Sundogs Eyewear: 2024 Forum Member Review

[Rob Person]

3 hours ago, Wicki said:

I have really been wearing the Stack TrueBlue sunglasses mostly over the Billy 83 TrueBlue Polarized PLUS.  The Stack's just feel more comfortable wearing.  When the sun is setting and not as bright I still wear my Tifosi sunglasses.  

I played on Saturday (4/13).  I actually started with the Tifosi sunglasses.  As the clouds burned off, I was wearing the Stack glasses.  

On Monday (4/15) I looked at the lenses and noticed that I have face oil all around the edges, including along the bottom.  This tells me that sun is not getting in along the edges.  Yes!  This is what I prefer with my sunglasses.  

I do have to be wearing the Billy's more.  I just have not found them as comfortable as the Stack's.  The Billy's are the more expensive pair and not weighing up to the Stack's.

What specifically is uncomfortable with them? Anything that can be remedied with adjustments or nose pads?

[ShimmyCocoBop]

Here comes Review #1 for me on my Sundog Zenith TrueBlue's with NON-POLARIZED lenses.   The main reason I asked for these was I wanted to compare them to the many pairs of Oakley Prism Golf sunglasses that I tried in the past.  For some reason, I was only getting one year out of the Prism lenses, so I had to find something better.

I'll post pics, below, but my initial thoughts on the Sundays Zenith NP's was very positive.  At the retail price of $79.99, I would consider them a great value.  They delivered on quality, fashion, clarity, UV protection, calming-effect and most importantly, grain and terrain definition.  

Quality:  Sundog Zenith sunglasses are very well made.  I could tell this from the minute I opened them.  The frame and lens material is very solid.  The hinges work easily but not so easily that the hinges/arms flop around when you don't want them to.  Testers got the "special" Sundog Eyewear case that looks like a hybrid club cover with a magnetic ball marker, but even if I only got the normal Sundog soft cloth case/bag I still would have been happy.  Most of the Oakley "plutonite" case/bags I got in the past were too small to fit the actual sunglasses.  Sundog's case/bags are plenty big and easy to use for in-round cleaning when needed. They would probably only need to be laundered every 10 wearings.  

Fashion: I trusted my wife's opinion of what frame would look best on my face, so I asked for Sundog Zenith's.  You can agree or not based on the upcoming pics, but they seem to look natural on me and do a good job of keeping extra side and top-light out of my eyes.  

Clarity:  As I mentioned earlier, I could not get sunglasses to last too long, so my answer was to buy cheaper ones at around $20/pair.  Naturally, the clarity was not the best.  However, Sundog's at $79.99 (non-polarized) were 10K better, and what a difference that makes. It's almost like the HD effect.

UV Protection: When you buy cheap sunglasses, you don't really know if you're getting this important feature, but I trust that Sundog has factored UVA/UVB Protection to the highest level available.  I've read as much as I could about this topic on their website and, since I'm in the sun so much, it is of highest importance to me.  Again, I trust Sundog.

Calming Effect: Sundog Zenith's definitely create the calming effect that I like, but the non-polarized lenses, which I like for the next category, do not create as much calming-effect as polarized lenses.  So, there is some give-and-take there.

Grain and Terrain Definition: for me, here's where the Sundog Zenith lenses delivered something that I really wanted - the ability to differentiate the grain and terrain of Florida greens. Polarized lenses seem to make everything look "flat" to me, which is inherent to their design.  I feel that I can putt, chip, pitch and play bunker shots easier with non-polarized lenses and Sundog Zeniths worked wonderfully. On northern courses, grass grain is not a factor, but uphill, downhill and sidehill is a factor, so non-polarized lenses are important there also. 

