Sortie, the newest addition to Serengeti’s selection of aviator sunglasses, is the result of an effort to refine and update an iconic sunglass style. To achieve a new level of performance while retaining all of the requisite design cues, Serengeti consulted with retired F16 fighter pilot, Major Dan Rooney.
Sortie has all of the design cues familiar to aviator eyewear in place, including: navigator shape; double bridge; narrow temples and bayonet earpieces. The frame, however, has been freshened with a slightly more angular profile for a modern look, according to company officials.
Because few environments are as demanding as the cockpit of an airplane, Sortie is fitted with Ultra-Light glass lenses. Made with borosilicate optical glass from Corning, these lenses are chemically tempered for scratch and impact resistance.
Sortie’s lenses incorporate two technologies to optimize common interactions with light, reducing eye strain and improving visual acuity:
- Photochromic – Pioneered by Serengeti, this technology instantly adjusts tint to compensate for changing light conditions
- Spectral Control – Manages specific colors in the light spectrum to sharpen contrasts
Foregoing the brand’s typical strategy of making each model available with a variety of lens tints, Sortie is offered with only one. Chosen for superior performance in bright light conditions, 555nm lenses manage yellow and green light transmission to cool and relax the eyes, company officials explain. A light silver mirror coating further reduces eyestrain by minimizing the effects of glare.
Constructed with lightweight, durable titanium, Sortie’s frame has a naturally springiness that ensures a precise comfortable fit for most head sizes, officials add.
“In the fighter pilot world, it’s often said, ‘lose sight, lose fight,’” said Rooney. “In the supersonic world, it takes a higher level of visual acuity to stay in flight, and that’s what the Sortie delivers.”
Named for a word used to describe flying an airplane on a combat mission, Sortie is available now priced at $269.99.
For more information: Serengeti-Eyewear.com