Smith Touchstones with Polarchromic Copper Mirror
Smith Optics Touchstone Sunglasses
When sitting down to write this review I was trying to think about what I really look for in a pair of sunglasses. They need to provide good coverage, eye protection is a must; you never know where those hooks are going to end up. The lenses need to have great optical clarity, and they must be durable – lenses can be crystal clear but they can’t get scratched by the first twig to brush your glasses. They need to provide good contrast on the water to give you the ability to see into the water in more conditions. And finally, they need to look good.
Check out those Shades
Since I bought my first pair of Smith sunglasses I have been a fan; they have always supplied great style and great quality in their glasses. But it wasn’t until my most recent pair of Smiths that I really fell in love. During the middle of last summer I sprung for a pair of Smith Touchstones.
The Touchstones are a large framed glass that comes with Smith’s Techlite Glass lens. You can get the Touchstone in several different lens tints. I prefer the Polarchromic Copper. The copper lens gives an incredible amount of contrast and I feel like it is the best all-round lens tint. If you haven’t tried Polarchromic lenses you need to, especially if you fish rivers or do any sort of sight fishing. The Polarchromic lenses actually change the amount of light that they transmit depending on the amount of ambient light. That means that you can fish longer – all your buddies are taking off their glasses because they can’t see their flies anymore you are still fishing.
Check out those shades!
The best thing about the lens is the Techlite Glass. Anyone who has fished with me knows that I am a bit of a mess out on the water. I don’t pay attention to anything but the water. With this singular focus, I need glasses that aren’t going to scratch at the slightest touch. The Techlite Glass delivers. After more than a year wearing them I still only have one visible scratch that came from a three foot drop of the lens onto gravel. And these glasses have been dropped, tossed in gear bags, worn through thick brush, wiped with gloves, t-shirts and whatever was on hand and they are still crystal clear.
Check out those shades?
When you add the incredible lenses to stylish frames and great coverage you have the total package. I’ll be honest I was a bit nervous that the Touchstones were going to be enormous once I put them on my face, but I like the coverage. It provides protection as well as a bigger field of view to make sure that you see those fish through your polarized lenses no matter where they are. And boy do they look good!
I would highly recommend Smith Optics. Their lenses are crystal clear and they have a multitude of different lens tints to make sure that you get the one that works for you. They are durable, provide fantastic coverage, and have so many styles that everyone can find a pair looks great on their face.
