Follow the Leaders

We check in with professional athletes to get the lowdown on their performance needs and what sports eyewear features stand up to the competition

 

When it comes to sports, few are as savvy about the details that make for winning eyewear as the athletes themselves. Here, EB talks to leaders in the world of sports about what works for them.

 

 

EB: What are your favorite features about your sports eyewear?

Chris Davenport: The style melds seamlessly with the brim of my helmet, leaving no gap for air to pass through. These frames wrap around my face perfectly and offer the best combination of peripheral vision and protection I have found.

 

The low profile design and the articulating outriggers on the sides allow the goggle to fit perfectly even when I am not wearing a helmet.

 

Niki Gudex: I love the lens and frame style. It hugs my face and feels really comfortable. If I am on my bike and it is high speed and rocky, I cannot afford for my eyewear to slip around. It also fits really well with my bike helmet on.

 

Leanne Pelosi: The best feature, other than the obvious of blocking wind, snow, and rain, is that I can check out cute boys on the ski hill.

 

Chad Thompson: They offer a no-slip fit, light weight, and comfort. They are well-contoured to my face and match our kits (uniforms) well.

 

Kerri Walsh: I am out on the beaches fighting the elements, and it�s so lovely when I don�t have to worry about the sun getting in my eyes and hindering my play. The glasses that I play in are comfortable, light, and not too masculine. You�ve got to look good to play good, right?

 

Jeremy Wariner: They fit my face and they are comfortable when I run. They are also real light and stylish. 

 

 

EB:  What do you need in lenses?

 

Davenport: I am picky about clarity and color, and like a darker lens to protect my eyes in bright

conditions. I am a fan of polarized sunglasses when I�m on a glacier with a lot of reflection.

 

I choose a platinum mirror lens for sunny days and a sensor mirror or gold light lens for snow or low-light. Also, my goggle lenses are easy to change in case I crash and they fill with snow.

 

Gudex: I need to protect my eyes, not only from the sun, but also sticks, mud, or rocks. Transitions are great. In race conditions, I am constantly going in and out of the shade.

 

The lens self adjusts and I can see no matter what.

 

Pelosi: I use polarized lenses most of the time, especially if it�s sunny, to provide contrast and definition. If it�s flat light, I�ll use a yellow lens. 

 

Thompson: I love that the lenses are scratch-resistant and almost bullet-proof. And, they don�t fog! I use three lenses: clear for darker rides like twilight or rain/snow, red for dusky and low-light situations, and mirrors on bright days. 

 

Walsh: I prefer lighter lenses to the darker tints. I like the rose-colored lenses the best�they take the glare off and don�t make it too dark.

 

Wariner: They are dark enough so people can�t see my eyes but not so dark that I can�t see well at night.

 

 

EB: Do you use more than one pair of eyewear?

 

Gudex: I use performance eyewear when I am on my bike or doing other outdoor training. I wear lifestyle eyewear other times. 

 

Thompson: I have about six pairs of glasses. This gives me a sporty shade for every occasion.

 

Walsh: I like playing in various styles. Sometimes I'll try to glam it up a bit�it�s fun to switch it up.

 

Wariner: I was using one pair all season but, towards the end, I ended up wearing more because they matched my uniforms. EB

 

Kerri Walsh hits the beach a professional volleyball player in Bolle' sunwear

 

 

Chris Davenport in Smith goggles ready to hit the mountain

Chad Thomas rides with his team in Rudy Project eyewear

Jeremy Wariner wears adidas sunglasses for all of his races

The Lineup

 

Chris Davenport, Freeskiing Champion and Peak Bagger

Davenport is a former World Freeskiing Champion and has been an X Games participant. The powder-fueled adventures of this athlete have included skiing 45 of the Colorado fourteeners in four months�he also has a segment in Matchstick Productions film every winter. He is sponsored by Smith Optics.

 

Niki Gudex, Professional Mountain Biker

A professional cross country mountain biker, Gudex is riding to the front of the field with a growing list of victories including second place in the Australian XC National Championships 2005 and Australian Cross Country National Series Champion. She is sponsored by Oakley.

