|
|
 |
Guest - Not logged in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Reviews > Eye Protection and Binoculars > Sun Glasses > Costa Del Mar Cape Frame Sunglasses > Test Report by Jamie DeBenedetto
Product Information Back to contents
Product Description
Back
to contents Costa del Mar's Cape
Sunglasses offer a large frame fit in a lightweight, impact and scratch-resistant
package. The pair I received have been coupled with 580P lenses in Copper
Silver Mirror. The "P" stands for Polarized Coated Polycarbonate
& Trivex, materials Costa claims are the "lightest and most durable"
options for lenses. The Copper Silver Mirror tint is supposed to provide natural
contrast and is best used in variable light situations. The copper color is
very subtle unlike some of the other lens choices. I didn't even realize it
was copper until I held the glasses up to backlighting. The frame is thick and
wraps around my face somewhat. Apparently it's made from an earth-friendly
bio-resin that keeps the weight down but gives the frames good resistance
against heat and cold and increases its durability. The latter 75% of the
temple arms are slightly flexible with a grippy material running along the
inside. This proprietary rubber is called Hydrolite. At the end of each arm
is a little rectangular hole. Not sure what that's for. The bridge of the
glasses also has two nose pads made of Hydrolite rubber as well. Arrival Condition and Informational Material Back to contents
Expectations and First Impressions Back to contents I was leaving for a weekend in the Arizona high country when the package arrived so I stuffed the whole box in my daypack and tossed it in my trunk for later exploration. When I finally had a chance to check out the Cape's, I was pleasantly surprised to see the stoutness of the case Costa had included. I didn't really pay close attention to the picture on the website so I just assumed the case would be a cheap open-ended foam style thing. When I opened the case the first thing I noticed was how wispy the glasses were. Don't get me wrong, they aren't flimsy, just very light in the hand and even more noticeably on my face. With the larger frame style I thought they might also be clunky or heavy on my nose, thankfully they are not. The website lists the Cape style only under the men's section but I was informed they are also unisex. I personally think they are too big for my face, which is on the slimmer side but they don't look horrible so I'll make them work for testing. With nearly 300 days of sunshine in Phoenix per year I expect to get quite a lot of use out of the Cape sunglasses.
September Short wander in the forest south of Flagstaff, Arizona (AZ). Elevation 6,800 ft (2,070 m). Mostly sunny day, temps in the upper 80's (31 C). This was a get acquainted hike to see how they felt. They were worn for about 2 hours off and on whenever the sun popped out. Day hike along the Verde River, Tonto National Forest, AZ. Elevation average 1,500 ft (460 m). Weather was clear and sunny with a high of 103 F (40 C). On this hike I was on and off trail so they were used for protection from both the sun and the brush. October Day hike next to the Agua Fria River, Lake Pleasant Regional Park, Peoria, AZ. Elevation 1,700 ft (520 m). The temperature was around 86 F (30 C). Partly to mostly sunny. Day hike in the Superstition Wilderness, AZ. Elevation around 2,400 ft (730 m). Temperatures ranged between 64 and 77 F (18 and 25 C). Mostly sunny with a few scattered clouds. November Three-day
camping trip in Usury Mountain Regional Park, Mesa, AZ. Temperatures
fell between the low 70's to the mid 40's (22 and 7 C). Sunny
every day.
Living in a super sunny place like Phoenix means I wear sunglasses almost every time I go outside, particularly while driving. I was thrilled to test a pair of glasses, especially ones that look super spiffy like the Costa del Mar Capes. Beyond the seven field uses listed above they have been used daily. Typically when I get a new pair of sunglasses there is a short break-in period while I am getting used to how they feel on the bridge of my nose and over my ears. To my pleasant surprise this was not the case with the Capes. They are so lightweight they were comfy right out of the box! The slight flex at the end of the arms allow them to kind of wrap around my head a bit without any pressure. Because they are a little big on my face I definitely don't feel any weight pressing against my temples or around my eyes. The cut of the nose bridge seems to fit my face well enough so that it too is not overly tight. The little
pads of Hydrolite rubber on the nose bridge provide a little
cushion and help to keep the glasses from slipping when I'm
sweaty. Although, since the frames are a tad big on me they
sometimes do slide down my nose, most often when I'm bending
over or tilting my head down a lot. This hasn't been a major
issue while hiking or kayaking but it was noticeable while
setting up camp. Rather than risking them falling off my face
or having to fiddle with them I usually take them off if I
think they will be a problem. The slippage can't be completely blamed on the nose bridge, however. The Hydrolite is also used at the tips of the temple arms, which I think is a double edge sword. On the one hand the flex in those arms certainly allows for the comfortable fit I mentioned above, conversely, it may also be a contributing factor in the glasses not holding onto my face quite as snugly. Thankfully they have never fallen off my face completely while wearing them in their normal position over my eyes. They have fallen off a few times while on my head, however, which is where I used to put them when not needed for brief periods. Despite the durability claims from Costa, obviously repeated drops are not good for any sunglasses so I've stopped wearing them that way altogether. Costa del Mar sells retainer cords so I could wear them hung from my neck should I find this to be a problem in the future. Functionally they have been fabulous. The Copper Silver Mirror lens color provides a nice soft change to the harshness of the full sunlit sky or the glare off the lake. They are just dark enough to shield my eyes but not so dark they can't be worn in low light situations like semi-cloudy days or while walking under dense tree cover. Additionally, the mirroring is subtle. It's not ostentatiously reflective or shinny but there's enough so that a person has to be within just a foot (.3 m) or so to be able to see my eyes through the lenses. When
not in use I have been storing them in their case and I try
to clean them with the cleaning cloth regularly. In the field
they have been wiped with a shirttail or bandana a few times
when I've forgotten the cloth. The 580P lenses are holding
up great to my few drops and all the brush I've whacked through,
specifically on my Verde River hike where I was off trail
numerous times. Pleasing Aspects:
Underwhelming Aspects:
Collective Use and Field Conditions Back to contents In
the
last
few
months
of
this
test
series
I
used
the
Costa
del
Mar
Cape
sunglasses
on
an
additional
three
outings
as
well
as
continued
to
use
them
as
my
daily
sun
protection
whenever
needed.
