When I unpacked the Heron Ocean from Swedish eyewear manufacturer Vallon, I felt catapulted back to 1999 and the summit of Cotopaxi. On the 5897 metre high mountain in Ecuador, I celebrated my adventurous mountaineering premiere with old-school glacier goggles that looked very similar to the new Vallon model. Even though the look is based on mountain goggles, the Heron Ocean model was specially designed for use on the water and is intended to offer water sports enthusiasts maximum protection against glare, wind and splashing water. Thanks to the good fit in combination with the leather visors, this also works extremely well in practice.
Goggles offer efficient eye protection
At the heart of the Heron Ocean are the category 3 polarised lenses with a transmission value of 13%. These effectively reduce glare on reflective surfaces such as water and at the same time ensure improved contrast and colour accuracy. According to the manufacturer, a coating with a blue mirror effect further enhances these properties. The light brown tint of the lenses improves vision without distorting colour perception. The leather side shields and a removable leather centre section provide effective protection against light coming in from the side, which is easy on the eyes on long days at sea and in bright sunshine with a highly reflective water surface - especially when there is no chance of hiding in the shade under a bimini in the cockpit and at the helm.
25 gram lightweight eye protection
The frame of the Heron Ocean is made of TR90 Grilamid, a particularly light and robust plastic. With a total weight of just 25 grams, Vallon promises a high level of wearing comfort even during prolonged use. The temples can be individually adjusted - by bending them - to ensure a secure fit behind the ears. The two millimetre thick polycarbonate lenses are shatterproof and, according to the manufacturer, offer full UV400 protection.
Optional equipment
The Heron Ocean, available for 150 euros in the currently available Dark Grey Blue colour variant, is supplied in a hard case made of artificial leather, which is completely plastic-free. The packaging also contains a microfibre cloth for cleaning the lenses. Optionally available are a glasses strap (10 euros) and a nose guard (15 euros), which can be attached to the centre section using press studs and protects the nose as efficiently as possible from a high sun. As the temples bend to fit very close to the ears, there is no need for a goggle strap. The eye protection sits very firmly and securely on the head, even when there is a lot of wind and movement - without pinching.
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Martin Hager
Editor in Chief YACHT
