Gear Review: $10 Shopping Mall Kiosk Sunglasses:

Sunglasses from the mall always work better than any pair purchased for more through any specialty retailer. Why, you might ask? Well, first off, you can get a pair for a mere ten dollars, rather than $110 at a specialty store. Sometimes the Kiosk at the mall has a deal for two pairs. And price is important. It would be one thing if not all the sunglasses were made in the same factory in China, but they are indeed made in the same place. I don’t feel like paying an extra fee to cover Oakley’s marketing expenses. As I was saying, price is important. Sunglasses are nearly disposable, especially mountain biking. If you drop them, and they explode on a rock, do you want to focus on the $100 dollar bill you just threw away, rather than focusing on the awesome ride or the dangerous precipice that you are trying to avoid falling off of? Additionally, the hundreds of dollars you save on sunglasses can be spent on stuff that actually provides a marked advantage for the money: shoes, hand made bike frames, suspension, etc.

Another reason is variety. While specialty retailers that carry sunglasses may have a few name brands, the sunglasses they carry will not compare in variety as well as the mall kiosk. Different faces wear sunglasses differently: as such, it is best to be able to try a bunch of different sunglasses on for size. Different lenses work well for different situation, for instance, you may want to see if you can get clear lenses for night riding or shady forested areas. If you find a pair that fits well, and comes in a few color options that you like, I usually will pick up two pair, especially if they provide a discount for doing so. This way I use the first pair, and save the second pair for when the first are lost or broken. I have even seen a good deal on goggles, which are great for winter bike commuting. Most specialty stores would be hard pressed to match the variety available at the mall kiosk.

Sunglasses at the mall kiosk are almost as good in quality as the ones in specialty stores. I believe that the lenses in specialty store sunglasses are probably better than those available at the mall kiosk. I always try on the sunglasses at the kiosk, checking for fit, and to ensure that the lenses do not distort light or vision. I will also set the glasses on a level surface to ensure they are well constructed, and again examine the lenses to see if they distort light. An easy way to check distortion is to see if a straight line (edge of table surface) ‘breaks’ from distortion caused by the lens.

Sunglasses from the Mall Kiosk are superior in many ways. They reduce your concern for damaging the eyewear out on the trail, and allow you to focus your time, money, and energy on things more important than shades: bikes!