****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I have the Pivlock V2, which I wear mainly for cycling, so I will compare the Arena Max with the V2, which I have used for about 3 years1. LensSmith's lens are fantastic. I find that even the grey base lens enhance contrast very well, whereas other brands have to use a brown or red tint to enhance contrast. And this is not even the Chromapop lens, which supposedly filter certain wavelengths to really make colours "pop". The water repellent coating is also excellent, and it is coated on both inside and outside of the lens, so it helps prevent fogging. and they last too. The water repellant coating on my 3 yr old Pivlock V2 are still working great, unlikely Oakley's which pretty much disappears after 2 yrs or so.The shape of the Arena lens is more tapered compared to V2, so it fits better than the V2. With the V2, the edge of the lens would touch my cheekbones, and sweat will accumulate. I do wish it tapers a little more, so I can wear it really close to my face. As a comparison, the Radar Path, which has a slightly more tapered design, has an almost perfect fit for my face.2. FrameOr rather, the temples and nose piece, since the Pivlock is a frameless design. Smith has made the Arena temples more curved and shorter compared to the V2. This, IMO, is a great improvement. Refer to my photos, V2 in white, Arena in black. The temples in the V2 are slightly too long. I have a relatively large head, but they are still too long for me. The tips kinda floats beside your head, as the contact point is above your ears where you head is the widest. And even though they are very flexible, they still interfere with my helmet a little. With the Arena, they do not touch the retention system of my helmet at all.The Arena's nose piece has 2 positions, so you can adjust the width to suit your nose. The V2 had 3 positions, but I do not think this is a step back for the Arena. This is because in the widest position on the V2, the nose piece is almost flat against the lens. Surly no one can wear them like that. So the Arena loses this and has only 2 usable position for the nose piece. Otherwise, they are pretty much identical.The Pivlock come with a rose lens and clear lens as well, in a huge case that has a slot for everything, and a microfiber pouch as well. So for the price, you are getting 3 excellent lenses for all conditions. And if you already have the V2, the temples and nose piece will fit the Arena lens. The temple will not line up perfectly with the lens, but it will work.Cons:The mirror finish is a fingerprint magnet. And it's almost impossible to swap the nose piece without touching the lenses.These are the best sunglasses I have found for road biking. They have incredibly good coverage and no frames (not even a top bar!) to impinge on your view from the drops.The lenses are OK. I find the green mirror to be dark enough, though I do wish it were polarized. The ignitor lens is good for low light conditions. I've used better, but it does the job. Clear is great for night riding or just to use as safety glasses indoors.Overall, I really like these glasses!I've skied with Smith goggles with interchangeable lenses for over a decade. These sunglasses provide the same level of build and visual quality, flexibility, field of vision, and comfort I've grown to expect from Smith. I live in Chicago and bike in variable lighting conditions. The flexibility afforded by being able to swap lenses is great, and the swap takes less than 30 seconds. These stay planted on my face and have no pressure points on my temples, ears, or nose. All faces are different, so YMMV. I also like the thoughtful design of the case, which allows the frames and all three lenses to be protected when thrown into my transition bag. If you prefer to travel lighter, you may want to consider adding a smaller semi-hard case to your order.Love these for cycling. No frame blocking view however I have one problem. For this price they really should have some kind of anti-fog solution. Mine fog up all the time on chilly mornings or humid conditions. Could just use a couple vents at top or an anti-fog coating.I bought this pair a few months ago and loved them. I lost them and then saw them advertised for half the price. I decided to replace the lost pair for half price. When they arrived I immediately noticed that the lens and ear piece was smaller than the one previously ordered. I checked my other order and the model number was the same. Same model smaller glasses....hmmmmmThey're great. I get neck pain easily so keep my head down and eyes up, needed something without a top frame to obstruct vision. These did the trick great. On the first ride I used the red lens, forgot I was wearing them. No problems with sweat hitting the glass. I can set them to avoid my long eye lashes. They're very stable and are comfortable on the nose and ears. With three lenses and this price, what's not to like?Did not receive what I ordered but what I got was ok. Ordered the Arena Max version and received the regular Arena glasses. But hey they were really cheap and the Arena Max lenses can be used in this frame so overall i'm stokedSmith Optics is great for large heads and faces. I use these for bike riding and outdoor shooting. Fourth different pair of Smith glasses I've owned and they deliver every time. I drive about two to three thousand miles per month for work and they do a great job of eliminating peripheral glare from the sun.Great glass, and competitively priced. Way more expensive at my LBS so i opted to get them on here. Would recommend to anyone that needs a great pair of sunglasses!