Negatives: Again, I selected the Sundog Zenith sunglasses for their fashion, size (based on the website dimensions) and non-polarization.  What I could not discern until I wore them was temple/arms fit.  On my first wearing, I could not keep the Zeniths on my head for more than about one hour.  After that, I felt like I had a bear trap on my head.  Logically, I took them off and tried to put them on my hat for a few minutes to relieve the pinch point.  That's when I discovered that the Zeniths have no rubberized material on the end of the temple/arms to keep the sunglasses from sliding off my hat.  I would put them up on my hat for a few seconds, but when I played a shot, they flew off right about at impact.  I'm hoping that the Sundog people will tell me if I can bend the arms outward near the end so that I can wear them for an entire round of golf without pinching rather than being forced to take them off for relief.  I don't want to attempt bending them until I know that they can be bent.

I see plenty of big headed guys (police officers, firemen, first responders, weight lifters, and many other guys like Rick on Pawn Stars) and I wonder where they get proper-fitting sunglasses.  I started to ask those type-guys where they get their sunglasses and they tell me that it is a problem.  Maybe the Sundog people are listening and will develop something for us.   

Anyway, here comes the pics....

 

 

 

Pic 1 - no sunglasses.

Pic 2 - with Non-polarized Zenith's

 

 

Edited April 17 by ShimmyCocoBop

[ShimmyCocoBop]

[ShimmyCocoBop]

No sunglasses.

 

 

Sundog Zeniths with non-polarization.

 

 

Sundog Zeniths win non-polarization (clouds covering sun)

 

 

 

Sundog Billy 83s with polarization.

 

I wish it was easier to show the improvement that non-polarization makes for me on putting greens.  I can better see the shiny/dark direction of the grass grain and the slightest undulations of the surface as well.  

Kudos to my wife and LAB Mezz putter for their time and patience.  It's not easy shooting a cell phone pic through sunglasses without your fingers getting in the way.

BTW, this is a left-edge putt!

Next in a few days will be my review of the Billy 83s...

 

Edited April 16 by ShimmyCocoBop

[Wicki]

On 4/15/2024 at 11:47 PM, Rob Person said:

What specifically is uncomfortable with them? Anything that can be remedied with adjustments or nose pads?

I cannot put my finger on it.  I was wearing them today for nine hole to try and see what it could be.  The Stack just had that out of package comfortable fit.

I have thought about is it the nose pieces, but that went away.  It might just be a narrow fit.  I am going to wear them specifically few more times to see if things get better.  It might self adjust if I keep wearing them.  I will talk more about the Billy's in the near future.

04/22/2024

I have wearing these sunglasses more.  The nose piece is fine and comfortable.  What I concluded was the arms on the sunglass's is what is bothering and making it uncomfortable.  I have a tough time having a comfortable fit when I wear a baseball cap.  I always wear a cap and never had discomfort with a pair of sunglasses as I do with these.  I tucked the arms into my hat and I have a hard time getting them tucked under.  

The more I wear these sunglasses the less I enjoy them.  Everyone has different size and shaped heads, and it does not work with my head and wearing a cap.  I do wear them driving with no issues though.

Edited April 22 by Wicki

[ShimmyCocoBop]

This is my Review #2 for Sundog Billy83 sunglasses with POLARIZED LENSES.

As I said in my first Review for Sundog Zenith sunglasses with NON-POLARIZED LENSES, I really do not intend to wear polarized lenses for playing golf due to the fact that they tend to flatten-out slopes/terrain and do not identify grass grain on putting greens, which is an important thing here in Florida.

Again, I'll post pics below, but my initial thoughts on the Sundog Billy83 with polarized lenses was very positive.  At the retail price of $149.99, I would consider them a great value.  They delivered on quality, fashion, clarity, UV protection and calming-effect.

Quality: Sundog Billy83 sunglasses are very well made.  The frame and lens materials are very solid.  Like the Sundog Zenith's I tested, the hinges work just the right amount of easy. The Billy83's feature a nose-piece (pic 23) that seems bendable and replaceable if needed to fit wider or narrower noses. There is a small screw that allows the nose piece to be removed for replacement.  The Sundog soft cloth bag/case  in pics 19, 24, 25 and 26 show that is is a very generous size compared to the Oakley "plutonite" bag.  Soft cloth sunglass bags should be laundered every 10 wearings, especially in the Summer when wearing sunscreen.

