ProView – Zeal Optics Divide

From the trailhead to the pub, the Zeal Divide sunglasses are grass-speckled spectacles that make good use of sustainably-sourced plastics to deliver a pair of lifestyle sunglasses that look equally as good in the field.

When reviewing gear, l make sure the product lives a happy life by putting it through the wringer. For a pair of skis, I will tour at least 100,000 vertical feet and make sure they are nice and scratched up before typing the review. I will make sure to run at least a couple hundred miles in a pair of trail runners, wearing down the tread and putting some discoloration on the upper before considering forming an opinion. For a pair of sunglasses on the other hand, what constitutes the appropriate mileage? The number of photons blocked by the lens? The number of times I thought I lost them and found them again later on my side table? The point where the lenses become so scratched they could double as my old, beat-up, induction stovetop? 

Every pair of sunglasses I have owned has seen hundreds of hours on the bridge of my nose and this pair of sunglasses were no exception. Reviewing the Zeal Divide sunglasses that line of wear and tear never seemed to be crossed. Here is a shortlist of places that these sunglasses have traveled with me: 28 ski tours, the top of the tallest mountains in the Wasatch and Elk mountains (and back down again), 15 trail runs, and a few trips to the dog park. Despite living a full life in a matter of months, the Zeal Divide sunglasses look and perform as they did on the first day I unboxed them. 

In this review, I will detail the ways that these glasses shine from trailhead to pub all the while using sustainably sourced materials. 

Fit/Comfort

Sunglass fit can be tricky in terms of fit. Often it is a Cinderella story of finding the pair that slide perfectly onto your face. At this point, I have found a general style of sunglasses that I find reliably comfortable and tend to seek out those frame shapes and sizes. These are sunglasses are relatively light (measured at 30 grams), making them easy to put on and forget about on a long day in the mountains. 

Look/Style

Zeal does a fantastic job across the board designing sunglasses that easily fit within the categories of lifestyle and performance. With a large lens, curved base, and straight bridge these glasses will do a satisfactory job keeping the light out of your eyes from all angles. These are not glacier glasses, however, so there is not an expectation that they will fully protect you from reflective snow or water. 

Features

In these sunglasses, you will find rubber injections that keep the glasses securely on your face. While I usually pair my sunglasses with a pair of straps, I found that I didn’t necessarily need to do that with the Zeal Divide. This was especially useful while wearing a helmet where a strap only adds hassle to the outing. These rubber injections seem securely affixed to the arms of the glasses, resolving an issue I have had with other sunglasses in the past. 

Weight/Packability

Nothing exceptional to note here. Most sunglasses will perform similarly in regards to stowing away. The arms fold away efficiently for a low-profile package that easily fits into most of my backpack and jacket pockets. The Zeal Divide comes with a burly case as well as a fabric pouch for any of your stowing needs. 

Function/Performance

While these are not glacier glasses, I still found a home for these glasses while ski touring and mountaineering. I very intentionally chose the model that featured the plant-based Ellume Polarized copper-colored lenses. When using glasses for skiing and ski-mountaineering the pop, clarity, and contrast of this lens are pretty critical in snowy environments. During early morning alpine starts, these sunglasses performed well in low light as well. There is potential for glasses to flatten the environment around you which can be dangerous while skiing. A lens that offers contrast like this one is very important for me. 

Durability/Construction

The Zeal Divide model of sunglass frame blends recycled plastics and grass fibers for a unique look and feel in addition to a very durable frame. In many sunglasses that I have owned in the past, the arms of the glasses will become slightly bent from general use and make them wider than first unboxed. This translates to sunglasses that feel looser and looser as they get older. At this point, I have not experienced this phenomenon with the Zeal Divide sunglasses. These sunglasses also include a barrel-style hinge which is very common in the industry. Nothing special here but would certainly be worried about a screw coming loose at some point in their lifetime. I would love to see some innovation here from the industry overall. 

Price

With an MSRP of $169.00 this is a very fair price for the quality of the product you can expect. 

Friendliness to the Earth

These sunglasses feature a variety of sustainably sourced plastics in their construction. It shows up on the frame with recycled plastics and interwoven grass fibers to reinforce the design as well as the plant-based Ellume Polarized lenses that perform as well as their petroleum-based counterparts. These glasses demonstrate intelligent and sustainable design in the industry.

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