SPY® came into being in 1994 as the brainchild of a group of
over-achieving athletes and design freaks seeking new perspective
through the lens of technical
eyewear.
This unique group was as motivated toward creativity and freedom as
they were with pushing design conventions and redefining technology, and
their efforts were eagerly embraced by the burgeoning world of action,
motor and multisports.
SPY’s existence from Day 1 involved a constant evolution of the
relationship between material, function and design, and to this day the
brand's
DNA underscores an obsession with progressing the quality of
experience, of taking it all in, of having fun while doing things that a
lot of people think are downright crazy. Within this craziness lies the
genius of the SPY brand, its athletes and designers.
SPY continues to place itself at the intersection of
retro-futuristic
design and optical innovation, while at the same time fueling its
identity through the iconic minds, bodies and vision of the world's most
creative and inspiring athletes, as well as its athletically-inspired
creatives.
Here are some things they did along the way:
*Drink it, Jimmy... it's just like what they give the astronauts.*
In 1994, SPY began R&D on a lens program using state-of-the art
aerospace tech common in fighter pilot and astronaut lens design. It
took five years and countless trials, but success finally came in 1999
with production of the first Accurate Radius Curvature (ARC) line:
crystal clear vision at all angles of vision delivered in a
shatterproof, scratch-proof lens. Try to break it. Try to scratch it.
You can't.
*If you keep doing that, you'll go blind.*
Eyewear fog-up and misting was a plague for
outdoor sports through the '90s. Athletes wearing
goggles, protective
eyewear or
sunglasses
had to contend with condensation obscuring their vision as their bodies
heated up in the cold air or fog... not a good thing approaching 100
mph or above 30 feet in the air. In 1995, the SPY "Scoop" technology was
perfected, earning it a U.S. patent and the appreciation of athletes
worldwide. So, what's the scoop on The Scoop? A special vent system is
incorporated into the Scoop frame, which produces an air-churning
Venturi effect between the eye and lens surface, moving condensation out
and away before it can settle.
Scope our Scoop, if you haven’t gone blind yet.
*Anatomy of a Glaring Achievement*
Polarized
eyewear
has long been standard equipment for athletes outdoors to minimize
blinding glare from light bouncing off surfaces like water, snow and
pavement. In 1996, SPY advanced its ARC technology to include Trident™
Polarization, a special filter injected between two layers of ARC
material. The result: a lightweight, shatterproof lens that cuts glare.
Glaringly sick, we think.
*What Now?*
SPY has an intensely devoted crew focused on creating something profound
and committed to fusing ideas, art and engineering to produce an
eyewear
collection that is unrivaled in utility and style. They figure once you
have all that dialed, you can cut loose and have some fun.
Their
brand's
heritage is rooted in action sports, motorsports and multisports, and
it's supported by a genetic code linking people, product and passion. So
with that in mind, they're looking to do what they're wired to do: to
come up with new solutions and styles that make a difference not just on
the face of things but in the hearts and minds of those who rock their
stuff with confidence, pride and a big-ass grin.
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