Reviews > Eye Protection and Binoculars > Sun Glasses > Ryder Eyewear Intersect Interchangeable > Test Report by Thomas Vickers

Ryders Eyewear Intersect Sunglasses

Initial Report - April 9, 2008
Field Test Report - June 22, 2008
Long Term Report - August 26, 2008

Tester Background:
I grew up in the piney woods of southeast Texas. Camping was a quick trip into the mosquito-infested woods behind the house. My style has evolved and over the last 4 or 5 years, I have begun to take a lighter weight approach to hiking gear (I still use sleeping bags and tents, just lighter versions). While I have flirted with lightweight hiking, I feel that I am more of a mid-weight hiker now. My philosophy is one of comfort, while carrying the lightest load possible.


Initial Report
April 9, 2008

Initial tester expectations:
When I initially applied for this test, there was no information on the Ryders website about these sunglasses.  Just prior to their arrival I received a link to a fact sheet that provided some detailed information about the Intersect line of glasses.   I was still nervous about their arrival because I really could not figure out what to expect. I had a lot of unanswered questions after looking at the fact sheet, but I figured that sunglasses were sunglasses, but as usual, I have been wrong before. Also a little confused about the lens. I was not sure what lens were coming with the Interesct glasses and the lens chart on the website added to my confusion as to how to use what ever color of lens that did arrive.

Arrival:
The Ryders Intersect Sunglasses arrived with a hot red frame (sku R367-003), a carrying bag, a harder (yet still soft) carrying case, a soft lens case (fits inside of the carrying case), and three sets of lens (brown, orange, clear). The only thing that I did not find in the box was instructions on how to remove and insert the lens.  This seemed like quite an oversight because the last thing that I want to do is break the frames before I have even had a chance to wear these sunglasses.

Manufacturer's description/information:
"FRAME TR90 duraflex,  LENS interchangeable, optically correct polycarbonate, PROTECTION 100% UVA, UVB, UVC, FEATURES interchangeable lens · hydrophilic, adjustable nose pads · inset hydrophilic temple tips,  RX adaptable, depending on prescription,  FIT medium–large"

Tester's Description:
The Ryders Eyewear Intersect sunglasses are cool. The frame is a bright metallic red color that I am starting to like more and more. The black rubbery nosepads sit behind the bridge of the frames instead of under them.  The bridge curves slighty and attaches to both temple pieces with a well hidden and firm hinge.  The temples do not flop around and require some effort to open and close. On the outside of the left temple is the word "Ryders" and on the inside of the left temple piece there is the Ryders website address. The right temple had the Ryders logo on the outside and the Sku number and the word "Intersect" on the interior.   The bottom of each temple piece is flat and lined with what Ryders eyewear refers to hydrophilic temple tips.  I am assuming that this material is there to keep the temples (and the sunglasses) from sliding across the top of my ears. The Intersect sunglasses came with the brown lens installed and after inspecting the whole system closely I realized that all three sets of lens contain indentations in the top that when inserted into the frames form vents. I am hoping that this line of small half circle shaped vents will help with lens fogging when I am entering or existing areas with temperature differentials that will cause the lens to fog.

Each of the three lens are the exact same shape and size.   They are roughly rectangular with small cut outs and indentations along three sides.  At this point I am again assuming that these indentations are a) the vents I see on the brown lens) and b) points at which the lens clip into the frames. I will present more information on this in my next report.

Also included with the Intersect sunglasses was a carrying bag (with drawstring closure), a larger 'soft' case that will also carry the Intersect glasses when folded shut, and a soft carrying case that holds the two extra sets of lens.  I am really happy to see that the lens carrying case can either be secured inside the soft case along with the glasses, stuck in the carrying bag with the glasses, or carried separately without either the case or the bag.  This is flexibility that I enjoy when it comes to how I have to carry things, especially when the manufacturer seems to have foreseen how I might want to carry the glasses and spare lens. 

Initial thoughts:
I am impressed by these sunglasses. Despite my initial scowl at not finding directions on how to insert/remove the lens, I am still impressed by how light weight the whole system is as well how many options that Ryders Eyewear provides to safely carry and transport the glasses and extra lens. 

