In spite of all the technology devoted to making lens changes easier, somehow it still seems more complicated than it should be. Ideally, you should be able to pop in a different lens at a moment’s notice to counter rapidly changing weather conditions without dropping, scratching, or smudging the lens.
Many glasses have promised the solution, though few have truly delivered. The new Smith Attack and Attack Max should change that – mostly due to the introduction of MAG technology. By combining magnets with a simple clip system, changing lenses has never been easier…
Certainly, these are not the first sunglasses with interchangeable temples. Smith’s own Pivlock glasses have been in the line up for a while now, but even they seem complicated compared to the new MAG glasses. Basically, all you have to do is push the jaw of the temple into the dock that is built into the lens. Once together, the magnets do the rest. To remove, just squeeze the clip and the temples pop off. Pop the temples onto the lens of choice, swap the nose pad (which just clips onto the lens), and you’re good to go. Really, this has to be the easiest lens change that I’ve seen personally.
In addition to MAG Technology, the Attack and Attack Max also boast the new ChromaPop lenses in two different sizes. The Attack dips down above the nose piece for a slimmer shield, while the Max pops up for maximum coverage. The temples and nosepiece are fitted with Megol material which should keep them from slipping.
We’ve come to expect a pretty high level of fit and finish from Smith products, and the Attack Max glasses are no exception. On a recent ride through Joshua Tree on the way back from Sea Otter, the glasses stayed comfortably perched on my face, but the real treat came from the ChromaPop lenses. Like the goggles before them, the contrast and colors the lenses highlight make them stand out from lesser quality optics. More impressive still was their resistance to sweat and smudges from inadvertent contact with your hands or face.
Each sunglass array is offered in one of three different ChromoPop shades, and each also includes a secondary ChromaPop Contrast Rose for low light conditions. Sold in a hard case with a soft bag, the two temples, two lenses, and a single nose piece, the Attack and Attack Max each sell for $250. Available in July.
