Intrepid Sunglasses by Prada
Intrepid Sunglasses by Prada
Designed for BMW Oracle Racing's James Spithill, these shades are guaranteed to turn a few heads. "Gear Up" from our March 31, /SW eNewsletter/
If you're going to wear Prada sunglasses on a raceboat-and you're not James Spithill driving BMW's trimaran-you better prepare for the comments. "It might be helpful if they painted the logo green on the right side," said Larry Emerson, tactician for Bo Kopaniasz' Beneteau 36.7 Sorcerer, on which I guest-crewed at the recent Sperry Top-Sider San Diego NOOD.If you're going to wear Prada sunglasses on a raceboat-and you're not James Spithill driving BMW's trimaran-you better prepare for the comments.
"It might be helpful if they painted the logo green on the right side," said Larry Emerson, tactician for Bo Kopaniasz' Beneteau 36.7 Sorcerer, on which I guest-crewed at the recent Sperry Top-Sider San Diego NOOD. "That way you won't forget which way's starboard."
I could've picked a less overt time to test Prada's Intrepid glasses-which the company fitted with a fighter-pilot style "Head-Up" display for Spithill in last month's America's Cup match-but I'm a glutton for sarcastic remarks. Plus, I wanted to show my new California friends how stylish I was.
On the sunny swells of the Pacific where the racing transpired, the Intrepids did a fine job taming the glare. But they didn't provide the level of definition and contrast I've come to expect from high-end sailing sunglasses. The lenses I tested rated a 3 of 4 on Prada's darkness scale, but here's the kicker: they weren't polarized. The company does offer the Intrepids with polarized/photochromatic lenses, which I would recommend for sailors.
Even without polarized lenses, the Intrepids have several practical features sailors will appreciate. For starters, the glasses come with a hard, protective case and a microfiber lens cloth. The lightweight, nylon/rubber injected frames have wide sidewalls, which block ambient light and keep the sun off your temples. Ventilation slits in the upper rims help the lenses stay fog-free; Soft rubber in the nose pads and earpieces keep the glasses firmly, and comfortably, in place. I wore the Intrepids all weekend, and they never disturbed the pressure points that other sunglasses tend to irritate. The Intrepids were so comfortable, in fact, I came home with a goofy-looking racoon tan. Thanks, Prada.
If it weren't for that tiny, red logo that instantly gives them away, the Intrepids could pass for modest sailing sunglasses. But the Prada logo is so firmly imprinted on people's minds-I swear it caused my wife's heartbeat to quicken for just a second-these glasses will never pass for modest. Then again, neither will a 90-foot trimaran.
Available at Prada retailers worldwide, 235 (approx. $316).
www.prada.com