I use sunglasses on a daily basis and I am really looking forward to putting this pair through the paces.  There are certain sunglasses issues that I have on the trail and I will learn soon enough if the Ryders Eyewear Intersect sunglasses are up to the task. Let's hope that I can figure out how to change lens without destroying anything.

Things I like:
Light weight
Good options for storage/packing
lens can be carried separately from manufacturer supplied cases

Things I don't like:
No instructions on how to change lens
No instructions with the glasses on best environment/uses for each lens type

Field Test Report
June 22, 2008

Test Conditions:
Temperatures: 70 - 100 F (39 - 56 C)
Precipitation: none to heavy rain
Altitude: 250 - 280 ft (76 - 85 m) above sea level

Test locations:
Sam Houston National Forest
W.G. Jones State Forest
Other Southeast Texas locations

Test activities:
Day hiking
Geo Caching
Driving
Swimming
Climbing, belaying and rappelling

Wearing the glasses:
During the test period I used the Intersect sunglasses everyday. Whether it was using them while driving, hiking, running, working in the yard, or any other of the strange things that I do, I had these sunglasses on. No matter what the weather or temperature was like, I wore the Intersects. Out of nearly 60 days in this phase of test, I can honestly say that I wore them at least once a day and on at least 10 days, I wore them all day from 9 am till at least 7 pm. The Intersects have seen a great deal of use and they still look great with almost no wear showing.  I am really impressed that after my rough handling, none of the lenses are scratched or damaged in any way, even after some drops and other interesting things being done to them.

Changing the lens:
The first thing I had to figure out was how to change the lens in these sunglasses. The Ryders Eyewear Intersect glasses did not come with any instructions so I was pretty much on my own to figure this out.  After some pushing, pulling, bending, and flexing, I came away with I think is the best and easiest approach to removing lenses.  The first thing I do is flex the frames upward (near the nose piece) and pull the lens down and away from the frames. Once the lens pops free near the nose piece, I then pull it down and out, away from the temple piece.  To put a lens in the frames I just reverse the movements. I insert the lens into the frames at temple piece (near the hinge), flex the frames near the nose piece and snap the lens in place. I have practiced this quite a bit and so far it has worked pretty well. 

Which lens to wear:
The first lens I used was the brown set that came already in the frame. I used this lens in several different locations and activities and I decided that I really like the brown lens in bright conditions. The brighter the light, the more I liked these lenses.  They allowed me to see with great detail and did not seem to impair my depth perception at all.  This was definitely something I like as the spring time gets brighter here in Texas.  The one place that I did not like using the brown lens was in the diffused or soft light of the forest. I wore them several times while day hiking along shady forest trails and I had more trouble picking out details in the terrain and vegetation.  So my next step was to try the orange lens in more diffuse lighting situations because the brown ones are definitely for very bright situations. 

The one thing I had a bit of trouble with, was figuring out was a use for the clear lenses. Luckily for me, when my wife starting pitching fits about wearing eye protection while working in the yard, I found the perfect use for the clear lenses. I also like to use them first thing in the morning when I catch a lot of spider webs across the trails.   The clear lenses let me keep the Intersects on pretty much all the time and when I need more protection from the sun (and less from spider webs) I simply change the lenses out.

Wearing the Intersects:
One thing that usually bothers me about sunglasses and hats is they tend to squeeze my head.  This leads to headaches and then I usually toss the offending item in my pack and try and forget about it.  I have discovered that not only do the Intersect sunglasses not squeeze my head, but I never even know they are there. There is no squeeze and the weight seems to be nonexistent.  It is almost as if they are made of air.   This is something that I really like because I need eye protection when outdoors and to finally find a brand/model that causes me no physical discomfort seems like a miracle.