 

Leanne Pelosi, Professional Snowboarder

Winning competitions around the globe, Pelosi is taking female boarders to new heights. She was named TransWorld SNOWboarding�s 2005 Female Rider of the Year and also maintains her seat as director of the all-girl MGT Snowboard Camp at Whistler/Blackcomb. She is sponsored by Dragon.

 

Chad Thompson, Member/General Manager, Abercrombie & Fitch Elite Cycling Team

The A&F Elite Cycling Team realized a dream in its first year of operation�it became the highest ranked amateur team in the U.S. Thompson, president/CEO of Inferno Racing, which oversees the team, and a racer, plans to take the team pro. He is sponsored by Rudy Project.

 

Kerri Walsh, Professional Beach Volleyball Player

Another leading world talent in women�s beach volleyball, Walsh has taken home the gold  with teammate Misty May they won the first Women�s Beach Volleyball gold for the U.S. in Olympic history and the duo went an incredible 38-0 during their first year on the Association of Volleyball Professionals Tour.

 

Jeremy Wariner, Runner

Known for wearing sunglasses for all of his races, top-rated male 400m runner Wariner was chosen by Track and Field News as the male World Athlete of the Year. He won the gold medal in 400 meters the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, and a gold medal in the 4x400m with Wariner running the third leg. He is sponsored by adidas.

 

 

Fitting Tips

The sports elite and amateur alike have very specific needs when it comes to their eyewear. Whether plano or Rx, there are certain factors that must come into play to help players make it to the victory lap. The following are several of the important fitting points for this group:

 

Helmet laws. For speed, comfort, and good vision, be sure there is a smooth transition between helmet and goggle. Also, the same set of goggles often need to fit the wearer equally well with or without a helmet.

 

Stay fit. Consistently, the sticking point for sports eyewear is that they stay in place. Sweat, motion, and the elements create a challenge that only well-fit eyewear can meet. Check that glasses are snug, light, and use technology such as shapable rubber temple pieces to prevent slipping. 

 

Clear views. Nature�s elements are tough enough, and fog inside of lenses is a red flag for competitors. Well-ventilated frames help fight that battle. Good peripheral vision with goggles and sunwear keeps the visual field open. Look for low-profile designs that minimize bulk and allow for a broad range of vision.

 

Forget about it. Always try to ensure that sports participants can put on their eyewear and not think of it again until the competition is over.

 

 

An Athlete�s Unique Perspective

Michael Stone is a Boulder, Colorado-based triathlete faced with partial blindness from retinal disease. While his limited sight keeps him at a slower pace, he says it is the proper eyewear (he is sponsored by Zeal Optics) that helps him continue to compete in triathlons like the Ironman.

 

His competitive nature also translates into a passion for charity fund-raising�he has raised over $250,000 for retinal degenerative diseases research with the Foundation Fighting Blindness (www.fightblindness.org).

 

 

EB: What causes your visual impairment?

 

Stone: I have retinal degeneration. It is a disease called Cone-Rod Dystrophy that ends up in blindness; it�s a genetic disease. I was diagnosed about three years ago. But I ended up doing six Ironmans in the last three years. I didn�t have much of an athletic background, but I found it a great way to fund raise.

 

 

EB: What are your limitations on competing in triathlons?

 

Stone: I am an average to above-average Ironman triathlete. The vision thing definitely slows me down. It�s hard on the bike and extremely challenging in swimming because it�s difficult to see the buoys used to mark the course.

 

 

EB: How does your sports eyewear help you compete?

 

Stone: I am extremely sensitive to light in general. That�s where the eyewear comes in. The eyewear helps provide contrast to me. I have tried them all and these lenses really work for me.

 

 

EB: What are your favorite features about the eyewear you use for your sport?

 

Stone: I wear lenses in a brown-amber tint. The lenses really focus on providing contrast and clarity. I don�t need to squint, even when riding in rain which typically blinds me. I also love that the frames stay on in a variety of conditions. I always had glasses sliding down my face and I was constantly making adjustments, but not with this one.

 

 

EB: Do you use polarized lenses?

 

Stone: Yes. The polarized lens works really well. Glare is really bad for my vision.

 

 

EB: What are your goals for 2007?

 

Stone: My goal is to continue fund raising and racing for other causes as well. If we create enough awareness�a lot of people are afraid to do these sports because of their eyesight.