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Apparel Review


Polarized protection over your prescription glasses with Cocoons Eyewear
 

Date: 11/30/03
Tackle type: Apparel
Manufacturer: Live Eyewear
Reviewer: JIP






Total Score: 8.16

Introduction: If you wear prescription eyeglasses, finding polarized eye protection has always been somewhat of a challenge, and not to mention...expensive. Live Eyewear manufactures a line of sunglasses appropriately named Cocoons, which are designed to fit over your everyday glasses and provide 360 degree protection from the sun and the wind.

 

Live Eyewear Cocoons Specifications

Frame Type Conventional or over prescription eyewear
Frame Sizes 5 available
Frame Material Ballistic Nylon
Frame Colors 3 available
Lens Colors 3 available
Features Soft Touch, OveRx, Polar TX, Flex2Fit, Side Shields, Case & Cloth
Price $39.95

   
About Live Eyewear: Live Eyewear, the makers of Cocoons, is located in San Luis Obispo, a scenic town on the central coast of California. For more than 25 years they have been producing quality eyewear with their patented designs. Today their line of sunglasses includes Live Eyes, Live Xtreme, and Cocoons, all designed to keep those harmful UV rays out of your eyes.

 

Live Eyewear's Cocoons offer a fully featured polarized eye protection

 

Impressions: For those who wear prescription glasses and can't wear contacts, you know how difficult it is to find comfortable sunglasses that are polarized. Anglers with good vision have many types of polarized sunglasses to choose from, while people who wear glasses often have a challenging time selecting that perfect pair.

 

Live Eyewear has a solution, while not the most fashionable, they are very functional. The Cocoons polarized sunglasses are made with a semi-flexible frame made out of Ballistic Nylon and comes in 5 different sizes to fit various prescription frame styles. Cocoons feature numerous designs that add to your comfort such as the Soft Touch, Flex2Fit, and OveRx. The Cocoons come in 3 lens colors for different weather and water conditions, and to protect your investment, they all come with a sturdy floating case and a high-grade DuraCloth for cleaning the lenses.

 

The Cocoons come in 5 different frame sizes designed to fit any prescription glasses

 
Real World Tests: Polarized sunglasses are essential for all types of fishing. To test the Cocoons, I wore them for over 6 hours of fishing each day to see how well they fit over my prescription glasses over an extended period.

 

Performance: Even before adjusting the frame to fit, I quickly tested the Polar TX lenses on different transparent reflective surfaces and a polarization test pad, just like the ones normally found at an optics shop. The results of these basic tests were good and displayed the effectiveness of the Cocoons polarized lenses.

 

Next were field tests on the water, where I applied these tools for a bit of sight fishing. First I have to say that being able to choose from 3 different lens colors really helps because each tone performs better in separate conditions.

 

Polar TX lenses have all the benefits of polycarbonate and more

 

Amber lens: While I was trout fishing in the rivers on overcast days, the amber Polar TX lenses performed the best. It eliminated glare off the water and at the same time enhanced depth perception with these crisp lenses. This allowed me to cast the smallest lures near structure with accuracy as I was able to pinpoint the exact spots. Amber is also the color most optometrists would recommend for people who wear glasses, and I found that to be true, but a darker tone of amber would be nice for those extremely bright sunny days.

 

Yellow lens: We didn't test this color, but yellow works similar to the amber lens, but enhances light levels in low light conditions.

 

Gray lens: The best choice for those bright days on the water, the gray lens does a great job at eliminating reflection you might experience on any body of water. While this color didn't provide many of the benefits of the amber lens, it was definitely the more comforting to use on bright days due to the increase in bright light filtration.

 

Good eye protection doesn't mean coverage just in the front. The eyes should be protected from all angles. With any type of sunglasses, if sunlight shines through the sides and causes glare, your sight will be affected. The Cocoons does a great job at preventing unwanted light from getting to your eyes with their side shields and OveRx. The patented design provides a wrap around, 360 degree coverage with an overhanging "lip" on top and below the eyes, blocking any superfluous sunlight that can come from any angle.
 

OveRx provides 360 degree protection along with the Side Shield to keep sunlight from disturbing your vision

  

ComfortNext to having a good polarized lens, comfort is just as important, especially when you're wearing the Cocoons over your prescription glasses. Made out of Ballistic Nylon and Polar TX lenses, the entire sunglass is lightweight, and when adjusted correctly, the Cocoons won't slip off your face while you're fishing.

