Gatorz Eyewear [LONG TERM REVIEW]

After using Gatorz Eyewear for the past 4 years, I felt it was time to give my opinions on them.

The most common question I kept getting was, "is Gatorz Eyewear rated for ballistic protection?" Although I could never say yes, they have always been rated as impact resistant. I’ve been on the range more times than I can count, shooting all day with my Gatorz on, and never experienced any issues.

Get a pair of Gatorz today and not only protect your eyes from the sun and other debris impacts, but look bad-ass while enjoying your freedoms.

My newest addition to the collection is the Z87+ MILSPEC Gatorz Specter. The new Specter is a high-performance frame featuring all the benefits of a wrap style complete with edgy, hard lines.

Comfortable Fit and Durable Design

The frames can be custom fit by slowly bending the heat-treated aluminum to perfectly contour to your face.  Gone are the days of having sunglasses that are never really all that comfortable and cause hotspots behind your ears.

The hinge mechanism that connects the frame and the arms are reinforced by 5 barrel hinges, two per arm riveted in place.

The styling of Gatorz Eyewear is spot on. I was one of those guys always looking for the right pair of sunnies to throw on for the day. Out of the box, the Gatorz fit the bill. And 4 years later they still fit the bill, although now I have to choose which pair of Gatorz to wear.

Specifications

• Hand made in the USA
• 7075 Military Grade Aluminum
• Adjustable Custom Fit
• Stainless dual-sided 5 Barrel Hinges with a Classic 4-rivet System
• Lifetime Warranty
• Impact Resistant Polycarbonate Lenses
• Hydrophobic Coating (Water repellant)
• Oleophobic (Dirt/Grease repellant)
• 100% UV Protection
• Anti-scratch Coating
• Anti-fog Coating

What Sets Gatorz Eyewear Apart From Others?

Most of what sets Gatorz eyewear apart from other sunglass manufacturers is seen in the specifications above. There are, however, a few of those specs that propel Gatorz to another level. Let’s take a closer look at those.

7075 Military Grade Aluminum

7075 military-grade aluminum has a reputation of being the strongest grade aluminum alloy among many other widely used aluminum alloys. It delivers a similar level of strength as many steel alloys, while also possessing the benefits of easy machinability, corrosion resistance, and being lightweight.

7075 aluminum alloy has a reflective characteristic and produces a visually appealing finish when polished. This surface finish often eliminates the need for painting and also reduces the weight of the product.

7075 aluminum consists of Aluminum (90%), zinc (5.6%), magnesium (2.5%), and copper (1.6%). This combination of metals can support stresses that are produced during high-altitude flights, which makes it the ideal option for many aircraft structural components.

Applications in other fields, including those involving recreation, such as bicycling, rock climbing, archery, and gun manufacturers benefit from 7075 aluminum alloy for various components. The military has used 7075 aluminum alloys in the manufacturing of M-16/M4 rifles. It’s no wonder that Gatroz Eyewear chose this material for its frames.

Hydrophobic Coating | Water Repellant

Hydrophobic coatings have a lot of practical applications where it protects the coated equipment or material from corrosion, contamination prevention and protection from other hazardous chemicals.

Hydrophobic coatings have much application today in many industries but more importantly in maritime industries. They prevent the growing of unwanted micro organism on the hull of the ships and helps in increasing the speed of ships which in turn will reduce the fuel costs.

Apart from that, hydrophobic coatings have a usage in automotive industries where these coatings are used on the windshield of the cars to prevent water clogging. The same theory applies to eyewear and why rainwater and ocean water roll right off Gatroz Eyewear.

The fact that this technology was made for maritime environments is a no-brainer that Gatorz would employ this technology since the SEAL Teams are a major consumer of their product.

Oleophobic | Dirt & Grease Repellant

Oleophobic coating provides a certain amount of finger smudge resistance to your eyewear; it doesn’t make it fingerprint-proof, but instead, keeps the grease and oils at bay, not allowing them to adhere to the lens of your eyewear. This is why a simple wipe with a soft cloth will often leave your lenses looking brand new, without the use of any extra cleaning solutions.

If any normal glass surface without Oleophobic coating has fingerprints on it, trying to simply wipe it with a cloth will yield different results. The grease and oils spread across the surface and just smear with the cloth’s strokes, without coming off completely. It generally needs some type of glass cleaning solution to be completely cleaned off. Not the case here.

The Oleophobic layer also has a slightly slippery feel to it, which makes your eyewear lenses feel slick to the touch. This also helps the glass be more scratch-resistant, as reduced friction will cause dangerous materials to slide off the surface, rather than damaging it.

The ease of maintenance and ability to naturally shed dirt and other debris makes this another obvious choice for Gatorz eyewear to use on their lenses.

Why Choose Gatorz Eyewear

Well, don’t just take my word for it. Here is what some others have to say about Gatorz Eyewear.

“When talking about Gatorz Eyewear, it’s the best of both worlds. Durability and performance are all I ask for when I’m looking at sunglasses, and Gatorz definitely packs that 1-2 punch. I hate not having a good pair of shades on and honestly, I never knew Gatorz would soon become a part of my deployment kit over my Oakley’s but they did! First Spear plate carrier, Altama Maritime Assault Shoes, Mags, Weapons, Flash Crashes… and my Gatorz Magnums. They are literally part of my pre-deployment checklist."  – Government Contractor

“When it comes to tactical sunglasses there is a wide range of brands used among Special Operations groups. Out of all those brands, two main brands seems to boil to the top; Oakley and Gatorz. I had no experience using Gatorz, though I had on many occasions seen my co-workers or other dudes in Special Operations units wearing them. My experience lay primarily with Oakley which I am a huge fan of. However, when I opened the box for the Gatorz Magnum sunglasses, I was immediately impressed. The frame is constructed of 7075 Billet Aircraft Aluminum and they felt solid. The fit though is what really sold me on them."  – Active Duty (Air Force Special Operations)

“The very first night I had my Gatorz I was flying out and dropped them without noticing. As Murphy’s law dictates, I stepped on them and thought I had crushed them. Between a combat boot and asphalt ground with loose rocks, I thought it would be a total loss or severe damage, but there was nothing. Literally, not a single scratch on the frame or lenses. I was amazed at the durability. After spending a few minutes reshaping them, they once again fit perfectly. The Gatorz comes with a hydrophobic coating that helps mitigate a lot of excess buildup of moisture on the lenses during rain. When I first landed at my destination, I wore these during a storm that lasted 3 solid days, during which that hydrophobic coating really helped compared to my other pairs of sunglasses." – Active Duty (US Marine Corps)

"I just stuck my face into the wind going 130 knots checking for the drop zone with my Gatorz Magnums on my face and they didn’t budge. I’ve never even tried that with anything else." – Active Duty (Army 82nd Airborne)

Wrapping It Up!

If you’re looking for a durable pair of sunglasses that stay on your face during anything you can throw at it, these fit that exact description. They also look good enough to wear out and about, not just on the range.

The lenses are ANSI Z87+ rated to provide ballistic protection to US Military standards and provide 100% UV protection with a scratch-resistant finish.

From members of elite military units to civilians, everybody wants a pair of Gatorz Eyewear. Even the people that already have a pair want another pair.

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