The sun always shines when you’re cool.
I’ve had the pleasure of wearing the Bolle’ Ransom golf sunglasses for a while. These glasses are best fitted for a larger head, like mine. One must have a large head to hold as much golf knowledge as I do.
Let’s take a look at the Bolle’ Ransom, or should I say look through them…
Features
- Thick, stylish, unique frame design
- The B-Clear lenses are anti-glare and produce colors and highlights well suited for the golf course
- The lenses are as clear as glass but considerably lighter
- The “Oleophobic/hydrophobic” lenses repel grease, dirt, and water spots
- High strength nose pads and rubber gripping to keep glasses from slipping
- 100% UVA and UVB protection
- Nice case
- Cleaning cloth included
On The Course – On The Beach
My on-the-course portion of this review is a little tough. I wear prescription sunglasses which really help me see the ball far away. I’m nearsighted, so reading greens, standing over the ball, and short range stuff is great. But long range, seeing a ball from 150+ yards was tough.
That said, in my good range I loved the clarity of the lenses, the colors, and how I could easily see the contours and slopes of the course.
I sport these shades in far more places than just the golf course. On my recent trip to southern California I thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the beach and soaking up the rays in the comfort of the Ransoms.
Other situations where sunglasses are great and the Ransoms have shined include outside parties, walks around the neighborhood, hiking, spending time at the park with my little boy.
On or off the course the style is fantastic and the comfort is as good as any shades I’ve reviewed.
Conclusion
If I had a prescription version of the Bolle’ Ransom they would be my gamer sunglasses on the golf course.
They’re certainly my gamers for many other sunny outdoor activities.
The last few months I’ve been happily testing out prescription sunglasses from SportRX in San Diego, California. SportRX makes custom prescription sunglasses out of frames from the top brands like Oakley, adidas, Nike, Bolle, Smith and many others. The pair I’m reviewing today is a set of prescription Oakley Flak Jacket XLJ sunglasses, in jet black.
Prescription
First and foremost I need to see on the golf course. I’m near sighted, so working on the computer or looking at subjects a few feet away are no problem. But when the subjets get beyond 5-10 feet, they become more and more blurry. Seeing a ball finish at 180 yards on a par-3, or trying to track down a long drive of 275 yards with my naked eye is not going to work.
Transitions
Not only are these Oakleys prescription, but SportRX also made the lenses with a transition feature. Transitions lenses darken as the sunlight gets brighter. See the photo above.
Why Sports Sunglasses?
For the last couple of years I’ve been wearing Ray Ban glasses with transitions lenses. They’re not sports glasses, but at least they acted as sunglasses and allowed me to clearly see long distances. The problem with them was the lack of coverage and lack of a snug fit. I could see the edges and sometimes in a big swing the glasses could slip.
By wearing sporty Oakley sunglasses, I get a full wrap in my field of vision with no edges. The glasses stay snug on my head, unlike the Ray Bans.
Sporty sunglasses also look more appropriate on the course. I look like a golfer now, not a librarian.
On The Course
The clarity and definition I see on the golf course with the prescription and the way the glasses process the light is fantastic. I can see all the undulations and details on the course, helping me to play better and make more putts.
Because of the fit and stability of the glasses, I often forget I’m wearing them.
Conclusion
A custom transitions prescription sunglasses setup like this is not cheap. By themselves the Oakleys in this review run about $150. Add the cost of an eye exam and custom transitions prescription lenses and the bill can be up over $500. For hell’s sake don’t leave these in the golf cart!
Optical insurance may cover some costs like the eye exam and part of the prescription.
The cost is offset by the benefit. Full ultraviolet protection, better performance, better vision, safer. There are a ton of reasons to go with prescription sports sunglasses.
I enjoyed working with SportRX. They know their trade well and produce a fantastic product.
I’m near-sighted (not short sighted!). Objects farther away than about five feet start to get blurry for me. That means with the naked eye I can’t really track a golf ball’s flight much beyond 150 yards. In the 2-3 years since I got some transition lenses on two pairs Ray Ban glasses, I’ve been able to happily see the ball as far as 250 yards or more. The problem with those Ray Bans is that they’re not sporty, or designed for sports. I can see the edges of the glasses, and they’re not well suited for the visuals one encounters on the golf course with regards to contrast, definition, contours, and subtle details like reading greens.
Transition prescription sunglasses on Oakley frames by SportRx
Thanks to SportRx out of San Diego, I’ve recently put some real sports sunglasses into play with my custom prescription. I’ve been using them for the last few weeks during golf rounds, driving around town, and doing other outdoor activities like hiking. SportRX can fit popular brand named sunglasses like Oakley, adidas, Nike, Bolle, Smith and many others with prescription lenses. This is such a great thing. I can now have a sports style and performance but not compromise being able to see!
As an added bonus, these prescription Oakley sunglasses have lenses which transition. The lenses start as a lighter yellow and go to a dark brown in direct sunlight.
I’m still testing out the glasses and will post a full review soon.
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