Vuarnet VU1021 and VU1010 Sunglasses

Anyone older than twenty, and maybe even younger, has to have been under a rock not to be familiar with the Vuarnet brand. Remember the classic “cat eyes” from way back? Remember how you had to have a pair even though they cost about $70 (!)? Vuarnet has gone though a bit of a rocky ride over the past 2 or three decades and, in 2009, the eyewear division was purchased by Alain Mikli. A revival collection came out spring 2011 and the good people at Canadian distributors, Raymond Lanctot, sent us some of the shades for testing.

Perhaps a part of Vuarnet’s challenge over the years has been the proliferation of sunglasses that make people look like Arnold in The Terminator. The ubiquitous wrap-around style. Personally, I was happy to see the rebirth of Vuarnet because I like the style and quality. 

We’ll focus on the VU1021 model (the white guy below) and mention another model, FYI. The VU1021’s we looked at came with a Skilynx lens, made specifically for skiing (perfect). Vuarnet offers many different kinds of lenses but the Skilynx is probably best for skiing. We had it out on super sunny days when the sun was bouncing back off the snow. The VU1021 were perfect for these kinds of conditions—they would not be suited to overcast days because they are just too dark. Unlike “wrap-arounds,” the VU1021s let in some light on either side. After a couple blindingly sunny days, I considered rigging up some duct-tape blinders for the sides—but I never got around to it. Maybe next season.

One observation that I had was that this new iteration of Vuarnet glasses may not be exactly the same as what some of us wore in the 80s. Take a look at the two images below. The earlier brown model has a different nose bridge than does the more recent white model. It appears to be more graduated and rounded. As a result, the white ones seem to slide off my nose a little more easily than I would like. But that’s likely just me.

Spring 2011 Collection VU1021

Circa 1985—same model

Classic style, funky colour. Always looks for the trademark V on a ski, middle top of both lenses.

From the rear. Solid design.

The Vuarnet brand. Always a good conversation starter.

Strong arm. The pin doesn’t look like it’ll ever fall out.

Here’s the VU1010 with a polarized lens. Fit me perfectly and makes me look like a gangster. Highly recommended.

The VU1021 in situ. Model needs a shave.

Verdict:

These are great shades for a sunny day ski touring. Excellent optics and clarity. As I mention above, on super sunny days, you may want to build some makeshift blinds to shut out some of the sunlight coming in from the sides. Vuarnet makes many, many models. I would recommend trying them on (and hanging in the sun for a bit) before making a purchase because the fits and lenses are all so different. I would also recommend snooping around a bit as the price seems to fluctuate majorly depending on where you look.

SPECS:

(no pun intended)
Price: $200-295 for the VU1021 (you bettah shop around)
Colour: white, brown, black, red
Material : Grilamid (the stuff now used in ski boots manufacture)
Weight: 38g
Fit: 6-base curve. Fits most faces.

PROS:

Fit, quality, steeze, nostalgic value.

CONS:

Fit can’t be adjusted. Sun sneaks in the sides. Spendy.

Rating: 8/10

Fit / Comfort  1.5/2
Vision             2/2
Features         2/2
Quality           1.5/2
Price              1/2

This is only our opinion. Do you disagree? Did we miss something? Are we totally out to lunch? Join the discussion in the forums here, and let us know what you think. People like/dislike gear for different reasons so chime in and we'll get a well-rounded evaluation.

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