Hardcore boaters love the look and feel of nautical wood. Now, with the new wood-frame Nautique Optix shades, a little wood can spruce up the appearance of boat and boater alike.
Nautique Optix was conceived by boaters from Ohio who drew inspiration from classic wooden boats. They come in five different styles that can be crafted from seven different types of wood: mahogany, cherry, maple, oak, zebrawood, bubinga and wenge. Carl Zeiss Vision supplies the grey polarized lenses.
I tested the mahogany Cruiser style, which has a curved sporty look reminiscent of the original Oakley Jackets. I was surprised by how light and comfortable they felt while wearing them, and the polarized lenses met my expectations on the water. I doused them with a little salt water with no signs of wear—the wood frames are protected with a clear-coat for durability.
The frames are thicker than found on plastic contemporaries, but they have a nautical style all their own. The frames cannot be fit with prescription lenses at this time.
$225, nautiqueoptix.com
** CHECK OUT ALL OF OUR GEAR REVIEWS HERE**
