How many people have heard of Gatorz sunglasses? When our blogging manager told me about them, he said they’re his favorite glasses and he has 3 different styles he wears throughout the year.
I was asking what he thought because I had my Oakley’s with the Prism technology stolen while hiking in the Rockies in September. I was devastated because I knew I couldn’t just buy another pair of $250 glasses right away.
I chose to take my boss’ advice and look into Gatorz to see if they were as impressive as he said they were. Fortunately, he was right on with his recommendation of the Delta Series Gatorz Sunglasses. I’ve worn my Delta Smoke Polarized Gatorz for 2 weeks now and I absolutely love them.
Gatorz was created all the way back in 1989 in San Diego, California for use in extreme sports and Special Operations Forces (SOF) located in San Diego. As most of our readers are military or veterans, you know that San Diego is home to one of the biggest naval bases in the world.
San Diego is home to the Navy SEALS, where they train in skydiving operations, gunboat training, and counter-terrorism. For them to choose Gatorz over the competition says a lot about what makes Gatorz different.
Gatorz frames are made with solid billet aluminum that can easily withstand wind forces of over 100 mph without breaking or flying off your head. Extreme sports athletes, such as free-fall parachutists, base jumpers, motocross, and mountain climbing all use Gatorz sunglasses.
Besides being durable enough to withstand high winds, they’re also designed to withstand extreme heat and cold without losing the integrity of the frame. I think they nailed the motto of creating a pair of sunglasses for “Mission-driven people". When I first picked up my Gatorz, I was initially surprised about the weight of the glasses, but once I put them on, they felt light on my head. My Delta Polarized pair feel perfectly balanced and rigid enough to
Some of my favorite characteristics about Gatorz is they’re American owned, operated, and all glasses are made in America. I know not everybody cares about where a product is made, but I think it’s an understatement to say we need to bring back manufacturing to our country.
Courtesy of Gatorz Facebook Page
Who Were the First to Wear Gatorz?
Navy SEAL Teams One, Three, Five, and Seven along with many other Navy SOF were some of the first people to wear Gatorz glasses in the field. When multiple SEAL teams and members of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) actively reach out to find these glasses, you know they must be good. In the past decade, Gatorz has expanded to include all military, extreme sports, and first responders. The durability and simplistic design are just two of the characteristics that stand out from the competition.
All 7 styles of Delta sunglasses have the exact size frame, but they each have a characteristic, such as a lens color, size, or purpose that separates them from the others. Since I only have experience with the Delta Smoke Polarized Lens, I want to focus my review on the pair I have.
Specs
Delta Frame Specifications
Frame Width
5.5" (141mm)
Frame Height
1.69" (43mm)
Nosepiece Height
(24mm)
Nosepiece Width
(30mm)
Lens Width
1.81" (46mm)
Lens Height
1.69" (43)
Temple to Temple (length is Adjustable)
up to 5.2" (132mm)
MSRP
$220.00
Delta Polarized/Non-polarized Sunglasses
The Delta polarized sunglasses come with a camouflage carrying bag that acts as a cleaning cloth to wipe off the lenses if they get smudged or you get dirt or water on them. I haven’t ever worn a pair of sunglasses with such a large metal frame and I had some reservations about the level of comfort and practicality.
I now have worn the Delta Smoke Polarized Gatorz on 4 long runs of 7-10 miles on both concrete in my neighborhood and on trails in the National Forest. As much as I have tried with moving my head back and forth while running or jumping down steps, my Gatorz stays on my head with almost no movement. I’ve also hunting with my Gatorz for 4 separate hunts in tree standing and hiking through woods with no issues of fit or comfort. Whether it’s running, jumping, hiking, hunting, or climbing trees, It feels like the Delta Series Sunglasses have been made for an active lifestyle.
SUBSCRIBE TO RECEIVE OUR LATEST BLOG POSTS
As you can see from the picture below, the tips of the frame are very thin and slide under any beanie or ear protection. Originally, I thought the rigidity of the frame would cause discomfort or pain when my hearing protection pressed on them. However, I was pretty happy to see that the metal didn’t dig into the side of my head like I thought it would.Courtesy of Gatorz Facebook Page
I chose the Smoke lens color because I want to use these glasses as my everyday pair, including hunting. Even though deer don’t see color well, wild turkeys have incredible vision and would never let me close.
The Smoke Lens is designed to enhance the color perception of your environment, significantly reduce the glare from the rising or setting sun, and reduce eye fatigue. I have bad eyes as it is and I love the fact that the sun isn’t creeping in my peripherals and overpowering the polarization on my glasses. When summer hits I can’t wait to take them out on my kayak on the river to see how they do on the water. Another reason I chose the Smoke was it’s meant to block the reflection of the sun on the water so your eyes stay fresh for longer.
Pros
Cons
The fit is perfect for me even though the frame isn’t too tight to my head
I noticed hunting yesterday in 20 degrees weather that the metal frames can get cold if left to the elements. As soon as I put my balaclava on and over my frames, they warmed up almost immediately though.
Delta Sunglasses are ultra-thin, but they feel incredibly durable
Even though they feel heavy relative to plastic, the Delta Gatorz feel perfectly balanced
Improves my color perception for sunrise and sundown for better clarity while I hunt
Gatorz is so much more impressive in person than any picture I’ve seen yet
Should I Choose the Delta Sunglasses?
Maybe because I didn’t have high expectations or couldn’t believe that I could find sunglasses I liked more than Oakleys, but I’m blown away by my new Gatorz Delta Sunglasses. The color perception in low light is the most impressive feature of the Gatorz Delta. When I’m hunting in the morning and the first light comes up, it’s unsafe to take a shot until 15 minutes or so after the first light. The Delta sunglasses are able to use limited light to enhance the true colors that I see in the woods to cut that time in half and gives me an earlier shot if I needed it.
The Smoke Lens allows me to gain the advantage of seeing my surroundings earlier than I ever would with my naked eye or most other sunglasses that I’ve tried. I highly recommend ensuring that you get the polarized lenses and add the smoke color coating to prevent the glare of first light or sundown from ruining a final shot in the golden hour.
Does Gatorz Offer Military and First Responder Discounts?
Active Duty Military, Veterans, and first-responders are all offered a 20% discount at checkout. If I’m being honest, the biggest reason I was willing to take a chance on Gatorz glasses over buying another pair of Oakleys was the veteran discount of 20%. There are a lot of companies that offer military discounts, but the majority that I’ve seen is around 5-10% with an occasional 15%. I was able to save $44.00 at checkout for an American-made pair of sunglasses that are more durable and practical for my lifestyle than any other pair I’ve had before.
Stay Tuned to the RE Factor Tactical Blog and be part of this all VETERAN-run website. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for exclusive content and deals.
Leave a Reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *