Product Review: Kaenon Hard Kore Sunglasses
I am a total junky when it comes to sunglasses, as is evident by the full rack of shades sitting on top of my dresser. I especially love finding a good pair of sunglasses for trail running. That is why I jumped at the opportunity to review the Kaenon Hard Kore glasses. Let’s take a look.
DISCLAIMER: Kaenon provided this pair of sunglasses for the purposes of this review. As such, I always strive to provide an unbiased review for the benefit of both my readers looking for honesty and the company looking to improve their products.
Overview
Kaenon, founded by a pair of sailors (and brothers), has its roots in water sports. They started the company in 2001 to build a product that addressed some of the main limitations and issues with eyewear at the time. The result was a company that has innovated and grown to include several product lines. Today, I am reviewing a model in their Kore Performance line, the Hard Kore. Here are a few key features to highlight:
- All Kaenon models start with their proprietary SR-91 lens. This is their bread and butter. SR-91 not only received the highest optical resolution score that you can get, but was the first non-polycarbonate material to pass the high-mass impact ANSI Z.87.1. In other words, they offer unsurpassed clarity and durability.
- Polarized lens that eliminate glare while offering full broad spectrum UV protection.
- Supports prescription lenses so you don’t have to sacrifice vision quality.
Use
I actually got these at Outdoor Retailer back in August (shame on me for taking so long to review), so I have had several months to wear the Hard Kore and put them to the test. I chose the copper lenses due to their better contrast on the trails and have not been disappointed at all with how they have performed.
Above all else, they provide excellent clarity, allowing me a great view of the trail in both sunny and shaded conditions. The polarization also provided great protection against glare of any sort without distorting the clarity whatsoever. I did have some minor fogging on one chilly and rainy run, but that seemed to be either a one-time occurrence or unique to the cold/wet weather combination. Beyond that, the clarity was never compromised in any other instance over my three months of testing.
From a comfort perspective, the frame stems are a bit wider/taller than you will see on most products out there and there were some pluses and minuses to this design. On the plus side, the added contact to the sides of the head aided to keep the glasses in place. As a result, I never experienced any bouncing or slipping of the frames. The way they hugged the sides of the head also made them extremely comfortable. Most recently, I spent 10 hours running in the Grand Canyon and never felt the need to take them off. These are definitely an all-day pair of sunglasses. On the flipside, I found that the footprint of the frames did interfere with some hats, most noticeably trucker style hats. I usually run in the Headsweats floppy hat style, which gave me no problems, but you should keep that in mind.
Conclusion
There are a lot of sunglass options out there of all shapes, sizes, and price. Kaenon definitely prices alongside other premium brands, such as Oakley and Rudy Project. While they would probably price too high for most people when it comes to everyday wear (myself included), I have always been of the mindset that one should always invest in a great pair of optics when it comes to activewear. Perhaps it’s because I tend to be clumsy on the trails, but I feel that one shouldn’t sacrifice quality when it comes to having crystal clear vision on the trails. That being said, if you are looking to make a solid investment in your gear, you should definitely give a hard look at the Kaenon Hard Kore. Here are my pro’s and con’s.
Pro’s:
- Light weight – They are super light on the face, which keeps you from noticing that they are even there.
- Stable – They don’t slip or bounce on your face, which is important, especially because of how annoying it can be when you have to constantly push sunglasses back up on your face.
- Optics – Probably, the most important feature to any trail runner, I found the optical clarity to be fantastic. I went with the copper lens color because that color provides the best contrast on dirt terrain. These were probably the best quality copper lenses I have ever worn.
Con’s:
- Frames – They do hug the head nicely, but they are stems are wide/tall. I didn’t find this to be a problem without head wear, but since I run with a hat on 95% of the time, I found that they do get in the way with certain types of hats.
- Fogged up slightly during one heavy rain day with cooler (mid 40’s) temperatures. Did not experience this on days when it rained, but the temperatures were higher.
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