ProView – Zeal Optics Hondo Review

I tested the new Zeal Optics Hondo sunglasses in the heat and sunlight of Texas on a hunting trip. Protecting my eyes while running through the brush after wild invasive pigs.

For this test of these Zeal Optics Hondo sunglasses, I ventured on an all paid trip to Texas for a hunting trip. I have never been to Texas, but I know it’s hot and sunny in comparison to northeast Ohio. One of my close friends owns a knife making company and he got connected with some guides to hunt wild invasive pigs in northern Texas. For those of you that don’t know, pigs are highly invasive through most of the world, destroy a lot of habitats, and kill a lot of native animals. 

Most of our hunting was at night, but we hunted a lot during the day as well. We’d use dogs to help us track down the pigs and then we’d harvest them for our freezers back home. The Zeal Hondo sunglasses were amazing! They kept my eyes protected while running through the dense brush to keep up with the dogs and the pigs. It was very warm and sunny the entire time we were there. The sunglasses helped keep the sun out of my eyes for the better part of the day. 

Fit/Comfort

These sunglasses are very comfortable for average sized heads. The Zeal Hondo sunglasses are narrow. I have a standard head (for my standard brain) and they fit well. A friend that came on the hunting trip has a wider head. He said that he liked them besides the fact of them being narrow for him. He has this problem with most sunglasses. 

Features

These glasses have the same fashion style as a lot of common sunglasses, but with recycled materials! They have polarized lenses to help protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. They are very lightweight and durable — taking a beating from branches while I hunted. Lastly, while looking through the lenses, the tint is very red.

What sets the product apart?

Most products on the market or competitors don’t use recycle materials to reduce the impact of single use plastics.

Who is the product for?

I think these sun glasses would be a great fit for someone who isn’t into high impact sports due to the lack of protection on the sides of the frames.

Friendliness to the Earth

The use of grass fibers and recycled plastics for the entire product is huge. If I lose these or if they fall off my face in the water, they will break down. Normal plastic sunglasses are forever and will be around much longer than any of us. This product is overall functional, stylish, and eco-friendly. Zeal also gives back 1% of gross sales to environmental causes such as 1% For The Planet and other non-profit organizations to help with the environment. 

Room for Improvement

The only drawback from these sunglasses are the “temples” or the little branch like things that go from the front of the glasses to your ears; those are narrow. It allows the sunlight through the side of the glasses in the morning times and the evening. I’ve noticed this a lot while driving and you can’t really avoid this too much without putting your sun visor down.

The Final Word 

I enjoyed the Zeal Honda sunglasses. I will buy more products from them in the future as I move to northern Idaho and will need goggles as I get into snowboarding. I will also use them a lot while on fly fishing adventures. I would like to see a wider version offered and make the vision less red when you put them on.

They have a nice case and little bag inside to help protect them and clean the lenses. The frames have a speckle through them of small brown dots that just faint and hard to notice at first. I didn’t see it; my wife pointed this detail out to me. I’d overall recommend them to friends and coworkers.

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