I’ve become somewhat of a sunglasses snob lately.
Maybe it’s because I’ve been wearing a lot of great pairs lately from brands like Oakley or Maui Jim. Or maybe it’s because I’m the son of a sunglasses enthusiast who can’t go more than a few weeks without trying on a new pair. (Hi, Dad!)
So when I had the opportunity to check out a new player in the golf eyewear market at the PGA Show earlier this year, I couldn’t resist.
After spending five minutes with TITE Eyewear at the PGA Show, I knew they had something legit. But after spending a few hours wearing the TITE 03 last weekend, I can confidently say that they are more than legit.
They are worthy of boasting.
The definition of “bragging” is relative, right? Some people, like my dad, really like expensive sunglasses.
Others are fine with a good $25 pair of Rs.
These sunglasses (and this article) are not for that crowd.
TITE (similar to Oakley) is for the golfer who wants a pair of sunglasses that aren’t just an accessory. It’s for the guy or gal who views sunglasses the same way they would, say, their shoes or ball or clubs: performance gear.
When viewed through that lens (see what I did there?), TITE’s $200 price doesn’t seem so, well, expensive.
Not everything TITE does is new to the market. But what they bring to the table is more complete than anything else on the market.
A good pair of golf sunglasses needs a few key features.
First of all, they have to fit. If they can’t stay in your face, they can’t do their job.
TITE fixes this with its TITE-TILT technology, a fancy way of saying the stems/ears have a small screw in them that allows for micro adjustments of the temple angle. The ability to adjust this ensures a proper vertical fit on your face.
Second, they should provide contrast. Just blocking the sun is not enough. A great pair of golf sunglasses enhance greens and tone other colors without losing clarity and depth perception.
TITE’s lens technology is, in practice, similar to my experience with what Oakley does. The lens filters out specific wavelengths of light and enhances others. This provides, in my experience, assistance when trying to read the contours of complex greens.
The amount of “pop” these lenses give a green color is absurd. There is no other way to say it. In any lighting condition, it’s easy to see what’s going on with the green.
But what’s the clever feature you teased us with?
Okay, hear me out on this one. Many of you will not care about this little detail. But that’s the thing that sold me on what TITE is doing.
See the top of the frame? It has a silicone band designed to hold onto your hat. As someone who always puts my sunglasses in my hat when I’m not using them and someone who always forgets they’re there, this silly little clip has been a lifesaver.
Or, at least, an ego saver. Because I’m tired of looking like an idiot when I look down and my sunglasses invariably fly off my hat and onto the ground.
Plus, I can’t break them unless I let them!
That, friends, is a W. And that, friends, is also why the TITE 03 is stuck in my golf bag for the foreseeable future. Or at least until my dad confiscates them for his collection.
