When I headed to Cozumel for a Mayan ruins tour, I made sure I had important things in my tote bag – sunscreen, hat, camera, notebook, ink pen, water and sunglasses.
The Mexican sun in Cozumel can be brutal. It is certainly a welcome change from the icy winter in my Indiana home but visitors have to be prepared. I noticed that guide Alex Cab seldom took off his sunglasses as he led us around the San Gervasio Mayan Ruins and I can sure see why.
I had gotten my new Guideline Eyewear Marysol sunglasses shortly before my Bahamas cruise and decided this trip would really give them a workout. As a travel writer, I have gone through so many pairs of sunglasses over the years. I was curious to see how the Guideline ones would work.
First off, they are comfortable. New sunglasses are often too tight for me and have to be worn for a while to loosen up. With spring hinges, the Guideline Marisol slid on easily and stayed on snugly.
The information also said that the frames are constructed of a 54 percent bio based polymer frame material which makes them more durable and flexible and better for the environment than traditional plastic frames. Crude oil is used in traditional plastic, the info said, while the oil generated for Guideline glasses is from sustainably grown castor beans. Interesting.
The frames are lightweight and sturdy and feature a modified square wrap style.
At first, I worried that I wouldn’t like the thickened sides of the frames, that they would block my vision if I looked sideways. No problem. In fact, I think the extra protection at the sides helps keep out the sun.
Sometimes sunglasses are too dark for me. I take a lot of photographs and want to be able to see through the glasses to take photos. I’ve seen other people always taking off their sunglasses or propping them on their head because the glasses interfere with photo taking but that can get to be a pain in the neck.
These seem just the right darkness – they protect my eyes from the sun but they don’t interfere with my vision. The lens color is called deep water gray.
The product information says that the lens are polarized and lightweight. They are polycarbonate with a thickness of 1.4 mm. People with that kind of mind might be interested in the technical stuff. All I know is that I like the glasses.
They cost about $50 and come with a soft, durable and lightweight protective case with Velcro closure. The case doesn’t take up much room in my bag and does seem to provide protection. I’m giving it a try but might go back to my colorful Vera Bradley hard case glasses holder.
The bottom line is that I’m hard to please when it comes to sunglasses and these Guideline ones seem to suit me. I’m very glad to have them on this sunny cruise and hope they serve me well for many years.
For more information: Contact Guideline Eyegear at www.guidelineeyegear.com
Comments