Fashion: Again, I trusted my wife's opinion of what frames would look best on my face.  The Billy83's are very similar to Oakley "Heater" style frames.  I consider "fit" more important than fashion for golf sunglasses.  However, based on my preference for non-polarized sunglasses for golf, I would wear Billy83's for driving, beach, boating, tennis, and most other sporting activities.  These did a good job of keeping extra side/top-light out of my eyes.

Clarity: This is one of the categories where Billy83's really shined.  There is a super sharpness when looking through these lenses.  It somewhat made me feel like I was wearing corrective lenses - maybe it's the TrueBlue lenses!

UV Protection: After reading everything available on this topic on their website, I trust Sundog,

Calming Effect: It's extremely difficult for a non-polarized lens to beat a polarized lens for "calming effect" and compared to the Sundog Zenith sunglasses, Sundog Billy83s rated a 10 in this category for me.  Again, maybe it's the TrueBlue lenses. 

Negatives:  I picked the Sundog Billy83s to test because they were the best for hat-wearers and wide faces.  What I could not discern until I wore them was the temple/arms fit.  On my first wearing, I could not keep the Billys or Zeniths on my head for more than 1 hour to to extreme tightness of the temples/arms over my ears.  I read later some information from the Sundog folks mentioning that the Billy83 temples were bendable, so I tried it for my second test-wearing.  Bending the temples outward (see pics 29, 32 and 32A) illustrate what I did, and it did release the tension of the frames on the sides of my head.  However, bending the temples outward (pic 32A) made them come in direct contact with my big hat and made them not sit right on my nose.  Florida was experiencing some high winds earlier this week when I was doing my testing, but wind is normally an issue most of the time here and winds affect the kind of hat you can wear on a certain day.  I would need to do some more bending/testing before I would give the Billy83's my blessing for great fit.  I do like the rubberized tips on the temples that help when you put the Billy83s on your hat while putting - they feel a bit more secure.

Once again, I see so many big headed guys (police officers, firemen, first responders, body builders and many others and wonder where they get proper-fitting sunglasses.  SUNDOG MARKETING DEPARTMENT - I hope you are listening! 

Here comes the pics....thank you for your time and attention.   

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Edited April 19 by ShimmyCocoBop

[ShimmyCocoBop]

 

 

Underside of soft cloth bag...

 

Pic with no sunglasses

 

 

Pic with Sundog Billy83 sunglasses

 

No sunglasses

 

Pic with Sundog Billy83 sunglasses

Edited April 19 by ShimmyCocoBop

[ShimmyCocoBop]

[Alan Scalzi]

Had to be somewhere this morning at 7am! Left @Sundog Eyewearin my wife's car as we took her car last night for our date night! Missed having them on! Never going to forget them again!

[Sundog Eyewear]

On 4/11/2024 at 4:11 PM, Rob Person said:

@Sundog Eyewear  has your company ever ventured into lens toppers for those who wear prescription glasses?  These are polarized, and from an optometrist, and they are fantastic on the course and while driving.

Hey @Rob Person, thanks for the feedback. Our group has done these in the past (many years ago). We've done similar options with fitovers and more but nothing new recently. I will share this feedback with our team to see if it is something they would like to consider! Thanks again for sharing!!

[TJ Hall]

If using these to play golf, do they seem stable on your face or do you have any movement during your swing?

[Sundog Eyewear]

On 4/16/2024 at 11:46 AM, ShimmyCocoBop said:

Here comes Review #1 for me on my Sundog Zenith TrueBlue's with NON-POLARIZED lenses.   The main reason I asked for these was I wanted to compare them to the many pairs of Oakley Prism Golf sunglasses that I tried in the past.  For some reason, I was only getting one year out of the Prism lenses, so I had to find something better.

