Instructor Will Edwards puts the light responsive Komodo Pro Shooting Glasses to the test, and is impressed by the super-fast reaction time!
These are relatively new to the marketplace and claim to be “the fastest light reactive glasses in the world” with the ability to “reduce glare instantly”. They are powered by a unique “voltaic microchip”.
This all sounded a bit Darth Vader to me, and I was keen to see if these claims were true, while raising one eyebrow in my usual sceptical manner. I tried these back in October at the start of the pheasant season, but all the following points apply to using for clays.
Finally, there was a bright day with low sun in the Cotswolds, perfect for testing these glasses! At 9.35am, the first drive of the day kicked off, and I was coaching a regular client on high driven pheasants. He kept telling me he was losing sight of the birds coming out of the sun to his right with his prescription sun glasses, while I could see them clearly without any issues – an excellent start, especially when he tried them on at the end of the drive and simply said, “order me a pair please”.
For the remaining three drives of the day, they were hugely beneficial to me as a shooting instructor. The glasses were handed around to the other Guns during the mid-morning break, who had nothing but praise for the astonishing and instant way the lenses react when looking from shade to full sun – faster than the blink of your eyes.
The overall build quality of the glasses is good, and I like the satin black finish and the secure fitting when worn, with no indication of movement when tilting one’s head back quickly when fast birds are coming out of a snap shooting woodland ride situation.
Another thing that is seriously helpful, and that heavens above I hope you never have to put to the test, is that the polycarbonate lenses have been ballistically tested at 20 yards with 28g of shot... with no indication of penetration.
I think the look and fit of these glasses is a personal preference, with some thinking they were very stylish and others saying they were a bit Terminator-like. Some wished the lenses were a little larger with the addition of an adjustable nose bridge, while others didn’t want anything changed at all. I’d suggest trying a pair on.
They come with clip-in prescription frames as standard, which you simply hand to your optician to have your lenses fitted. I thought that was a real winner.
Nick, a professional pilot well known for flying ‘Stuart’ the Minion hot air balloon, was shooting on the day and gave me the following feedback: “Having tested the Komodo Pro glasses briefly, I found them to be very comfortable and surprisingly light, considering the in-built technology. The transition time was impressive and I would find them extremely useful when flying directly into the sun, and close to the ground. The bonus of prescription lens inserts included is an inspired idea.”
As for me, they haven’t left my side when coaching on sunny days. They are particularly handy when moving from stands in shaded woodland to those directly in the open sunshine – so, ideal for Sporting!
RRP: £185
www.komodopro.com