Another aspect of wearing the Intersects that I have really come to like is that they stay put. It doesn't matter if I am driving, hiking, running, belaying a climber, rappelling down a climbing wall, or laying on my stomach looking over the top edge of a climbing wall because the Intersects stay on my head (and over my eyes) without any extra straps or adjustments.  This is extremely important to me when I am 35 feet (11 m) up a wooden tower attaching climbers to a zip line.  I already need four sets of hands to handle the ropes, clips, and carabiners while steadying freaked out climbers. Having to adjust or grab for sunglasses would be just another pain for me, but after spending three days working the zip line in all sorts of conditions, it was nice to feel confident that the Intersects were going to keep the sun out of my eyes and stay on my head, no matter what I was doing.

Wear and tear:
I am rough on sunglasses, especially when I have to wear them on a daily basis. The good news is that the Intersects have held up to daily abuse and really don't look any rougher for the experience. All the lenses still snap tightly into the frames and there is pretty much no scratches or other damage to the lenses.  The frames are also in good condition and the only sign of wear that the frames show is were the gold paint has rubbed off the Ryders logo on one temple piece. The hinges still work smoothly and hold the temple pieces open or shut. There is no 'free swing' to the hinges, they are tight and have not loosened up due to opening and closing of the sunglasses.

Final thoughts:
I have really enjoyed the Intersect sunglasses so far. They have wound up being durable as well as stylish and they provide my eyes with the varying levels of protection that I need during the day.  Most of the time I carry the soft lens case with me in a pocket so that I can change lenses whenever I need to. At this point I don't carry the bag or case for the frames because I have them on most of the time. If they are off my head, they are either sitting on the table or hanging from the ridgeline of my hammock.  The interchangeable lenses mean that I simply change lenses to meet the situation instead of taking off the sunglasses if they don't meet my current requirements. Sometimes I think I may look silly walking around camp in the evening or mornings with the clear lenses on, but it means that I know where the Intersects are (on my head) and they are not going to get lost or stepped on that way. I also enjoy the fact that they are comfortable no matter what I am doing or wearing. After three days of wearing them under a climbing helmet, I had no issues with them rubbing, chafing or coming out of place on my head. They are just plain comfortable to wear, no matter what the situation is.

Things I like:
1. They stay in place
2. Light weight
3. Durable

Things I don't like:
1. Coworkers calling me "Bono" when I wear the orange lenses


Long Term Report
August 26, 2008

Test Conditions:
Temperatures: 70 - 100 F (21 - 38 C)
Precipitation: none to heavy rain
Altitude: 250 - 280 ft (76 - 85 m) above sea level

Test locations:
Sam Houston National Forest
Other Southeast Texas locations

Test activities:
Day hiking
Driving
Swimming
Climbing, belaying and rappelling
Trail running

Breaking them in or breaking them:
Over the long term test phase I have used the Ryders Intersect Sunglasses almost every day. There have only been about four days during the test period when I have not worn them for at least a short amount of time. This means that they have been used for at least 30 days (definitely more) and for at least an hour on each of those days and often upwards of 4 hours.  I wore them all the time and I wore them long amounts of time.

After all of this wear and tear I would expect that to tear these sunglasses up, but so far they have held up to every bit of abuse that I have handed out. The temple pieces move more freely than they did when new, but they do not flop around easily. Their hinges are still a bit sticky (good) and they have to be opened by hand rather than just flipped out with a turn of my wrist.  I was also hoping to report that I had made it through the entire testing period without scratching the lenses, but just last week I dropped the Intersects on the concrete and scratched the center of both grey lenses.  While not as catastrophic as it sounds (I can still use the lenses without my vision being impaired), I as very unhappy about this.  The good news is that it took four months for me to damage them and according to Ryders Eyewear, I should be able to buy replacement lenses. 

The frames are still in great shape and have not scratched or discolored despite a lot of drops, sweat, and wear on them during the test.  The gold coloring on the Ryders' logo came off long ago, but the frames are still bright red and in great shape. The nose pieces have not bent, warped, or lost their grippiness either.  I am very rough on sunglasses (which is why I prefer cheap pairs) and I am very pleased on how well this pair has held up to daily use at the hands of a proven gear abuser.

