gargoyles technology

At Gargoyles, our mission is simple: protect your eyes, at all costs. From the very beginning, we deployed the latest research and innovations into our sunglasses, transforming the industry in the process. Today, every pair of Gargoyles combines the legacy of yesterday with the technology of today, providing protection and pinpoint optics in sunglasses built to last.

optics frames ansi specs ansi testing

optics

Sunglasses have a job to do and blocking the sun is only the beginning. Gargoyles sunglasses don't just shield your eyes. They provide sharp contrasts and accurate depth perception, so you can see what you're supposed to see and your day can continue without interruption. Every detail of our lens design and execution is geared toward improved optics and better vision.

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lens structure

A good lens isn't just made - it's crafted. At Gargoyles, our Z87.1+-rated lenses are made of ballistic-designed, high-index polycarbonate for incredible strength without added weight. From there, they're optimized and treated to reduce glare while enhancing protection. The result is a lens of unparalleled quality and durability.

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OLEOPHOBIC TREATMENT

Allows the lens to repel water and oil while resisting smudges

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HIGH INDEX POLY CARBONATE LENS

Lightweight, scratch-resistant, and impact-resistant lenses for ultimate protection

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TRANSLUCENT AIR MIRROR

Reduces the amount of light passing through the tinted lens by an additional 10%-60%, ideal for use in harsh or high-light environments

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HIGH-GRADE POLARIZED FILM

Reduces glare to help prevent eye strain and fatigue

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ANTI-REFLECTIVE TREATMENT

Pulls glare back through lens, reducing reflected light

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coverage

No matter how good they look, sunglasses aren't worth much if they can't protect your eyes. All Gargoyles lenses meet or exceed US and ANSI regulations and standards for UVA, UVB and UVC protection and products with a Z87.1+ rating are ballistic tested for impact resistance. Our sunglasses are designed to provide optimal coverage and block ancillary light. With Gargoyles, your eyes aren't just protected - they're shielded.

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Effectively covers the orbit of the eye

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Designed to wrap entirely around the eye, preventing light leak

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frames

frames

Superior sunglasses must be housed in superior frames. At Gargoyles, our frames have two simple requirements: they must be made from the best materials in the world and they must withstand ANSI-specified levels of punishment without failure. In other words, Gargoyles are built to last, no matter what.

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materials

Not all equipment is made the same. Gargoyles understands that everyone needs something different from their sunglasses. That's why different styles are comprised of different materials, each with their own special strengths. Whatever you need, Gargoyles has a pair that works for you.

metal frame

Durable, strong and stable while incorporating a high tensile strength-to-weight ratio

plastic frames

Lightweight and resilient with a confident and firm fit

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durability

Other sunglasses are accessories. Gargoyles are serious, protective gear that’s built to last. By combining the strongest materials with sophisticated construction techniques, our glasses can withstand a heavy workload or intense punishment and still be ready for more.

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Constructed of TR-90 NZZ, the most resilient material on the market. Stronger than TR-90, the material used in most sunglass frames.

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A Gargoyles G-Loc Hinge* opens and closes over 150,000 times without compromised function. Precision hinge technololgy offers quick, snap-open and snap-closed design. A satisfying thunk. Designed so temple tip does not hit the lens when shut. Prevents unaided temple movement.

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Frames posses an internal memory that defaults to its original state, no matter how it’s bent.

optics

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ansi specs

ansi specs

Gargoyles provides protection from both the sun and unexpected projectiles. U.S. soldiers put themselves in harm's way every day, and the equipment they wear must provide them as much protection as possible. When the U.S. Army needed a higher level of protection from their sunglasses, it sought out experts in the field of optics. ANSI created new high-mass and high-velocity impact standards based on this new market need and on the necessity of having regulation and consistent quality. The US sunglass industry uses the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as the governing body and rating system for sunglasses.

All Gargoyles Z87.1+-rated sunglasses meet or exceed high mass and high velocity impact standards as specified by ANSI and described below:

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optical quality

Wearers must be able to see 20 lines of resolution clearly from 20 feet away, and pinpoint a vertical/horizontal prism from 35 feet away.

WHY THIS MATTERS The act of covering the eyes necessarily leads to a loss in visual clarity; the only question is how severely vision will be compromised. By meeting this ANSI spec, the impact of Gargoyles sunglasses on the user's vision is negligible.

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physical requirement

The lens and the frame of the sunglasses need to have the same size and protection DNA, with each lens individually cut for the frame in which it is housed.

WHY THIS MATTERS If the lenses in a pair of sunglasses aren't balanced and measured properly, it could lead to reflection and distortion. By meeting this standard, Gargoyles sunglasses provide the wearer clear, precise visual optics while reducing or eliminating the glare depending on the lens you choose.

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high mass impact requirement

The lens must be able to withstand a 1.1-pound mass dropped from 50 inches, and a quarter-inch projectile shot at 150 feet per second from ten yards away, without breaking, cracking, coming out of the frame, or touching the eye or the surrounding tissue in any way.

WHY THIS MATTERS From gravel to shrapnel, anything that reaches the eye could be catastrophic. By meeting this ANSI specification, Gargoyles sunglasses are guaranteed to keep the wearer’s eyes safe from any projectile that might otherwise cause significant damage.

frames

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ansi testing

ansi lab testing

Anyone can simply make a claim. At Gargoyles, we put ours to the test. Our Z87.1+-rated sunglasses are subjected to rigorous testing to make sure they pass or exceed the ANSI standards.

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high mass impact test

A 1.1 pound, pointed projectile is dropped from a height more than 50 inches directly onto the lens. In order to pass the test, this violent impact must not break or even crack the lens, and the lens must stay in the frame without touching the eye or its surrounding tissue.

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high velocity test

A quarter-inch projectile is shot at the lenses at 150 or 650 fps (feet per second or 102/440 miles per hour), from a distance of only ten yards. The sunglasses must be able to take this punishment without the lenses cracking, breaking, falling out of the frame, or touching the eye.

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prism test

Two lasers are aligned to match up at a point from a 35-foot distance and the sunglasses are then placed in front of the two beams. In order to pass this test, the beams must maintain their original pinpoint trajectory and meet at the same point as before, showing that the glasses do not distort light positively or negatively.

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visual clarity test

A chart is placed at a distance of 20 feet from the sunglasses, with lines at both an X and Y axis. When the sunglasses are placed in front of an eyepiece, the viewer must be able to clearly and distinctly see at least 20 lines of resolution without any blurring or distortion.

ansi specs

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