I'll post pics, below, but my initial thoughts on the Sundays Zenith NP's was very positive.  At the retail price of $79.99, I would consider them a great value.  They delivered on quality, fashion, clarity, UV protection, calming-effect and most importantly, grain and terrain definition.  

Quality:  Sundog Zenith sunglasses are very well made.  I could tell this from the minute I opened them.  The frame and lens material is very solid.  The hinges work easily but not so easily that the hinges/arms flop around when you don't want them to.  Testers got the "special" Sundog Eyewear case that looks like a hybrid club cover with a magnetic ball marker, but even if I only got the normal Sundog soft cloth case/bag I still would have been happy.  Most of the Oakley "plutonite" case/bags I got in the past were too small to fit the actual sunglasses.  Sundog's case/bags are plenty big and easy to use for in-round cleaning when needed. They would probably only need to be laundered every 10 wearings.  

Fashion: I trusted my wife's opinion of what frame would look best on my face, so I asked for Sundog Zenith's.  You can agree or not based on the upcoming pics, but they seem to look natural on me and do a good job of keeping extra side and top-light out of my eyes.  

Clarity:  As I mentioned earlier, I could not get sunglasses to last too long, so my answer was to buy cheaper ones at around $20/pair.  Naturally, the clarity was not the best.  However, Sundog's at $79.99 (non-polarized) were 10K better, and what a difference that makes. It's almost like the HD effect.

UV Protection: When you buy cheap sunglasses, you don't really know if you're getting this important feature, but I trust that Sundog has factored UVA/UVB Protection to the highest level available.  I've read as much as I could about this topic on their website and, since I'm in the sun so much, it is of highest importance to me.  Again, I trust Sundog.

Calming Effect: Sundog Zenith's definitely create the calming effect that I like, but the non-polarized lenses, which I like for the next category, do not create as much calming-effect as polarized lenses.  So, there is some give-and-take there.

Grain and Terrain Definition: for me, here's where the Sundog Zenith lenses delivered something that I really wanted - the ability to differentiate the grain and terrain of Florida greens. Polarized lenses seem to make everything look "flat" to me, which is inherent to their design.  I feel that I can putt, chip, pitch and play bunker shots easier with non-polarized lenses and Sundog Zeniths worked wonderfully. On northern courses, grass grain is not a factor, but uphill, downhill and sidehill is a factor, so non-polarized lenses are important there also. 

Negatives: Again, I selected the Sundog Zenith sunglasses for their fashion, size (based on the website dimensions) and non-polarization.  What I could not discern until I wore them was temple/arms fit.  On my first wearing, I could not keep the Zeniths on my head for more than about one hour.  After that, I felt like I had a bear trap on my head.  Logically, I took them off and tried to put them on my hat for a few minutes to relieve the pinch point.  That's when I discovered that the Zeniths have no rubberized material on the end of the temple/arms to keep the sunglasses from sliding off my hat.  I would put them up on my hat for a few seconds, but when I played a shot, they flew off right about at impact.  I'm hoping that the Sundog people will tell me if I can bend the arms outward near the end so that I can wear them for an entire round of golf without pinching rather than being forced to take them off for relief.  I don't want to attempt bending them until I know that they can be bent.

I see plenty of big headed guys (police officers, firemen, first responders, weight lifters, and many other guys like Rick on Pawn Stars) and I wonder where they get proper-fitting sunglasses.  I started to ask those type-guys where they get their sunglasses and they tell me that it is a problem.  Maybe the Sundog people are listening and will develop something for us.   

Anyway, here comes the pics....

 

 

 

Pic 1 - no sunglasses.

Pic 2 - with Non-polarized Zenith's

 

 

Hey @ShimmyCocoBop, thanks a lot for sharing your detailed review of the Sundog Zenith TrueBlue's! We're thrilled to hear that you're enjoying them overall, and we appreciate your feedback.

