Swell Bamboo Wood Sunglasses Review
Swell Bamboo Wood Sunglasses
Impressions of the Swell Bamboo Wood Sunglasses
One of the big buzz words that you seem to be hearing a lot these days is sustainability. Swell sunglasses took that philosophy and built a line of bamboo sunglasses and watches. The Swell Bamboo Wood Sunglasses not only look great, but offer quality protection from the sun and outstanding comfort. I have been wearing the sunglasses for several weeks now and have grown fond of not only the sunglasses, but also the small company producing them.
Charcoal Black with Blue Polarized Lenses
The Sunglasses
My first impression of the Swell Bamboo Wood Sunglasses was of surprise. I’ve never had a pair of sunglasses come in a wooden box. Swell sunglasses are shipped in a sturdy bamboo wood box for storing your shades when not in use. The storage box is well crafted, has an easy sliding top cover and a felt lined bottom for protection from scratches.
Bamboo Storage Case
The sunglasses themselves look even better then the box they come in. The pair of sunglasses I was sent came in a charcoal black color with blue polarized lenses. The frames are stained with high quality dye which allows for the natural wood grain to show though, almost offering a distressed look. The first thing I noticed besides the look was the lightness of the sunglasses. I could barely tell they were on my face.
I’m pretty sure I’m not the only person who has lost a pair or two of sunglasses to the water gods. One advantage of making sunglasses out of bamboo is flotation. I didn’t quite have the courage to throw them in the river with it being winter, but I did throw them in the tub. I submerged them a handful of times as well as soaking them for 30 minutes. When I pulled them out of the water they were as good as new. One problem I have with most of the sunglasses I own is when I wear them for extended periods of time they become uncomfortable above and behind my ears. The Swell Bamboo Wood Sunglasses solved this problem for me by offering spring loaded hinges on all their sunglasses. I wore the sunglasses on a couple ski tours and also during some long road trips. I will have to say I didn’t have any discomfort during either.
Spring Loaded Hinges for Comfort
Its always great to have a floating pair of sunglasses
Currently it’s my favorite season, which means I’m outside a lot and there is nothing worse than be blinded by snow glare. Luckily all Swell sunglasses come with polarized lenses featuring anti-glare and UVA/UVB protection. You don’t always see polorized lenses on lifestyle sunglasses making it a nice surprise for the price point. The lenses offer great clarity and adequate sun protection.
Great for Fighting the Snow Glare
One of my biggest questions about these sunglasses was durability? I will say this; I should’ve read Swell’s suggestion that when your not using the sunglasses to keep them in their bamboo box. It wasn’t practical for me to take the bamboo box with when I was skiing and I put mine in a soft case in the sunglasses compartment of my backpack. I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but unfortunately, I cracked the lower portion of the frame. The glasses held together and I am still wearing them today (thanks to a little super glue). So lesson learned if you’re out and about make sure you have some form of a hard case to protect your investment. On a positive note the Swell Bamboo Wood Sunglasses have slipped off my hat a couple times falling 6 or more feet on a few occasions and did not chip or crack.
Swell offers mainly two styles for both men and women that are available in a variety of frame and lens colors. The MSRP for all models is $99. Compared to other wood sunglasses on the market it is a very comparable if not a slightly less expensive option.
Side View
The Company
Swell Vision was started by Mitchell Saum when he was just 18 years old. Growing up by the water he’d lost a pair or two of shades to the ocean and wanted to come up with a pair of sunglasses that offered floatation. With that he created Swell Vision. According to the company it is less about where and how their story begins but rather how it ends and the paths we choose along the way to extend the life of our planet, in turn, our very existence. This is why the company decided to make sunglasses out of bamboo. While trees can take decades to fully mature. Some species of bamboo can fully mature in as little as 3 years making it a great product for sustainability. The Company has also started to develop watches out of bamboo and are looking to create other products in the future. The company has also partnered with the Green School in Bali, Indonesia www.greenschool.org. A portion of every pair of Swell Sunglasses sold goes to a scholarship fund for students to attend the school.
Final Thoughts
The Swell Bamboo Wood Sunglasses are a great looking pair of sunglasses that offer floatation and exceptional comfort. The company has a great idea and it will be interesting to see where they go in the future. If you’re looking for something different give Swell Bamboo Sunglasses a try and just make sure to use a hard case when there not on your face.
For more information about Swell Sunglasses visit www.swellvision.com
