About a month ago I was driving to the range to hit a few balls and when I got there I realized I had forgotten my sunglasses. I stood in the parking lot trying to decide if I really wanted to drive all the way back to my house or just tough it out and spend a bit less time at the range. Being the lazy person that I am I decided I was going to tough it out. So I got a bucket of balls, set up at the range and began striking my 7-iron. After about two minutes I realized that this situation just was not working for me, I simply cannot hit balls without my sunglasses. So the queen of laziness (that would be me) packed up my stuff and drove back to my house just to get my glasses. I then turned around and headed back to the range. Lesson learned; never leave home without eyewear! Needless to say when Callaway Golf asked THP if they wanted to try some samples from their 2011 eyewear collection, without hesitation, I said yes.
We received two models from the 2011 line of eyewear from Callaway Golf. One ladies pair called the Callaway Solaire Couture in black, and one men’s pair called the Callaway FT-iZ in black. To be chivalrous we will let the ladies go first.
Ladies Callaway Solaire Couture Details:
- NEOX Technology: Neox lenses offer the sharpest and most accurate vision you can get for your game, enabling you to see angles and lines with greater sharpness.
- Fashion Performance frame
- Performance and style
- Full wrapped coverage
- Optimum lens coverage area
- Mid-weight TR90 material
- Fits Ladies Fashion Small-Med
- Ergonomic wrap
- Balanced fit for comfort and performance
- NX14 lenses are slightly darker, allowing 14% light transmission
Last year we did a review on the 2010 eyewear line from Callaway Golf where we talked about the ladies Couture sunglasses and at the time we really liked them. Fast forward a year and we have a similar name but an advanced style that I just adore! From the minute these arrived I was in love. I slipped them onto my face and they fit like a glove. I had full eye coverage with the clearest, sharpest view I have ever experienced. Normally sunglasses change the color you see, which used to not really bother me, but with the Callaway Solaire Couture this change doesn’t occur. Instead everything looks perfectly crystal clear, like you are watching the world in HD (high definition). Now, I can’t imagine looking through any other kind of lens. The color change, that used to not bother me, is now the first thing I notice with other eyewear. I have tried to come up with a negative for these glasses and I really can’t. They are fashionable, comfortable, packed with technology and give you the sharpest, clearest sight on and off the course. I guess if there was one thing I could complain about it would be when I push them up onto my head (like a headband) they grab at my hair a little. If that’s the only thing I can come up with then I think it’s safe to say these sunglasses are pretty close to perfect! The Ladies Callaway Solaire Couture are available in black and white, as you can see from the picture we tested the black, and they retail for around $124.99.
Let’s move on to the men’s.
The Callaway FT-iZ:
- NEOX Technology: Neox lenses offer the sharpest and most accurate vision you can get for your game, enabling you to see angles and lines with greater sharpness.
- Transitions SOLFX Technology: Transitions SOLFX sun lenses use the same state-of-the-art photochromic technology that is in Transitions lenses, harnessing the power of the sun to change the darkness and color of the lenses.
- Tech/performance style frame
- Magnesium / Aluminum alloy construction
- Lightweight yet highly durable material
- Semi-rimless design equals zero distraction
- Fits Med-large head shape
- Adjustable nose piece
- Megol rubber nose and ear tips provide secure ‘non-slip’ retention.
- Hinged temples for versatile sizing
For this review we are only covering the Callaway FT-iZ in black, but if you head over to the Callaway website www.callawaygolf.com you will see that they have a ton of great eyewear options for 2011. Fellow THP staffer, Josh B., was the lucky person to test out these sunglasses and he had a lot of great things to say about them. His first impression was that they were extremely light weight, which was a huge plus for him because he isn’t someone who generally wears sunglasses; however, he has been trying to wear them more because Florida summers can be brutal. The frames support the top of the glasses but when you look at them it appears as though they are rimless, which is a style both Josh B. and I liked a lot. By having this rimless appearance it seems to make the sunglasses more flexible allowing them to fit heads of all shapes and sizes. The lens feature the Transitions Technology used on tour with pros like Callaway tour player Trevor Immelman. The lens have a bit of a yellow hue to them so color is slightly distorted but just like with the ladies pair everything is crystal clear. It really seems as though things are enhanced when wearing these, which Josh B. very much liked. He found the FT-iZ eyewear to be extremely comfortable, especially around the nose area due to the adjustable nose clips. Between the lightweight feel, sharp vision and comfort Josh caves these a very high passing grade. Who knows, maybe he will become a sunglasses addict like me.