 

Live Eyewear incorporates their Flex2Fit design in all their Cocoons. The Flex2Fit allows you to finely adjust the temples to fit according to your own profile, such as the amount of pressure and placement. This process should be done prior to using them on the water. I was able to adjust my pair to firmly grasp onto my face without slipping, but getting the right angle took a few tries. If you can't find that perfect adjustment, you might feel some discomfort from the Cocoons pressing against your prescription glasses near the ears after a few hours of use. While these polarized sunglasses hold well during most activities, the Cocoons aren't the best while the boat is running. I felt like they would blow off my face, so I opted to take them off every time before the bass boat reached full cruising speed.

 

Aside from a glare-free comfort to your eyes and the two reasons  mentioned above, there is one more feature that I found comforting, and that's the Soft Touch. Soft Touch is a finish used on all Cocoons' frames that feels non-slippery, soft, and smooth.

 

A neoprene case can be clipped or attached to your clothing. It also floats if you accidentally drop it in the water

 
Durability:
 It's bound to happen, at one time or another we have all accidentally dropped our optics. Cocoons come with a attractive neoprene case for added protection during storage. But during normal use the Cocoons can take quite a beating, and still remain in great shape. When moving around loading gear and such, at times I did crush the Cocoons against surfaces I leaned on, and no harm was visible when I put them on. The Cocoons Ballistic Nylon frames can be bent or twisted and will seldom break. The flexible frame will pop back into its original shape aside from the Flex2Fit temple adjustment area.

 

Having a durable frame just isn't good enough because the lenses are the most important part of this package. The Polar TX lenses are made to be scratch and impact resistant. Polar TX lenses do a great job resisting scratches, but still can't beat the permanence a glass lens offers. After many weeks of use, all three pairs that went through the tests didn't show any scratches. When cleaning the lenses, be sure to either blow off any sand or solids before wiping with the DuraCloth, especially after saltwater fishing.

 

Crisp lenses allow anglers to better discern strike opportunities while targeting schools of fast moving fish

 

Warranty: Live Eyewear provides a lifetime limited warranty to the original owner for their Cocoons sun-wear because they believe in their products. If there are any defects against material or workmanship, they will either repair or replace it within 10 days of receipt. What's not covered is abuse, normal wear and tear, and scratches or breakage of the lens.

  
Ratings:

Live Eyewear Cocoons Ratings (?/10)

Construction/Quality An eyewear that uses a durable Ballistic Nylon for the frame and quality Polar TX lenses that you'll definitely like 8
Performance A polarized sunglasses that fit over the prescription glasses and does a wonderful job at reducing reflections for you to see better through the surface of the water.  It provides good UV and wind protection through its 360 degree "cocoon" shape 8
Price For the same price as other over the prescription glasses designs, Cocoons offers more for the money 8.5
Features A set of features that contributes to UV protection and comfort, and a very nice neoprene floating case to protect them when not being used 8
Design (Ergonomics) Designed to fit any size prescription glasses and uses patented designs for added comfort 8
Application Great for those who needs to wear their glasses while fishing on sunny to overcast days.  The Cocoons can also be worn for those who has perfect vision 8.5

Total Score

8.16


Pluses and Minuses:

                 Plus                                    Minus

J Comfortable over your glasses L Not the most stylish
J Polar TX lenses L Doesn't hold well while the boat is traveling at full speed
J OveRx 360 degree protection  

 
Conclusion: When you're outdoors and especially on the water fishing, it's important to have good eye protection against the harmful UV rays.  For those who wear prescription glasses while fishing, there is now a easy to use solution that allows you to use your own pair of prescription glasses. While the Cocoons aren't the most stylish of polarized sunglasses, they do the job well for those who wear prescription glasses. These sunglasses fit comfortably over your existing glasses, regardless of size, feature a OveRx 360 degree protection against the wind and harmful ultraviolet radiation, and makes use of quality materials to construct the frame and crisp Polar TX lenses. These lenses are very clear and will not distort your vision, even when you're looking through two pairs of lenses. For those, like myself, who wear glasses, we can now easily experience the advantages of polarized vision, and Cocoons make a fine choice for those who seek to fill this need.


 

   

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