It's fantastic to hear that you've found the Sundog Zenith's to be a great value, offering quality, fashion, and excellent clarity. We're particularly glad you've noticed the solid construction of the frame and lens material. Just a heads-up, those components are made of TR90, a material known for its durability and flexibility. While we don't recommend bending the frame excessively, a slight adjustment should be fine, as TR90 can be maneuvered without breaking.

We're delighted that the sunglasses have met your expectations in terms of UV protection and clarity, providing you with the peace of mind you need when spending extended periods in the sun. As for the calming effect, we understand that polarized lenses may offer a different experience, but we're glad to hear that our non-polarized lenses still provide some level of comfort.

Your feedback regarding sunglass fit for individuals with larger heads is duly noted. We're always striving to improve our products and offer solutions that cater to diverse needs. We'll definitely take your suggestion into consideration for future designs.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. If you have any further questions or need assistance with adjusting your sunglasses, feel free to reach out. We're here to help ensure you have the best experience with Sundog Eyewear.

[Sundog Eyewear]

On 4/16/2024 at 7:07 PM, Wicki said:

I cannot put my finger on it.  I was wearing them today for nine hole to try and see what it could be.  The Stack just had that out of package comfortable fit.

I have thought about is it the nose pieces, but that went away.  It might just be a narrow fit.  I am going to wear them specifically few more times to see if things get better.  It might self adjust if I keep wearing them.  I will talk more about the Billy's in the near future.

04/22/2024

I have wearing these sunglasses more.  The nose piece is fine and comfortable.  What I concluded was the arms on the sunglass's is what is bothering and making it uncomfortable.  I have a tough time having a comfortable fit when I wear a baseball cap.  I always wear a cap and never had discomfort with a pair of sunglasses as I do with these.  I tucked the arms into my hat and I have a hard time getting them tucked under.  

The more I wear these sunglasses the less I enjoy them.  Everyone has different size and shaped heads, and it does not work with my head and wearing a cap.  I do wear them driving with no issues though.

Hi @Wicki, thanks for sharing your feedback. We're sorry to hear about the discomfort you're experiencing, especially when wearing a cap. STACK and BILLY83 feature ContourFlex tips that can be adjusted for comfort so please try adjusting the tips. Not to worry, the metal core of the ContourFLEX will hold up to some adjustment, however, we understand that the shape of the arms may not be ideal for tucking under a cap as the BILLY83's come to slightly more of a straight back point than the STACK's. We appreciate your input and will consider it for future designs. If you need assistance with adjusting the fit or have any questions, please reach out. We're here to help ensure your satisfaction with our eyewear.

[Wicki]

6 hours ago, Sundog Eyewear said:

Hi @Wicki, thanks for sharing your feedback. We're sorry to hear about the discomfort you're experiencing, especially when wearing a cap. STACK and BILLY83 feature ContourFlex tips that can be adjusted for comfort so please try adjusting the tips. Not to worry, the metal core of the ContourFLEX will hold up to some adjustment, however, we understand that the shape of the arms may not be ideal for tucking under a cap as the BILLY83's come to slightly more of a straight back point than the STACK's. We appreciate your input and will consider it for future designs. If you need assistance with adjusting the fit or have any questions, please reach out. We're here to help ensure your satisfaction with our eyewear.

The Stack is comfortable and do NOT have the discomfort I get with the Billy83's.  So with the discomfort I have with the Billy83, I have been trying to see how I can eliminate that discomfort.  Right now I feeling the squeeze and do not have a flex point at where the are meets the frame.  Hope this helps more of a pinpoint my issue.

[Jeff in the Mitten]

FINAL REVIEW AND SCORING

1. Genius Trueblue Polarized Plus:  93/100

First Impressions 9/10:  Out of the box these fit well and I LOVE that they have a modern fashion-based style so I can wear them off the 18th green after missing a birdie putt and straight to the bar to forget about that putt...all while looking good!  Jokes aside, they seemed really solid and I did notice the lighter tint or (VLT Visible light transmission).  Then my first range session confirmed that for me, here in Michigan where clouds can come and go even in the summer, the lighter tint was just what I needed.  The only downside I saw was that after an hour or so at the range I could sort of "feel" the arms on top of my ear.  It wasn't a pain, but more like just there with the shorter arm length and light pressure.  I wouldn't recommend these for big heads unless the arms could easily be bent/modified for a custom fit. 

