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Smith Parallel Max Sunglasses - Polarized

Available Colors / Styles

Brown/ Polarized Brown-Polarized Yellow
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The Smith Parallel Max shares the lightness of their Vxe and Pivlock 90 series sunglasses; they're so unobtrusive you'll likely forget you're wearing them. The key difference is a matter of style. The Parallel Max has separate lenses where the aforementioned models use one full coverage eyeshield. This is also where the Max differs from the standard Parallel sunglasses. The lenses are just slightly taller and wider to offer a bit more coverage.

We'd call the Parallel Max a close-fitting design. After all, the base curve of 9 ensures that the lenses sweep all the way around your eyes for optimum protection from unwanted light and glare as well as physical objects. The frame is made from Grilamid TR90, a tough plastic that is at once flexible, yet tough as nails. This lightweight frame supports individual lenses that pop out easily, like Smith's sliders of old. The lenses use Smith's Tapered Lens Technology (TLT) to give you a distortionless view. As you might've already experienced, visual distortion occurs when light waves hit an aggressively curved lens causing them to refract. This refraction causes a prismatic effect, or distortion. TLT corrects the distortion by progressively tapering the lens thickness from the optical center toward the peripheral edges. With TLT, light waves travel directly to your eye to generate precise vision and reduce potential eye fatigue. Objects are clearly defined and seen in their exact position.

Seeing clearly adds safety, but so does Smith's Carbonic lens material -- the most impact resistant lens material money can buy. Smith treats them with an anti-scratch coating to keep them as new as possible, as long as possible. They're light, they exceed ANSI Z80.3 specifications, and they protect your eyes from 100% of the UVA, UVB, and UVC rays out there.

The Grilamid TR90 frame provides you with maximum comfort, maximum flexibility, maximum toughness, and maximum resistance to sweat and sunscreen. And the hydrophilic Megol nose and temple pads keep them locked in place on your face. They won’t slip. They won’t slide. They won’t fall off.

The Smith Parallel Max offers a close fit to your face and large coverage. It's available in Black w/polar grey and Brown w/polar brown. With either color option, you'll get two extra sets of lenses. The Ignitor lenses are great for overcast days as they increase definition and depth perception in low light. The Clear Mirror lenses are the best for very low light conditions. Switching between lenses is a total breeze and can be done in a matter of moments without tools.

Bottom Line: Max out your athletic eyewear options.

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Rating for this product: 5

sweet

By:
October 3, 2011

As usual from smith, great optics. Im not a huge fan of the frames but they really aren't bad. I wouldn't recommend these for running, but they work well for biking and skiing.

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1 Comment Last Comment: November 30, 2011 by:

By:
November 30, 2011

The optics really are no different than the flak jackets but the flak jackets look a heck of a lot cooler.

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can i buy replacement lenses and where?

can i buy replacement lenses and where?

By:
December 1, 2009

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Yes you can get them directly through Smith at www.smithoptics.com

By:
December 19, 2009

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Rating for this product: 5

Great Sunglasses

By:
January 7, 2010

I just bought these sunglasses for snowboarding in the winter and mountain biking in the summer. My initial reaction was they fit great, I have a med/small head, so if you have a large head these may be tight on you. The lens go in and out easily and I got clear, amber and dark depending on the activity. All in all I'd recommend these sunglasses to any of my friends.

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Has anyone purchased the Oakley Mag Four Sunglasses with the

Has anyone purchased the Oakley Mag Four Sunglasses with the magnesium frames that can shed some light on them?

By:
February 20, 2009

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sorry Mark ...it was black frames that I purchased a year later, not the lenses.

By:
January 11, 2011

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Yes Mark, Actually I am very meticulous. I wanted the Mag Four in carbon black with orange fire lenses. Oakley never made them available. A couple years ago I bought a pair of the plasma frames with the fire lense. About a year later someone on ebay placed a pair of black Mag Four lenses up for bid. I won the bid and took a special screwdriver (with a star shape) I had purchased years earlier and placed the lenses I wanted into the frames I wanted. Now I have a very personalized one of a kind pair. They are extremely awsome, lightweight and just damn great. I've sent Oakley so many ideas over the years about off the wall combinations, designs etc....as I'm a pretty creative guy for a scientist. I even told Oakley they should hire me as a creative R&D and design specialist but of course they continue to ignore me. It is their loss. I wish you luck if you want to find these. I wouldn't sell mine for less than $1000 bucks since I put so damn much energy into putting them together. Total cost to me was about $300 bucks.
Bobby

By:
January 11, 2011

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Rating for this product: 5

sweet shades

By:
December 8, 2009

SmithOptics.com for extra lenses.... Great shades, super light weight, can't wait to take these road biking!

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Rating for this product: 5

Great glasses

By:
October 12, 2009

These glasses are cheaper on the Smith website.

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2 Comments Last Comment: October 3, 2011 by:

By:
October 3, 2011

actually backcountry has em for 5 cents cheaper.......

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By:
October 16, 2009

I was going to ding this as not really being a great review but I have to say I'll confirm mark the website has the SRP as $129.00. I love backcountry.com and I'm sure they have a reason for their current price, but it'd also be cool if they adjusted the price to Smith's suggested retail price. Perhaps they're a rarity right now?

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Rating for this product: 4

Sweet

By:
June 8, 2009

I'd give them a 4.5 if that was a rating option and that's just because I'm stingy. They are a sweet set of shades whther ripping waves, snow or pimping. I never have gotten into the aviator piece preferring functionality over chic. Smith rocks as a company and their products exhibit that rockedness. I have had a pair of smiths on my noggin for over a decade. Sad to say but every pair I have owned so far have had burials at sea (river, lakes, etc). So run up the flag!

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Change me.

20%
Reg $158.95
$127.16
20% Off, Regularly: $158.95 | Item: SMI0617
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Black/Polarized Copper-Polarized Yellow, One Size (127.16)
Brown/Polarized Brown-Polarized Yellow, One Size (127.16)

sweet

5 star rating

By: Will Guru October 3, 2011

As usual from smith, great optics. Im not a huge fan of the frames but they really aren't bad. I wouldn't recommend these for running, but they more...

Great Sunglasses

5 star rating

By: jes3596722 January 7, 2010

I just bought these sunglasses for snowboarding in the winter and mountain biking in the summer. My initial reaction was they fit great, I have a med/small more...

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Frame:
Grilamid TR90 
Hinge:
steel 
Lens:
Carbonic TLT polycarbonate 
Interchangeable Lens:
yes 
Polarized:
yes 
Face Size:
medium 
Case Type:
hard 
Nose Pads:
yes 
Temple Pads:
yes 
Recommended Use:
athletics, casual 
Manufacturer Warranty:
lifetime