Peaks CL1 Sports Sunglasses

When one thinks of sport sunglasses, one immediately thinks of expensive efforts from the likes Oakley that might cost £100 or more. However, spending that amount isn't always necessary, as the Peaks CL1s demonstrate. Although their MSRP is £100, you can actually get them for just £49.99, which, for a decent pair of sunglasses is something of a steal.

Though they do lack the true quality feel you get from more expensive sets of shades, the CL1's plastic frames are very well sculpted. Whether you're running around a cricket field (as I do) or just sauntering around a golf course, the CL1s remain well planted. Thus, though Peak Vision Sports markets its shades primarily at golfers, they're perfectly suitable for a range of more active sports.

One of the key attractions of the CL1s is their dual-zone lenses. These are separated into a higher portion of 20 per cent transmission grey and a 60 per cent transmission amber section in the rest of the lens. This is designed so that the upper section filters out the bright skyline, while the amber section enhances contrast.

This combination proves to be every effective. When playing cricket I found it highly beneficial to my concentration, since glare from the sun (particularly during early evening) and even clouds (more often than not) was effectively filtered out, while the main playing area remained well lit and defined. This also has the happy benefit of making the CL1s usable when not in direct sunlight, so you needn't remove them every time the sun goes in.

This dual-zone lens configuration also proves very useful when driving, filtering out the sky without degrading the visibility of what's directly in front of you. One caveat, though, is that the lenses aren't polarised, so don't eliminate reflected light as well you might like, though this does help avoid any distortion issues.

To sweeten the deal the CL1s come with both a protective hard case (with clip) and a microfibre lens case, while the shades themselves are covered by a one year warranty.

Verdict

For the money these are a very good set of sunglasses for a variety of sporting activities. Their dual-zone lenses are very effective, working exactly as advertised. And while the frames don't feature the kind build quality and feel associated with the leading brands, they're nonetheless very comfortable and hard wearing.