Tested by: Jordan Mastagni
Let’s face it; if you’re not prepared for a long-distance motorcycle trip with a good pair of shades … well … then … your trip can pretty much blow–especially if you happen to ride through a swarm of Africanized Honey Bees. A stinger to the cornea isn’t the most comfortable experience, right? Thank God it’s illegal to ride without something protecting your eyes in most states, according to AAA. But let’s be honest, some shades manufacturers don’t have a clue what riders are looking for when it comes to style and performance. DSO Eyewear’s vast lines of sunglasses for men and women will not only protect you from the elements, but will do so fashionably.
Established in 1993, DSO opened its doors targeting the action sports enthusiasts of the world, but later expanded its focus to include folks from all walks of life, including the two-wheeled persuasion. Currently, DSO carries more than 20 different styles of men’s sunglasses to choose from in many forms be it tint or frame color, and DSO’s sister line, Divine Sunglasses, offers 14 different styles of women’s sunglasses in a myriad of sleek and sexy configurations. We dropped in on friend/owner of DSO Eyewear, Chris Mangum, in Costa Mesa, California, to see what the sunglass proprietor had to offer. He helped us handpick a few select men’s and women’s shades that made sense for those who ride. If you are interested in any of these styles of glasses, drop us a line at baggersmag@sorc.com.
1. Rocker
$96-$126
The Rocker is made for those looking to be just that … a rock star. Constructed from a handcrafted acetate frame with wire-core temples for a snug and custom fit, the Rocker releases your inner badass. Available in shiny black, matte black, shiny dark tort (shown here), or shiny red in either a smoke lens or a polarized smoke lens, the Rocker will definitely give you an edge.
2. Greed Limited
$125-$165
One of DSO’s newest styles, the Greed Limited, features a larger wraparound frame that’s great for riders trying to avoid mosquitos that find their way into sunglasses’ crevasses on the highway or those nursing a bad hangover. They are made from a TR90 Nylon and injection molded fitted with high-contrast yellow polycarbonate lenses for riding at night. Both protection and style can be had with the Greed Limited, which is available in a shiny black frame with either smoke, yellow, clear, or polarized-smoke lenses, a matte-black frame with smoke, clear, yellow, or polarized smoke lenses, a newer rubberized material frame with either smoke or clear lenses, and a matte-white frame with a polarized smoke lens.
3. Deville
$96-$126
The Deville is a wraparound-style shade with an injection-molded curved frame from Grilimid nylon. The Deville has been fitted with large eight-base lenses allowing an unobstructed view matched with stainless optical hinges and a handset metal temple tip detail. Choose shiny black in smoke or smoke polarized, shiny dark tort with amber or amber polarized, metallic bronze with amber polarized, or matte black with smoke polarized lenses.
4. Divine Devious Eyewear
$76-$98
For the ladies out there and the gents looking to score some points with their gals, check out the Divine line of sunglasses. The Devious (shown here) is a sassy pair of shades that allows your woman to feel confident that her eyeballs will be protected, thanks in part to Divine’s feisty designers that released a pair of shades for the girls to spice up their biker world accouterments. They are available in the black/brown/clear frame with polarized smoke lens (shown here) and non-polarized smoke lens, or a shiny black frame with a polarized smoke lens or non-polarized smoke lens, or a shiny tort frame with polarized or non-polarized amber lens.
5. Famous
$96-$126
The Famous features a large squared wrap style that’s custom-built from a high-quality, lightweight propionate frame fitted with crystal clear polycarbonate eight-base lenses, and stainless optical hinges and hand set detailing. It is available in matte black, shiny black, and shiny white, with smoke lenses or polarized smoke lenses, and also in tortoise shell in amber and polarized amber. The Famous is one of our favorites because of its well-proportioned symmetrical design. The sidepieces and shield meld together seamlessly.
6. Toxic Limited
$100-$130
Also featuring a larger front frame section, the Toxic Limited blends myriad styles in one sunglass. The limited-production model is handcrafted from an acetate frame with wire core temples for a tailored and snug fit, and features crystal clear six-base lenses. We like the Toxic because of its unique style. The big shield takes us back to our dirt biking days because of the Toxic’s goggle-esque appearance. Choose shiny black, matte black, or shiny white frame with a polarized smoke lens or smoke lens.
dsoeyewear.com
divineeyewear.com