How do we get teens to take better care of their eyes when so much of their daily lives revolve around looking at various screens? That seems to be the question that drove GUNNAR Optiks with the recently introduced Cruz lineup – a set of frames intended primarily for teens.
The principal elements which distinguish the Cruz line from GUNNAR’s other products are the frame size and the price point. The frames themselves are built for a slightly smaller, narrower face profile, and the glasses themselves are priced at a reasonable $39.99 USD. The frames can be had in three different colors – onyx, an onyx to teal transition, and a very bright navy blue with either GUNNAR’s clear or amber lenses.
Image via Gunnar.com
Now in normal GUNNAR reviews, this is the part where I as the reviewer put a new pair of frames through my comfort and usability tests and figure out whether they’re a good match for gaming, long duration computer work, etc. However, as a middle-aged man, I’m not the target market here, except possibly as the purchasing agent. Instead, let’s hear a few comments from my oldest two kids, who’ve each been wearing a pair of GUNNAR Cruz frames for about a month, and went so far as to bring their glasses along on a long family road trip which we took last month.
Gunnar Optiks is getting into the teen and tween markets with the Cruz line.
Junior, aka Electroboy on Twitch, is thirteen, and skinny as a rail. He chose a pair of Onyx frames. Here are his thoughts:
“Before I start talking about the GUNNAR Cruz glasses, I’ll talk about how they look – unless you’re streaming or recording, it doesn’t matter. They might look a little geeky, but the Cruz glasses are comfortable and light. However, like all the glasses I’ve worn, they’ll make your ears start hurting eventually.”
(The kid has 20/20 vision and doesn’t need glasses for regular daily use. Ed.)
“For gaming, the Cruz glasses are supposed to help you not get wrecked. It feels like they give you a little extra zoom when you’re wearing them, which helps in fast games like Fortnite or Star Wars Battlefront II. However, I did have some trouble with night missions being too dark because of the amber tint. Overall, the Cruz glasses are excellent. I like mine and I recommend them because dead eyes mean no more games or anything else needing eyes.”
This girl is not going to let her brothers get the best of her. She sports her own pair of Gunnar Cruz frames in Onyx and Teal.
Adventure Girl is twelve, and chose the Onyx/Teal frames. She had this to say about her Cruz glasses:
“I thought that the GUNNAR Cruz glasses were very interesting. I mean, like before I got the glasses I used to get headaches from looking at the screen for too long. So the glasses really helped me not to get those headaches anymore, because they protect your eyes from screen glare.”
“In my opinion, the GUNNAR Cruz glasses are great for gaming, or just in watching TV in general. Also, you have to consider which color looks best on you. I would strongly suggest pairing them with some long earrings. They also look great for when you’re wearing a bun.”
From my perspective as a parent, the best thing about the GUNNAR Cruz frames is that my kids are actually wearing them. These two don’t often agree on much, but they both agree on wearing these, even if they did arrive at the same conclusion by rather different routes.
GUNNAR Optiks provided us with two pairs of Cruz glasses for this review. My guest reviewers had their reviews edited for grammar, spelling, and clarity. To learn more about the full range of GUNNAR Optiks products, check out their website. All opinions are our own. For adults interested in a pair of GUNNAR glasses, we suggest the Intercept or Riot.
