50 Words or Less
With an athletic silhouette and a lens that provides heightened contrast, the UA Octane sunglasses by Under Armour Eyewear will appeal to many golfers. The tint may be a bit dark for some and the fit may not be ideal for how everyone wears their sunglasses.
Introduction
Twenty years ago Under Armour was one man selling moisture wicking t-shirts out of his trunk. Today, Under Armour is as common a logo as Nike and Adidas, worn around the globe by pros and weekend warriors in virtually all sports. No longer contained to high tech underwear, Under Armour has moved into shoes and accessories – including sunglasses. I’m always a little skeptical when brands move into categories outside their areas of expertise, but I was willing to go into this review with open eyes.
Performance
The UA Octane sunglasses I tested came with Game Day Multiflection lenses. Game Day lenses are designed to provide enhanced contrast and object illumination. I didn’t observe glowing golf balls, but visual contrast was excellent at short and mid-range. At longer distances, the fairway clarity turned hazy. The green lens muted colors, but the contrast remained vivid. Peripheral vision also remained undistorted, a testament to the quality of the lens materials and what Under Armour Eyewear calls ArmourSight.
The Muliflection name refers to the mirror coating which reflects light and is intended to deter smudges and scratches. Like any lens, touching it with your fingers will leave a print, but they wipe clean easily. I couldn’t find any light transmission data, but the combination of green lenses and mirror coating made these lenses very dark. This is great for playing on a bright sunny day, but a bit too dark for reading greens when light levels drop a bit.
Style & Fit
With its wrap around style and semi-rimless construction, the UA Octane is definitely athletic looking and attractive. The nose pads have a three position ratcheting mechanism to customize the fit, something I haven’t seen before. The lightweight frames slide on and off your head easily and remain secure once in place.
However, without any gription material on the temple tips, the frames wouldn’t stay in any position other than resting on my ears. If you are someone who likes to tinker with where the glasses grip behind your ear, you may have issues with the UA Octane. The temples are very flexible, making them compatible with wearing on the outside of your hat.
Conclusion
Under Armour Eyewear wants you to “see like an athlete”. Although the lenses of the UA Octane are a bit dark for my personal taste, the quality of the optics is good. Similarly, I love the look and fit of the frames on my face, but they sat a bit awkwardly on my ears. The UA Octane price ranges from $90 to $150, with the model I tested being $114. That includes a soft cleaning cloth bag but no hard case. A bit overpriced, maybe, but as Matt S. pointed out in his Performance vs Preference feature, “gear connects us to our sports idols.”
UA Eyewear Octane - 5
UA Eyewear Octane - 10
UA Eyewear Octane - 15
UA Eyewear Octane - 20
UA Eyewear Octane - 25
UA Eyewear Octane - 30
UA Eyewear Octane - 35
UA Eyewear Octane - 40
UA Eyewear Octane - 45
UA Eyewear Octane - 50
UA Eyewear Octane - 60
UA Eyewear Octane - 65
- Titleist T350 Irons Review - November 23, 2023
- Sacks Parente Series 91 “The Duke” Putter Review - November 13, 2023
- TaylorMade Spider Tour Putter Review - October 23, 2023
