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A shield from
glare for anglers, Smith’s VTi Interchangeable Performance Optics (continued)
 Operation
contd': The VTi looks extremely sleek, and would look right at home in
cycling applications, but make no mistake this pair of sunglasses was designed
for anglers. The lens options of polarized copper or polarized brown are
designed to address the main spectrum of angling applications. These shades are
designed to bring out details and eliminate glare from earliest light to sunset.
Unlike very dark lenses that are best used in only bright light, or yellow and
orange tinted polarized lenses which are optimal for low light conditions the
main polarized shield on the VTi covers the main spectrum of angling conditions.
The VTi stays firmly on your face
even when moving around quickly
The 7-base
wrap-style lens features Smith Optics
Tapered Lens Technology™ (TLT™), a precise
thinning of the lens from the center to the edges that eliminates distortion
commonly found in other sunglasses. Like any good pair of optics the VTi
provides 100 percent protection from
harmful UVA, UVB and UVC rays.
The reason they stay so firmly
planted is due to the Megol nosepads
The VTi’s shields are among
the largest physical lenses I have ever fished with, and do a great job covering
my entire field of view, including peripheral vision. With the lenses being so
large I was sure that I would experience some distortion in the corners of the
lenses, a common problem among polycarbonate based lenses, but the tapered lens
technology absolutely lives up to its claims. No matter which way you look, or
where you position the VTi on your nose the field of view is clear and optically
“warp” free.
A look at the hinge of the VTi,
notice how there are additional angles, this helps protect the temple from
vertical stress
I absolutely fell in love
with the polarized brown shield, so much that I probably used it for 85% of the
time during the test. The VTi effectively reduces glare on the water’s surface,
helping me perceive underwater structure and conditions, as well as sight fish.
When it came time to change lenses I found the VTi’s interchangeable design to
be the fastest and easiest system I have tested to date. Changing lenses
is made quicker since there is only one shield, and by pinching your finger on
the edge of the sunglasses and pulling away from the frame it is easy to
separate and replace the lens. In all it takes mere seconds to switch between
shields, and the process can be done rather hastily as the frame never seems
like it is being overly stressed.
In our tests we took shots of the
same landscape both alone and through the polarized lens shield. Notice how it
is easier to distinguish details in the structure in bright light
When fishing in very low
light conditions I turned to the reddish Ignitor lens, since eliminating glare
became less important than perceiving details in the shoreline. The Ignitor lens
helped bring out subtle details and it almost seemed like someone turned on a
light in a dimly lit room.
With the VTi it is easier to spot
the shadows of these two largemouth hovering beneath this dock
Next Section:
Quality Ergonomics 
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