Quality eyewear is paramount if you live an active or on-the-go lifestyle. We got to try the LARK SV Polarized Cycling Sunglasses for several months and they’re worth a gander.
About Outdoor Master
Outdoor Master has a line of products that serve active outdoor enthusiasts. Product categories that you’ll find on the Outdoor Master webpage include “snow,” “water,” “cycling,” and “activities. Products range from helmets, eyewear, inflatable paddle boards, and outerwear to backpacks, golf bags, and even roof racks.
“Outdoor Master® was founded in 2015 by Leo Liu, a geek with an endless passion for outdoor sports,” is stated on Outdoor Master’s webpage. “In that year, he looked at the price tags of all the tech-intensive products on the market, which at the time were utterly ridiculous, and thought, ‘to hell with that!’ In Leo’s and his friends’ view, price should be the last thing that pushes people away from the joy of the outdoors.”
LARK SV Polarized Cycling Sunglasses
The LARK SV Polarized Cycling Sunglasses are marketed to have “premium polarized protection.” While the glasses don’t have any impact resistance ratings under ANSI standards, the LARK SV glasses are said to be made of “ultra-tough and 10x more impact-resistant than resin, PC lenses protect your eyes from flying debris and accidental drops.”
Outdoor Master further states that the Lark SV cycling glasses are “37% lighter for all-day comfort and feature UV400 protection to block harmful rays” and feature a “polarized coating reduces glare, enhances visual clarity, and helps prevent eye fatigue.”
What else makes them stand out?
The lenses on the LARK SV are wraparound without the frame bisecting lenses. These glasses are made of one lens very similar to the retro Pit Viper-style glasses. The lens shape allows for the glasses to fit close to the face, accounting for cheek contours. Lenses are also outfitted with what I’d describe as ventilation slots.
My experience
When Outdoor Master reached out about having us test and evaluate these glasses, I had to let them know we’re not exactly cyclists. I have a bike, but Lance Armstrong I’m not. So I told their representative that cycling is not our thing, but groovy sunglasses are. After going through the different styles, I settled on the Desert Gold model.
Our LARK SV glasses came with a bullet proof case. Well, not really, but it’s a hulky unit and seems to be designed to attach to a down or top tube on the frame of a bicycle.
The glasses feel great. I ended up wearing them most of my summer and through the fall. While I did not get into some super high impact activities, unless you call cruising the buffet high impact, I can say the glasses impressed.
Overall, they did not rub or wear on me in any way that was offensive. The view through them has high acuity and they do offer great sun protection. The nose pads feel good and the temples/temple tips do not dig into the side of the face or back of the ears. Since they don’t have hooked temple tips and the arms only slightly sweep, there really is no room for behind-the-ear irritation.
The quick and dirty
Pluses: They feel great. Lightweight. Good looking. Fairly affordable at $89.00.
Minuses: Fairly affordable at $89.00 also means for a little more of an investment and you could be in luxury models.
Overall these are great sunglasses. Would they be my choice off the rack? Probably not. But they were perfect for a lot of outdoor settings; whether I was shooting clays or running around theme parks, the LARK SV Polarized Cycling Sunglasses did their job and did it well. We’re looking forward to diving into more Outdoor Master products as time goes on.
