TESTCENTRE
Shades for a RIB
Heron Ocean Sunglasses
COMPANY: VALLON PRICE: £ 135 WEB: WWW. VALLON. COM
As a diver you’ ll be very familiar with spending time at sea, particularly if you’ re a qualified Diver Coxswain. Being able to clearly see other water users, potential hazards and of course safely deploy then spot and pick-up your clubmates while all this goes on around you is of the utmost importance.
Shielding the eyes from sunlight is foremost in such situations and polarizing sunglasses are recommended. Over the years I’ ve tried many different brands and styles to protect my eyes from the elements.
Expensive sunglasses are normally avoided on board a RIB bustling with divers, any of whom may decide to lay their kit on your shades if not kept on your person. I’ ve tried keeping mine on top of the console( fell off, trodden on), on a lanyard around my neck( came off while assisting diver and plunged to the seabed) and other methods with similar outcomes. The only really safe place is sitting on
48 the bridge of your nose, but even then a slight nudge or simply bending over can be enough to dislodge them. I managed to keep one particular favourite pair in use for several years but they too finally succumbed to the curse. From then on I resorted to Poundland cheapies. Not polarised, but when they were damaged or lost I reached into my box of spares and retrieved another pair.
Then my attention was drawn to the Vallon brand, whose spiritual home in the Vallon d’ Arbi, Switzerland is where the company took its name. Creating classiclooking eyewear, Vallon manufactures a variety of sunglasses, from its lifestyle and performance range through to skiing and mountaineering masks.
The Heron Ocean are polarized sunglasses which offer a high Cat. 3 protection, 100 % UV400 protection and an ant-fog coating. While the circular lenses and leather side shields are inspired by alpine aesthetics, they’ re designed with water-users in mind. The 2mm shatterproof Polycarbonate lenses are encased in a TR90 Grilamid frame and give a look remarkably similar to that of Claude Rains in the 1933 classic film‘ The Invisible Man’ – an added bonus, in my opinion.
An ultra-lightweight 25g, the sunnies sat almost weightless on the brow of my nose. The side shields serve two purposes: they prevent stray light from entering behind the lenses and are particularly
effective in stopping wind and spray from making your eyes water.
The lenses( available in four different colours) provided excellent clarity and glancing down at the water’ s surface made good visibility look excellent, no more so than when a small school of common dolphin decided to bow ride.
The one feature I’ ve yet to mention are the temples. These thin arms are fixed for around half their length, after which they terminate in robust bendy tips which can be shaped( not unlike pipe-cleaners if you’ re old enough to remember them) to fit your individual ear shape.
This clever customisation allows the sunglasses to remain firmly but comfortably in place, whether you’ re coxing at high speed or being bounced around in rough conditions. Even lifting them on my forehead there was no danger of them falling off and into the water.
Granted, you could purchase several cheaper options for the cost of the Heron Ocean but these are built for purpose and just as effective for kayaking and paddleboarding as they are on a RIB. If the sun catches your nose like mine does, there’ s an optional leather protector plus a sport retainer if you require added security. NH
SCUBA SAYS
Vallon’ s Heron Ocean sunglasses are made for a life on the water. Offering clear vision, UV protection and polarised lenses with added protection from the elements. Thanks to their adjustable arms there’ s little chance of them taking an unexpected trip to Davey Jones’ Locker.