The technology and features on both pair of sunglasses we tried went beyond our expectations. Callaway has a really solid offering for 2011 and with so many options there really is a pair of sunglasses for everyone. The men’s FT-iZ retail for around $199.99 and while the price tag might seem high we strongly believe that sunglasses are just as much an investment as a driver or putter. For more information on the rest of the Callaway 2011 eyewear line you can visit their website here.
Your Accessories Guru,
GolferGal
Good write up GG, I wish my vision was good enough to allow me to play without my full time glasses and to wear a pair of these. They look awfully sharp to me and the description of seeing through them in HD is very much a point anyone would wish to see for themselves.
I like the look of their line this season and have always been a fan of the Callaway eyewear. Thanks for the info and write-up GG!
mmmmm, FT-iZ sunglasses please! They look fantastic, and I love the fact that they are “rimless” under the lens. I can only imagine how comfortable they are.
Good review GG. Sunglasses = don’t leave home without them!
Good stuff GG! These look really nice…maybe the Callaway Morgan Cup staffers will be lucky enough to get some eyewear for the event!
Those are some beauty shades!
The lenses in these shades are the real deal. They truly do make it look like you are viewing things in HD. A good pair of sunglasses is definitely worth the money. Great job, GG!
They are great Sunglasses. Callaway actually had a spot set up to hit balls in the sun with them on. This way you could see how they worked. Nice write up GG.
Great review GG, loving the looks offered this year. The transitions lenses are an added bonus, especially for people like me that forget to take them off indoors sometimes.
Nice write up GG. Im really liking those FT-iZ’s!!
Nice write up GG. I like the looks of the FT-iZ.
excellent review, I went to the website and I am quite impressed with the offerings they have this year in eyewear
Nice write up GG. I don’t know if those glasses are my style of glasses, but they sure do look nice. I might have to check them out next time I am at the golf store.
nice review GG! I am very interested in what Callaway has put out for eye wear this year. Like others have said above, those FT-iz’s look fantastic!
Excellent write up. I always wear my (prescription) sunglasses on the course because of the UV rays.
Great write up GG! I love the styles offered by Callaway. The FT-iH is definitely one of my favorites. I was looking through the site, these offer prescription lenses as well? I have transitions now and I’m not a huge fan of them off the course but on course they work wonders.
Great write up GG! I love the look of the Solaires. I love sunglasses that give full eye coverage. I may have to look into a pair of these.
Great article GG!!! I like the FT-iz glasses and will check them out at my next opportunity.
I never buy “expensive” sunglasses. I am of the club who buys the $10-$20 pairs you find in convenience sotres and stores like Target and Walmart. The frames last fine but over the course of the summer the lenses will scratch. How do these hold up, scratchwise (I know you only had them for a short time).
Normally the scratches on thesed cheap pairs are minimal and you don’t notice them but if they happen to drop to the pavement you know you are going to pick them up and they will have a big scratch right where your eye is looking forward! Basically I am asking how is the sratch resistance of these? Are these going to last 5 or 10 years?
Great review GG!! I am liking the styles Callaway is bringing to the table. Very nice glasses!
Nice write up GG! Great read, love the information. I’m not in the market for new shades at this time but future reviews like this will definitely help sway my decision.
You have me wishing that I did not just buy a new pair of sunglasses. Maybe I can return them…
Excellent review GG! I was really impressed with the Callaway eyewear offerings when I first saw them at the PGA Merchandise show in January. I have since been looking at them online and like what I see. I’m glad they worked out well for you! The only issue I have is the price tag, but I’m sure they’re worth every penny.
Good stuff GG! I never leave home without sunglasses when I play or practice (one of the downfalls of having light colored eyes). I love the look of the FTiz’s and their rimless feature.
Got the FTiz’s last week! Great shades!
Great write up. I like the looks of them.
Nice review. I wish I could hit balls with glasses on. For some reason I can’t do it, but I’d like to give these a try.
Great write up GG. The FT-iz’s are growing on me.
Great writeup. Love the rimless look.