Aesthetics 20/20:  This is such a personal evaluation.  Some people will agree and some won't, so just know that looks all come down to you, and like @ShimmyCocoBop said likely your significant other LOL!  I personally love the look of the Genius for reasons previously mentioned about being able to wear them on and off the course while still lookin' fly...or at least in my mind.

The Numbers 18/20:  The "numbers" in this case is really about minutes and hours.  Here's a few nuggets of what I found after wearing these on the course a few times:

- Comfort was great for about 2.5 hours without moving them once.  After that I did notice a little pressure above my ears and I attribute that to the shorter arms, so I may look into taking them to a glasses place to see if I can lighten up that pressure without risking a secure fit.  That's where the 2 pt deduction comes for me.  

- Greens were still easy to read, which was going to be one of my biggest tests...so for the first time I feel like I could wear sunglasses for a full round. 

- The VLT was just right to work in multiple light conditions, and over a round of golf I'd say that's pretty likely, whether it be shade or clouds.  Best shades for golf I've found because of that slightly lighter tint. 

On the Course 19/20:  For many of the same reasons above I think these are my first pair of sunglasses that I will ACTUALLY wear for a full round.  Maybe I was shopping for the wrong stuff all along, but regardless these things rock for just enough light reduction and sun protection playing golf.  Biggest indication of personal quality is if I'd use them time and time again...and I already am!

Good, Bad, & In Between 9/10:  The good is the style and the lenses, and when compared to other brands out there the sticker price of $149 is a very good value.  The bad is that they definitely are limited to average to smaller sized heads.  Sunglasses are usually something you'd try on when buying, but if you were to scoop these online and had a big head you could be disappointed.  The in between is that sunglasses come down to situation.  For me, these lenses were awesome for Michigan golf season.  Maybe someone in cloudy Seattle or sunny Scottsdale would find they're not a great fit for those conditions.  The gist is to get what works for you...these do for me though for what it's worth!

Play it or Trade it 18/20:  I'm keeping these for sure!  My 2 point deduction comes from a few nit picky things.  1. I wish they came with a hard case so I could keep them in my golf bag and not worry about getting smashed.  2. The fit is a little on the snug side.  Other than those two things, these are the BEST shades I've worn golfing bar none. 

 

Stay tuned for the full review of the Propel w/ Trueblue lenses...

[injectedcutty]

I've been chugging along testing both pairs, but I've really grown fond of the Billy83 polarized. I've been wearing them to work everyday and they're holding up way better than most sunglasses do. Running food for Sysco is a torturous job on equipment, and i usually wear cheap safety sunglasses but these @Sundog Eyewear are answering the call. I'm working on finishing up my reviews of both.

Speaking of work, Louisville is prepping for a little race next week, then some random golf tourney next month lol! I'm actually going to bid on a PGA route for the week at Vahalla. I deliver there from time to time, but it's a zoo there now. 

[Wicki]

Played around today (4/28) wearing the Stack TrueBlue.  Wearing a hat, the arms were under the cap.  I didn't even tuck them under and didn't even know that they were under my cap already.  Since I had discomfort with the Billy 83's arms being under my cap.  

The Stack just have a natural fit to my small face.  In the stretch fit hats, I wear a S/M to give you a better understanding.

Before our rough has grown, I had no problem finding my ball.  Now that the rough is thicker, it is tough to find the ball.  Everyone is having problems.  The dew was a plenty and I had trouble to tell the difference between a ball and the dew.  Others had the same problem with their sunglasses noticing whether if it was a ball or just dew.

In tracking the ball, I have to say that the Billy 83's are better than the Stack.  The Stack's are better than other sunglasses and the naked eyes tracking the ball.