Review: Gunnar Phenom Glasses
Gunnar Optiks is the brain-child of Jennifer Michelson, who, after seeing her husband struggle with his vision during computer use, was concerned about her son following in the same footsteps. The company gets it’s name from her oldest son, Gunnar. It was co-founded with Joe Croft in 2005. Joe has worked for several companies doing product design and creation. Possibly his most relevant experience is the almost 10 years spent at Oakley. Gunnar produces both indoor and outdoor “performance eyewear” glasses aimed at people who view computer screens often.
I recently bought a pair of Phenom glasses The lenses have their i-AMP technology which aims to ease eye strain and increase clarity. This technology is comprised of several other proprietary components: Neoscopic tuning, fRACTYL lens geometry, diAMIX lens material, i-FY lens coatings, and iONik lens tints. While these are mainly marketing terms, the combination of the individual technologies does make a well-rounded product. The Neoscopic tuning means the lenses have a slight magnification to them. The fRACTYL lens geometry is much like my Oakley sunglasses providing a completely undistorted lens. The diAMIX lens material is a special plastic lens. The i-FY lens coatings are anti-glare, anti-reflective, scratch-resistant, and smudge-resistant. Last, but not least, the iONik lens tints are simply the lens colors which are available.
Comfort
They are very light weight and I barely noticed I had them on. I had no discomfort wearing these more than 8 hours a day, every day, during my testing. The nose piece is completely adjustable, too, adding to the comfort.
Build Quality
The build quality of the glasses is great. My favorite part of them is the spring hinges on the arms. These are a great feature that not only make it easier to put on and take off the glasses, but also keep the arms from being deformed while doing so. The metal frames are very strong. I have yet to notice any visible wear on them. The lenses did not scratch during my normal use as well
Performance
Overall, I thought the glasses performed very well. They definitely took some getting used to at first because there seems to be a slight magnification and amber tint to the lenses. Amber lenses are certainly not a new idea to help improve visual contrast. Marksmen have been using amber lenses for years.
The only issue I could not remedy was that the anti-reflective coating on the lenses did not work well enough. I tried several different lighting situations but in each I had a reflection of my eyes staring back at me.
Final Thoughts
I definitely would not suggest that everyone run out and buy a pair of Gunnar glasses. I would, recommend them to people who are sitting in front of a computer screen for 8 hours or more every day. Professionals who use computers for a major part of their job may consider buying a pair of Gunnars, especially if they experience pain related to long hours spent staring at a computer screen. I think the Gunnar eyewear did live up to the majority of their claims and worked well.
I will be keeping mine and using them daily
