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The magic word for sunglasses for water sports enthusiasts is polarised lenses. They prevent glare caused by reflections on the surface of the water.
However, polarised lenses have a small disadvantage: they make it difficult or impossible to read onboard instruments, nautical charts on a tablet or electronic chart plotters. The new Shield Ocean Master Spectron HD Polarised lenses from French sunglasses expert Julbo offer a solution. These glasses keep the glaring light away from the eyes and still allow you to read data on electronic displays.
How the sunglasses were tested
The Hamburg winter is only suitable for testing the new model to a limited extent, which is why we waited until the YACHT readers' trip to St. Barth's Bucket on the "Sea Cloud II" to try them out. A wise decision, as the light in the Caribbean is ideal for a sunglasses test. Blazing sunshine with high intensity and mostly from early to late, which means that the glasses also have to parry the low-lying rays that bounce off the water.
The features of the Ocean Master Spectron
The technical facts of the Ocean Master Spectron are quickly summarised: 130 millimetre frame width, 25 grams light and equipped with 130 millimetre long temples.
The following is supplied Shield Ocean Master Spectron HD Polarised with removable side shields made of spandex, which offer water sports enthusiasts optimum sun protection in extreme conditions and are comfortable to wear. In addition, the lightweight side shields can be attached and removed in just ten seconds. The Air Flow vents integrated into the frame prevent fogging of the field of vision and sweating under the lenses at high temperatures. With their curved Grip Tech temples, which can be attached to the supplied floating cord, and the non-slip nose pad, the goggles stay securely on the face, whether in a storm, capsizing in the 49er or jogging through the harbour.
The polarised Spectron 4 HD lenses offer excellent vision and ensure clear visibility of the water surface, even when the low sun shines directly into your face. The dimming is in the medium range, which means that the lenses are also ideal for areas with less intense sunlight. And the readability of tablets, chart plotters or smartphones? It works impressively well despite the polarised lenses, so there's no need to take off your sunglasses. Another positive aspect is the successful sporty, angular shape of these robust new sunglasses. The price is 184.90 euros. Clear purchase recommendation: 5 stars >> e.g. at Decathlon or Tredinn available.
Martin Hager
Editor in Chief YACHT
