[Polarized Lenses] Tried out Workman's 980 yen sports glasses for driving.

I tried on Workman’s sports glasses (980 yen) during a weekend drive. With polarized lenses and UV99% cut, can I actually feel the difference in visibility at this price? I'll honestly report by comparing before and after wearing them.

A day will come when I can easily choose sports glasses

For many years, I had the perception that sports sunglasses were expensive. It's common for outdoor brands to exceed 10,000 yen, and if they come with polarized lenses, they become even pricier. I wanted one for driving, but I had trouble deciding.

While I was wandering around inside a Workman store, I found a pair of sports glasses. They had polarized lenses and UV 99% protection for 980 yen. I did a double take at the price. It was less than one-tenth of the price of typical polarized sunglasses. I had simultaneous thoughts of "Can this really provide the benefits of polarization?" and "Let's just try it out," and I chose the black and red color from the four available options and took it straight to the register.

It seems that polarized lenses are "something that makes a difference"

Upon rechecking the mechanism of polarized lenses, I found that they have a structure that cuts off the light’s diffuse reflection that bounces off the road surface and windshield in specific directions. Regular sunglasses simply reduce the amount of light, but polarized lenses can suppress the glare itself. One of the reasons for the "somehow my eyes get tired" feeling while driving is said to be due to this kind of diffuse reflection.

However, the effectiveness can vary greatly depending on the material and precision. There was no choice but to actually wear them and drive to see how much effect I could feel for 980 yen.

When I took it out for a drive, the reflection on the windshield changed

On a weekend morning, while driving the usual route, I tried out the Workman polarized lenses. From the moment I started, I noticed the reflections on the windshield. Without sunglasses, the reflections of the dashboard and inside the car were faintly overlapping on the windshield.

Once I put them on, that reflection clearly calmed down. It didn't disappear completely, but the feeling of it being a distraction was reduced. The reflections from the road were similar. The glare felt on a sunny road was different before and after putting them on. There was a clear moment when I thought, "Is this the effect of polarization?" and I was able to confirm that they functioned well even at 980 yen.

The visibility of the traffic lights became a bit clearer

What I was concerned about was the story that signals become hard to see when wearing polarized lenses. I had heard that depending on the angle of the polarizing filter, the LEDs of the signals can appear darker. I stopped in front of the signals and checked, but with these glasses, I didn’t feel any particular issues. Red, blue, and yellow were all visible with sufficient brightness.

The lens color is strongly yellowish, and the overall visibility becomes warm-toned. Preferences may vary, but the contrast increases, making it feel easier to see during daytime driving.

There was no burden on my ears or nose even after wearing them for a long time, and for 980 yen, it might be sufficient.

In conclusion, it was sufficiently usable for daily driving. I clearly felt two things: the reflection on the windshield was subdued, and the glare from the road surface was reduced. It's not a dramatic change, but it's a fact that there was a noticeable difference.

The frames are light, and there was hardly any burden on my ears or nose even after wearing them for a long time. I honestly can’t say if it’s the same as sunglasses costing 10,000 yen. However, I think this is a sufficiently distinct item to try as an entry point for polarized lenses at 980 yen.

Product Name: Sports Glasses
Price: 980 yen (including tax)
Material: Lens: Plastic (coated), Frame and Temple: Plastic (painted)
Color: Black x Black, Dark Blue x Black, White x Blue, Black x Red
Visible Light Transmittance: 15%
● Workman

Interview and text by SYURI

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