Polarized Brown Lens
Smith’s description of the Polarized Brown Lens:
“Polarized Brown absorbs stray blue light and sharpens visual acuity while reducing reflected glare. Provides 100% protection from harmful UVA/B/C rays.” VLT: 15%
JD: The regular Polarized Brown Lens doesn’t seem to provide quite the same “color pop” or level of clarity as the ChromaPop version, but it does give scenes a warmer hue compared to lenses with blue, grey, or green tints, making the world seem “happier,” and leading myself and several friends to dub it “the Prozac lens.”
It’s my favorite non-ChromaPop lens for long-distance driving, as it seems to keep me more alert than cooler lens tints.
WB: I haven’t had any experience with the ChromaPop version of this lens, but Smith’s Polarized Brown lens is one of my favorite all-around lenses due to its versatility. Darker lenses with a grey tint are nice for being outside in direct, mid-day sun, but I find myself taking them on and off if I’m out on a day when fast-moving clouds are passing in front of the sun every few minutes, especially in the late afternoon.
The Polarized Brown lens is light and warm enough that I can keep my glasses on when the sun is blocked, but they’re not so mild that I’m squinting in direct sunlight. The warm, amber tint makes green grass/trees more saturated looking and the golden afternoon light in Colorado and New Mexico even more beautiful.
Polarized Gray/Green
Smith’s description of the Polarized Gray/Green lens:
“Polarized Gray/Green reduces reflected glare and sharpens detail. The Gray Green lens transmits colors the same way our eyes interpret colors. The result is natural vision – true colors that are easy on the eye. Provides 100% protection from harmful UVA/B/C rays.” VLT = 15%
JD: The Polarized Gray/Green lens is generally my favorite for outdoor activities like running, fishing, rafting, and biking. It has a cooler tint to it, but doesn’t seem as dark as the Polarized Gray thanks to the added green tint. The Gray/Green gives better contrast in forests and other shadowy conditions, but I personally get slightly more eye fatigue when using it casually than the Polarized Gray.
Polarized Gray
Smith’s description of the Polarized Gray lens:
“Polarized Gray reduces reflected glare and sharpens detail in true colors. Anti-Reflective (A/R) mirror coating eliminates back glare. Hydroleophobic coating repels water, dirt, and grease. Provides 100% protection from harmful UVA/B/C rays. VLT = 15%
JD: The Polarized Gray lens produces a bluish image that is very easy on the eyes. It’s a great lens for casual day-to-day use, but it can hold its own on runs and bike rides, especially in bright sun. For me it’s a close second to Polarized Brown when driving, and is up there with Polarized Gray/Green for recreating.
WB: If it’s a sunny day, with not many clouds, but I’m on a hike or a bike ride that has me dodging in and out of shady spots under trees, the Polarized Gray lens is a nice one to have. It offers a little more protection than the lighter, warmer Polarized Brown lens, but isn’t as dark as Smith’s Blackout lens. As Jed said, this gray lens’ tint is certainly more blueish than the Polarized Brown, but its color transmission still seems a little more faithful to me; colors may be subdued a little, but they’re not more saturated looking.
If you’re looking for a versatile lens for partly cloudy days or when there is some shade in the mix, Smith’s Polarized Gray lens is easy to recommend (especially if you’re not a fan of the yellowish, copper tint of a brown lens.)
Blackout (Non-Polarized)
Smith’s description of the Blackout lens:
“A Dark Gray lens tint that cuts glare and reduces eye fatigue in very bright, exposed sunny conditions. Also effective at altitudes where bright conditions can become exponentially more powerful from the glare created when powerful mid-day sun reflects off of the snow. Provides 100% protection from harmful UVA/B/C rays.” VLT = 10%
JD: The Blackout lens is a recent addition to Smith’s lens series. It’s the darkest lens in the line, and is not polarized. I’ve worn the Blackout for over a year in a variety of conditions, and it is my favorite sunglass lens to use in very bright light conditions at the beach or on snow. While touring or hiking on snow, I’ve found that I don’t really miss polarized lenses, as there is much less reflective glare than when I’m on the water or in a more urban situation.
The Blackout is also the most affordable lens in Smith’s sunglass line. (A pair of the Smith Lowdown’s with the Blackout lens will run you $70 or $80 for the Gibson.) I’d definitely recommend the Blackout to anyone in the market for quality sunglasses for bright conditions, especially if you’re on a budget.
WB: The Blackout lens is also my go-to for very sunny, bright conditions. It’s a great lens to wear during après ski beers on a warm, bluebird day late in the season, for example.
Stay tuned as we add our thoughts on more of Smith’s sunglass lens options, and let us know your own findings in the comments section below.