© Courtesy Kaenon

Kaenon's new Soft Core sunglasses are sized specifically for women with reduced cranial geometry and shorter temples.

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For all the excellent polarized sunglasses available to the racing sailor, there aren't many designed specifically for women. So when I heard about Kaenon's new Soft Core glasses—which feature SR-91 polarized lenses, semi-rimless frames for superior ventilation, and reduced cranial geometry and shorter temples to better fit smaller heads—I knew I had to check them out. 

One problem: I'm a dude with a dude-sized head. I needed a gal with gal-sized head. So I handed the Soft Cores to Lindsay Nahmias, SW's marketing coordinator and an avid J/24 racer. Here's what Ms. Nahmias had to say:

Over the past few years, I've become a major Kaenon fan. I believe they make the best polarized lens for sailing, period. Until now, however, many of the frame options were either too casual or too large for female sailors.

I took the Soft Core glasses for a test run during our weekly PHRF racing on Narragansett Bay. That Tuesday was the hottest day of the year so far in Rhode Island, as the temperature reached 102 degrees. Normally, when the wind is light and the heat is on, my sunglasses tend to fog up, particularly as I begin to sweat. The Soft Cores did anything but; they stayed fog-free the whole night and allowed me to see the puffs just as well as the Kaenon UPDs I normally wear. I didn’t have to wipe them once. The frames were extremely lightweight, and had a snug fit on the head. I never once felt like they could fall off, which is last thing you want to have happen, or even have to think about, during a race. Overall, ladies, if you're looking for a new pair of performance sailing glasses, consider the Soft Cores. They're unlike any sunglasses I've ever worn—which is a good thing!

$239, www.kaenon.com