglasses, as are all of the models in the Collection Series. The frames are very thin and very flexible. They bend quite a bit and snap right back into shape.
This particular model style is more of what I’d call a “country club” model or perhaps a “driving glasses” style model. Many golf sunglasses have a very high tech and almost alien look to them, but the 401’s are far from that. They’re classy and clean looking. Very suitable for not only golf, but just about anything.
Technology
The lenses of the 401’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 frames are extremely thin and flexible. You can twist, bend or tweak the frames so they fit your head just perfectly. No real tweaking needed with the 401’s though. They fit perfectly.
Accessories
The 401’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
The 401’s are so light you don’t even know they’re on your head. Though these aren’t “wrap around” glasses, you don’t really notice the outer edge of the lenses. I want to have full peripheral vision so I can focus and not be distracted and that’s no problem with the 401’s.
I found reading the greens and the contours of the course was great with the Neox lenses in the 401’s.
Careful
If you like to wear your sunglasses on your hat (presumably to protect your hat from all the harmful UV rays), the 401’s may not be perfect for you. The light nature of the glasses and the very flexible frames make it hard for the glasses to stay on your head or hat. In fact if you take a full golf swing with them on your hat they’ll likely fall off.
I forgot I had them on my head a couple of times due to how light they were. I was reminded when I accidentally knocked them off my head!
I know the high tech materials in the 401’s are probably quite strong, but I seem to think these are delicate just because of their thin footprint.
UPDATE: Though I searched all over the Callaway Golf Eyewear site I couldn't find what material this model was made of. My buddies at Callaway have gotten back to me to let me know that this particular model's frames are made of an exremely strong beta titanium. So though the frames are thin and flexible, you could probably jack up your car with them.
RX
Callaway Golf Eyewear has an RX program available for many of it’s models, including the entire Collection Series. Click here for RX info.
Conclusion
The Collection Series eyewear is very classy and sharp looking. The performance on the course is excellent. These $160 glasses are another winner from Callaway Golf Eyewear.
HOGWire – Golf Industry News
I’m guessing they’re not prescription lenses…
I had some questions about RX in the previous article too so I’ve added a bit about it. YES they do offer prescription lenses in the entire Collection Series. http://callawayeyewear.com/rx/index.html
[…] eries 3. X-Series This is my 3rd review on CGE products and will cover the X-Series line. Click here for my review of the Collection Series review. Click here for my review of the X-Series review. […]
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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.