In
total
I've
used
them
ten
times
in
the
field.
December Day hike in the Tonto National Forest near Cave Creek, Arizona (AZ). Elevation averaged 3,400 ft (1040 m) with temperatures in the upper 50's to low 60's F (14 to 17 C). Mostly sunny day. January Two
separate
day
hikes,
both
in
the
McDowell
Sonoran
Preserve,
Scottsdale,
AZ.
Elevation
around
2,600
ft
(800
m).
On
the
first,
temperatures
were
in
the
upper
50's
F
(14
C)
with
sunny
skies.
On
the
second
hike
temps
were
in
the
low
50's
F
(11
C),
partly
cloudy
with
strong
winds.
Final Thoughts Back to contents The Costa del Mar Capes have continued to hold up well to my nearly daily use, a few more drops (regrettably) and short, unprotected stints in the top pocket of my backpack (I found the case a little too bulky to carry with me on hiking trips). More about that in a second. I've become more comfortable with the fit, hardly noticing the larger frame size now. The lenses are surprisingly scratch free. A small miracle if you ask me since I have not been overly careful. Most importantly, the sunglasses function as perfectly today as they did on the day they arrived. I haven't had a lens pop out, both arm hinges retain their original tightness and the Hydrolite rubber on the bridge of the nose and at the ends of each temple arm feel unchanged. My favorite aspect of the Capes, and this is something I've mentioned previously, is their near weightless feel without being flimsy. Prior to using the Capes, a typical day on the trail for me involved hiding under my large brim hat, coupled with lots of sweating accented with a thin layer of desert dirt that accumulated on all exterior surfaces. Adding sunglasses to that mix served to increase the grimy sweaty feeling on my nose and around my eyes with ever increasing pressure over my ears as the weight of my hat pressed down on the temple arms of the glasses. As the miles ticked away, it's amazing how uncomfortable that sensation would become under the weight of heavier frames. Because of this past experience with other sunglasses, I typically wore them hiking only when absolutely necessary. The lightness and comfort of the Capes has completely changed my mind and allowed me the option of wearing sunglasses anytime I'm on the trail. I still get a little sweaty under the lenses but because they are so lightweight and flexible over my ears, I've never experienced temple discomfort no matter how long I've worn them. Due
to
the
afore
mentioned
issue
with
having
the
glasses
fall
off
the
top
of
my
head
when
I've
chosen
to
wear
them
up
there
while
not
in
use
I
thought
it
would
be
nice
to
bring
the
zipper
case
with
me
on
hikes
as
a
safe
place
to
stow
the
Capes.
I
tried
that
a
couple
of
times,
finding
the
semi-hard
shell
to
be
very
protective,
which
of
course
is
exactly
what
I
want
in
a
case.
Unfortunately,
this
aspect
also
makes
it
a
little
too
bulky
for
several
of
my
pack's
pockets,
a
minor
problem
overall
but
one
I
think
has
a
simple
solution.
I'd
love
to
see
Costa
del
Mar
add
a
little
clip
or
at
least
a
loop
where
a
clip
could
be
attached
so
the
case
could
be
hung
from
a
backpack
or
belt
loop.
This
would
also
keep
the
glasses
within
close
reach
while
on
the
trail.
Sunglasses
are
such
an
easy
item
to
lose
while
playing
in
the
outdoors,
I
can't
tell
you
how
many
I've
found
over
the
years
on
the
shoreline
of
our
lakes
and
rivers.
In
my
opinion,
having
an
easy
option
to
securely
store
them
would
be
invaluable. -Jamie J. DeBenedetto - 2019
Read more reviews of Costa Del Mar gear Read more gear reviews by Jamie DeBenedetto Reviews > Eye Protection and Binoculars > Sun Glasses > Costa Del Mar Cape Frame Sunglasses > Test Report by Jamie DeBenedetto | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All
components arrived defect free and undamaged by shipping.
Included in the box was
a little thank you card from Costa and a small tag with details about the
580P lenses as well as the company's Limited Lifetime Warranty. The box also
offered a few helpful nuggets of information, mainly about the 100% UV protection
and build quality, "built by hand using the best materials". I found
all info useful but most of the information I gathered for this report was
from the website. Had I been a customer looking at this product in a store
I certainly wouldn't know about the company's commitment to eco-friendly materials,
which I think is a cool selling point. I'm also questioning why they don't
promote the fact they are made in the USA more. All indicators point to them
being made in Florida, USA but that point of pride, which is generally stamped
on packaging is curiously omitted, leaving me puzzled. 
