KAENON POLARIZED
Ian Ainslie takes a look at the latest fly fishing eyewear.

Emerging brand, Kaenon Polarized™ has been available in Australia for almost two years and offers serious competition to existing sports eye-wear. US magazine OUTSIDE awarded a prestigious 2003 ‘Gear of the Year’ award to the Kore™ model, Kaenon’s flagship sport style, lending further credibility to the brand.

Kaenon claims to be the first polarised brand to offer varying Light Transmission Levels (LTL) which control the amount of light transmitted through the lens to the wearer’s eye. This technology is combined with three lens tints: grey and copper—offered in three LTL—and yellow —offered in one LTL of 35%. The rating means that 35% of available light is transmitted through the lens.

Kaenon uses its own lens material, SR-91, to encapsulate the polarising element. The material passes US standards for high mass impact and has been independently assessed as having maximum optical acuity and clarity ratings. All Kaenon polarised SR-91 lenses filter out all harmful UV and Blue light.

This summer I have tried two pairs of Kaenon glasses—copper LTL12% (the darkest Kaenon lens) and yellow LTL- 35%.

I preferred the yellow lenses while trout hunting in the lakes of the Central Highlands and found the medium tint well suited to my eyes in all weather conditions. I have always preferred the colour enhancing, high contrast properties that a yellow tint seems to produce and even on very bright days I was more comfortable with the yellow lenses.

Tasmania’s east coast has many sparkling white granite beaches and it was there, on bright sunny days, the darker copper lenses felt more comfortable than the yellow. As soon as we left the glare of the white sand and sparkling ocean though and headed out onto Georges
Bay I again preferred the yellow tint when searching the bottom for structure and fish.

I also field tested the high mass impact claim while using a brush cutter to clear some bracken from our camping area. A matchbox-size chip of wood was hurled at my face and ‘luckily’ struck the Kaenons full on. Not a scratch—and for the record I did revert to the uncomfortable full face visor for the remainder of the bracken cutting.

Everyone’s eyes are a little different and glasses that suit one set of eyes and feel comfortable will not necessarily suit the next. The new Kaenon range adds to the choice available and is well worth considering.

RRP for Kore $350.
Further information www.kaenon.com or 02 9660 9133.