It’s a beautiful, bright, sunshiny day and you couldn’t be happier. Your eyes are protected and personally there’s no one that can rock a pair of glasses better than you. In an instant, a quick head movement and those awesome, expensive sunglasses are leaving your face and being introduced to the pavement. A best case scenario would be some light scratching but reality strikes you right in the cornea and your lenses are beyond repair.
There are several options to deal with this dilemma. If you have more money than sense, you toss them out and buy another pair or for us average consumers, a replacement lens could be exactly what you need.
Revant Optics has been saving frames, designer ones, since 2010 when this exact situation left another pair of glasses damaged and useless.
Mission statement: Revant is the #1 aftermarket lens provider, offering the widest range of affordable replacement lenses and color variations to bring new life to your favorite frames. All Revant lenses provide enhanced protection from harmful UV light and debris and are backed by our commitment to superior customer service and support.
- Experience Confidence with Revant replacement lenses:
- 100% satisfaction guaranteed
- 60 day return policy
- 1 year warranty
- Free US shipping and returns
In this review we will be testing Revant Optics Elite HC3 lenses in the Oakley Gascan frames.
Features:
- HC3™ Stealth Black (high clarity, comfort, contrast)
- Injection molded, precision polarized HC3™ lenses for complete glare elimination & vivid contrast
- Superior clarity (exceeds ANSI Z87.1 clarity, refractive & prismatic power standards)
- Taper corrected to eliminate peripheral distortion, ensuring accurate and comfortable vision
- 100% infused UV & blue light protection
- 8% light transmission – neutral view tint
- High impact resistant (exceeds ANSI Z87.1 high mass, high velocity standards)
- Revant Elite microfiber transport bag included
- Precision cut and guaranteed to fit
LOOKS
I was sent the Oakley Gascan frames, matte black, with the Elite HC3 lenses polarized in Stealth Black. The combination looks great together and while I think the logo could be used instead of the name Elite it’s not something I noticed in my line of sight. If you are familiar with the Volcom brand the Revant logo is very similar. Like Oakley and other lens manufacturers Revant also offers an HC3 polarized and non-polarized in a huge assortment of tints.
FEEL
The most crucial part of getting a replacement lense is the fit. No matter how great the lens, if they can’t stay in the frame what good are they?
My frames came pre-assembled and they looked just like my past purchases from Oakley. It would of been too easy just to take these out the course and range without trying to actually install these myself.
I was able to pry these lenses out with little effort despite the perfect fit and due to the nice flex of the lenses installation was even easier. The Oakley Gascan looked new again without even the slightest gap between the frames and lenses. The sun has been brutal here in L.A. along with the heat and I’m happy to say from a durability standpoint that I haven’t noticed any unwanted scratches. I’ve dropped more than my share of glasses so the high impact resistance will probably get tested one day, but scratches have been the demise of almost every pair of glasses I’ve owned.
PERFORMANCE
We are a golf site, so this would of been pointless not to test these out on the course and the range. My first impressions after getting the Elite HC3’s were a little apprehensive. The clarity was way better than anything I have ever experienced in a lens that had this dark of an appearance. I was afraid that there wasn’t going to be the protection I needed or the ability to fight glare. Wrong! These are a great driving lens by the way and on the course I constantly watched shots from the tee with better clarity.
Most courses in the L.A. area have thick grass right off the fairways so the ability to track shots off the clubface also improved the likelihood of finding errant tee shots too. I do wish that seeing the hole clearer would make it easier to sink putts, but that is not the case.
Compared to my higher end Maui Jim’s the difference is very minor with on the course results going to the Elite HC3. The Maui Jim’s would still be my everyday pair but that’s partly due to the fit and quality of the Maui Jim frame.
Overall:
I came away extremely impressed with the everyday performance of Revant’s Elite HC3 and blown away on the course with the clarity and ease of tracking shots off the club and down the fairway.
The Elite HC3 is priced at $52 and while there are less expensive models the performance definitely justifies the cost. I would even go as far as saying that these lenses are a step above any of the stock offerings most sunglasses have to offer.
If you’re faced with a cracked lens or annoying scratches do yourself the favor and give Revant Optics a shot!