Wearing them:
One thing that always bothers me about sunglasses that fit tightly (don't fall off) is that the temple pieces tend to press on my head and cause headaches. It is just a fact of life for me, but not one that I like too much. The Intersects stayed in place very well and despite a firm fit, did not give me headaches.  I can only describe the fit of these sunglasses as being just about as perfect as I could ever imagine for a pair of sunglasses. They were light weight, the nose pieces were comfortable and did not slip, and the temple pieces held them in place without squeezing my head too much.  I wore these sunglasses under/with a climbing helmet on at least 10 occasions and not only were they comfortable (more than the helmet), but they did not fall off my face or slip, no matter how active I was. Best of all, when ever I was out and the conditions changed (less light) it was so easy to pull the replacement (orange) lenses out of my pocket and switch them. The process was quick and easy, plus the small cloth lens holder was easy to carry in a pocket for just such an emergency. 

One thing that I discovered during the test period was that the Ryders Eyewear website has been updated and now contains information on how to change the lenses on the Intersect sunglasses.  I would have loved to have seen this information ship with the glasses, but I give Ryders credit for getting it up in an easy to understand (lots of pictures/diagrams) form on the website. 

I noticed the vents at the top of the lenses when I first took the Intersects out of the box. I had hoped that they would help cut down on the lenses fogging over, but I finally got a good test in on that issue and the vents didn't seem to help. I put the glasses on inside (where it was about 75 F/24 C and almost no humidity) and stepped outside (95 F/35 C and 60% + humidity) and the grey lenses fogged up instantly. They fogged up so severely that I had to take them off and wipe the lenses so that I could see out of them. I can't complain about this though because every pair of sun glasses that I have ever worn has done that here in the wonderful Texas summer.  It was just a long shot hope that the vents would help alleviate this problem. 

Blocking the light:
I have used all three of the included lenses and each of them has a correct set of conditions in which they excel. I have loved the grey lenses for extremely bright sunlight, but I have had a few issues reading GPS screens and watches through the grey lenses, especially if the sunlight is not extremely bright. The grey lenses are also the most used set of lenses that came with the Intersects.  The orange lenses were great for low light situations, especially in heavily wooded areas. I was able to read my GPS and watch with the orange lenses in no matter how low the light level was.  Last, but not least, I tended to use the clear lenses when I needed to protect my eyes from flying debris of some sort. It was very nice to be able to change from "sun glasses" to "safety glasses" within seconds and without losing the comfort of the Intersects frames. 

All three lenses were durable, easy to change, and most importantly, worked just the way I needed them to in the field.  They really made it seem like I had three completely different pairs of sun glasses, but it was much easier to carry the extra lenses than extra pairs of glasses. 

Final thoughts:
I have worn these sunglasses almost every day. They have been used, abused, and generally treated poorly. That is my usual way of dealing with sunglasses and I doubt I will ever change.  Despite the serious amount of usage I put on these glasses, they really have held up.  When I dropped them recently and scratched the grey lenses I was rather distraught till I realized that I could get replacement lenses.  That really made my day because I have enjoyed using these glasses and wanted to keep using them for quite a long time.  The only problem that I have run into is actually locating replacement lenses to purchase. Using the links on the Ryders Eyewear website I contacted all of the online dealers that they had listed and none of them are carrying the Intersect replacement lenses at this point. An email directly to Ryders Eyewear about getting replacement lenses pointed me to an online dealer that carried the lenses.  When I contacted this dealer, they also stated that they did not carry the lenses yet. This is something that I hope to get better closure on in the near future because I want to keep using the Intersects for quite a while.

I am really impressed by the fit of these sun glasses as well as how tough they have turned out to be.  I hate sun glasses that either fall off because the frames  are too loose or give me headaches because the frames pinch my head. The Intersects fall right in between both of these fit extremes for me and this makes them very comfortable for me to wear for long time periods. I look forward to using the Ryders Eyewear Intersect Sun Glasses for a long time after this test series is done, especially if they keep holding up as well as they have so far.

Reviews > Eye Protection and Binoculars > Sun Glasses > Ryder Eyewear Intersect Interchangeable > Test Report by Thomas Vickers