Motorcyclists are all too familiar with the struggles of riding on a sunny day — even a day with perfect weather holds potential risks just because it can be pretty difficult to find a good pair of sunglasses which fits underneath a helmet comfortably. For this reason, many motorcyclists choose to either go without a helmet or without their sunglasses — and neither option is very safe. Fortunately, it appears that the sunglasses industry may be starting to offer motorcyclists with more options which will ensure their safety.
Experienced flyer Dean Siracusa noticed that anyone driving a moving vehicle while wearing a helmet is often at a disadvantage when it comes to eye protection, and he developed Flying Eyes Sunglasses with these motorists in mind. The sunglasses offered by Flying Eyes are easily customizable and can be worn just as comfortably without a helmet as they can with one. Without a helmet on, the glasses rest on the temples like normal glasses; when wearing a helmet, a soft strap attaches to the lenses, making them resemble goggles — but without the clunkiness that would normally accompany a pair of goggles. And if the wearer doesn’t want to use the soft strap, Flying Eyes notes that their glasses have just been redeveloped to feature thinner temple pieces, making it possible to comfortably wear the glasses — with the temple pieces — underneath a helmet. The glasses also feature a soft nose piece, which allows the glasses to rest comfortably and fit snugly without being uncomfortable.
The company notes that these glasses were developed with motorists and pilots in mind, but that the target audience has expanded exponentially. Although these glasses are still fairly new on the market and may not be widely available yet, the success of this company and its specialized sunglasses now has many motorists realizing that their own glasses are uncomfortable; however, some motorists are concerned that specialized glasses would be difficult to repair or replace, should they be damaged.
“A good pair of sunglasses, especially polarized, cuts through the glare and allows the driver to better see road outlines, oncoming traffic, and other potential hazards such as road issues that they particularly wouldn’t see with sun in their eyes,” says Craig Anderson, President of The Sunglass Fix. “For motorcyclists in particular, a good pair of sunglasses can protect them from other road hazards such as rocks, large insects, and other debris that can end up in their eye without eye protection.”
Flying Eyes’ sunglasses may not completely change the glasses market, but after hearing about these glasses, many motorists and pilots are realizing that they don’t have to sacrifice safety for comfort.