Gill no longer make sunglasses that fit women or smaller faces.

As a neurospicy individual, with a smaller face, I wear sunglasses all year round, even on cloudy days. Gill's affordable polarized sunglasses allow me to have sunglasses in every bag. But you better get trawling the internet now if you want any of these.

For over 15 years now I’ve carried a pair of Gill sunglasses in my kit bag wherever I happen to be sailing in the world.

They’re not all the same mind you, I have a few different models of Gill sunglasses or variants, but they fit my smallish face really well and wrap around to block out wind and bright light.

As a neurospicy person I wear sunglasses all year round, even on cloudy days. I live by the water, I drive a lot of miles and I sail a lot too. I have a pair in the car, a pair in my bag, a pair on my desk at work, three pairs on my boat in Azores, a pair on my boat in Southampton. You can imagine keeping track of sunglasses is a job in itself. But these Gill polarized sunglasses just keep on going. And it’s easy to just go online and buy another pair if needed. Or I should say,  it WAS easy.

Each year there’s a few new models, but there’s some ever green models too and these are what I try to buy into. So I know I can just get the same again, and again.

The frames are so light you can forget you’re wearing anything at all. There’s some light foam padding along each arm, this makes them both comfortable and they float if dropped overboard. I’m not sure how you’d get them back though if you’re moving at speed. Adding a neck float or lanyard to them might be sensible if you’re apt for dropping things overboard.

Polarized to Cat 3

The current lenses are polarized to cat 3. This makes spotting wind shifts on the water easier and easier to spot other things going on under the water.

I don’t wear any non-polarized sunglasses. Some of the older models of Gill sunglasses were cat 2, but I think they’ve all moved on to cat3 now. Ideally check for this on the arm, it’s printed on there for you to check and verify what you’re getting. Look for the CE mark.

The sunglasses model name is also printed on the other arm so you can simply co online and order another pair.

I was looking for a picture of me NOT wearing sunglasses for a profile pic on social and realised that I am a walking talking Gill Sunglasses advert. Full disclosure, I bought every pair of sunglasses myself and have never been gifted any sunglasses that I currently wear.

I basically live in them. They’ve seen a few sun rises and sun sets over the years.

Early morning coastal rowing, with a low sun, no problem. This model is the Corona. Currently still available at a good few stockists, but discontinued by Gill.

A bright early spring day moving a boat, no problem. This is the Glare model. Currently available only in black from limited stockists.

Skippering a customers boat in the British summer, no problem. Corona Model.

Driving a rib in a busy shipping area, no problem. These Corona wrap arounds help to stop my eyes watering when clipping along at 20kts.

I’ve had this pair of two tone Glare for 13 years now and they’re a bit tired, but I quite like the scruffy look. Though I wish I could find a few more pairs to keep in my cupboard for later.

My biggest mistake was buying a black pair one year. They lasted about 3 weeks before I lost them somewhere around Charlestown in Cornwall, between jobs I put them down and then couldn’t find them again.

The lesson learned is that black sunglasses tend to be hard to find, so I stick with the brighter or lighter coloured ones. I might look a bit daft in them, but that’s better than losing them.

Anyway, why am I writing all of this about my Gill Sunglasses?

Well, it seems, much like a big section of the marine industry that women (and smaller faced people in the case) are losing out as budgets are squeezed and product lines are dropped.

Looking on the Gill site, they no longer make any sunglasses that wrap around a smaller face. But are following with the fashion for flat sunglasses that are not as good at stopping light leakage on the water.

Can you imagine, you’ve bought the same comfy reliable modestly priced snug fitting underpants/ boxers from your favourite shop for years and years, and then one day they say, oh, we’re stopping that now. everyone is wearing these extra large baggy Y fronts. You’d be a bit miffed. And that’s what I am. Miffed.

The current lineup:

So it looks like my 15 year love affair with this brand might be coming to an end next time I need to find another pair of wrap around sunglasses. There’s a few stockists out there with some older stock. Maybe I can eek it out long enough for those old ever green lines to come back into fashion?

This season might be your last chance to get these from retailers selling off older stock. For non-Gill wearers, I do have a nifty buyers guide to polarized sunglasses: Best sailing sunglasses, 8 practical options

 

 

 

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